Marlene Smith
| Town/City | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| First name | Marlene |
| Last name | Smith |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 26th July 1943 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1950 |
| Submitted by | Marlene Gorman nee Smith |
Story
My brother said it rained too much in Manchester that’s why we came to Australia, but I don’t really know why, but I never regretted it. Mind you, I never had any say in the matter, I was only six when we left England and sailed to Australia on the MV Cheshire on 12th July 1950. The ship was crowded all the men, boys, women and children were segregated – I suppose to make more room for everyone. Mum and I were lucky we had a two berth cabin to ourselves. Just as well, mum was seasick all the way to Australia, only ever going on deck when we were in port. I had a great time with the other kids; no one to bother us, no school to worry about.
We ended our journey in Sydney but had to stay on the ship for several days as there was no place for us to go. My family were part of the assisted migrant scheme for tradesmen only and we were supposed to have available for us, on arrival, flats or houses built by the housing commission. There weren’t enough houses for the Aussies never mind immigrants so we were shunted off to a place called Bathurst into an old army camp where other displaced immigrants were housed. What a welcome for us Brits. All of us came from fairly comfortable circumstances and were devastated to see what we had arrived to. The cooks were from the Baltic States and were not at all used to cooking for English tastes and us English couldn’t eat what they had cooked. I remember having a little card that had to be stamped every time I had a tin mug of milk! Was there rationing in Australia? We were asked if we would go to Melbourne as there was a hostel available in Brooklyn and plenty of work; exactly what my dad and brother wanted.
Off, back on a bus, to the train, and then on to Melbourne only to find on arrival the smouldering remains of one of the hostel blocks. The departing tenants having been sent off to Bonegila to make way for us Brits. (in hindsight no wonder they were mad!).
Work aplenty for the men and women and a bus for us kid to the nearest State school. We soon were settled even though we were living inside old woolsheds; partioned off with masonite walls and chook wire ceilings. Bits of wool still sticking to the walls and roof. Dad soon got a house to rent in Moonee Ponds and life began to change for us all, mum settled down and wrote and asked her sisters to come and join us in Australia. I lost my Northern Engish accent pretty quick smart when I started school, no-one could understand me!
We all prospered and eventually bought a house, a fact that would never have entered my parent’s head had we all still lived in England. My parents enjoyed a new life having holidays at the beach and a social life unheard of in England. My mother’s sisters came out to Melbourne a few years after us and also settled with their families.
We all have had a great life even with some losses; Dad died prematurely at 57 but mum lived until she was 93. My brother married an Australian girl and I married an Irishman. Between my brother and I we have four children and have thirteen grandchildren all true blue Aussies. We have all travelled back to the UK from time to time but never ever have I called England home, my home is here in Australia.