Robert Crossley
| Town/City | Adelaide |
|---|---|
| First name | Robert |
| Last name | Crossley |
| Country of Origin | Wales |
| Date of Birth | 21.04.1934 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1959 |
| Submitted by | Lynette Crossley |
Story
Born during the depression and raised by his grandparents in Wrexham North Wales , Robert ‘Bobbie\’ Crossley joined the British army as a young man. Following discharge from the army he returned to Wales and worked in an open cast coalmine .
In 1959 Bob left his native land, as a £10 pom and was one of the first immigrants to fly to Australia where he arrived in Victoria on Anzac Day 1959. His flight to Australia involved numerous stops and took the better part of a week. Tired and not a little disorientated he was greeted by a local none too happy to have his public holiday interrupted.
After staying at a migrant hostel, Bob got his first job with the Forestry Commission of Victoria. Bob settled into life in Australia as a single man discovering local customs like the 6 o\’clock swill, meeting people and other migrants from all over the world.
As a 25 year old he had come to Australia in search of adventure and the next few years were spent travelling the nation including Queensland and Western Australia where the isolation and difficulty leaving led him to refuse a job in the asbestos mines at Wittenoon.
After a stint in New Zealand he returned to Australia and settled in Sydney where he lives to this day.
In Sydney Bob took a job in the post office doing 2 deliveries a day Monday – Friday and Saturday mornings with the advantage of being able to swim at the beach or pop into the pub in between rounds.
He worked on his beat in Edgecliff for many years and became a popular, well known local ‘postie\’ there until his retirement.
In July 1963 he married Barbara a 4th generation Australian. They moved into their move their new home in Blacktown in 1968, where they live to this day. Their first child Lynette was born in 1969, with Owen arriving in 1972 and Kelvin in 1981.
On Australia Day 1988 his friends and neighbours paid him the ultimate accolade making him a ‘true blue naturalised Aussie\’ complete with presentation of the essentials of his adopted home a fly swat and cork hat.
On Anzac Day 2009 Bob will celebrate 50 years living in Australia.
With love Dad from the kids.