Ten Pound Poms?

[frog cruiser]

As Suey said we came over on the Fairsea.She was only ten but me sweet 17 if there is such a thing.

Average age of cruisers was 12 and with them came chicken pox,measles,gastro etc.Only three nurses on the crew so they decided to ask anyone who had nursing experence if they would comsider working on the ship the purser only wanted payed workers as he need stable staff.

Tell a 17 year old she can work with a ship of Italian sailors (it was a easy question:D )

The only thing I did not think of was that I did not get a chance to ride a camel because I was working.

But I loved the experience and will never forget it.

By the way if the Dentist UMberto reads this I remember you fondly.;)

[epal]

I'm sad to say I never made the journey my parents and us four Kids flew in Aug.1969 we had an dogs hind leg of a trip I would have loved to have sailed but had no say (only 9yrs )I do envy you it would have been great I would one day like to sail back to England I've got to find the most terrific deal:)

[Sisco's Mum]

I came upon this site by accident as I am doing some research for a book. What a find! I too came out on assisted passage with my parents, brother & sister in 1969 (I was 9) on the Fairsky. I remember lots of things, from the treacherous Bay of Biscay (the ship apparently had no stabilisers), to the crossing the line ceremony (I was in it and drank salt water!). Breaking down and floating across the equator, struggling in to Capetown. Then departing and having to make another stop in South Africa at Durban cause the engines still weren't right. But I loved every minute of it, I remember visiting Las Palmas and South Africa but I can't remember anywhere else. I am looking for the itinerary if anyone has it.

When we docked in Melbourne we stayed at Preston in the hostel.

I now live on the sunny Gold Coast and would to hear from other passengers. :D

[Neilius]

I came upon this site by accident as I am doing some research for a book. What a find! I too came out on assisted passage with my parents' date=' brother & sister in 1969 (I was 9) on the Fairsky. I remember lots of things, from the treacherous Bay of Biscay (the ship apparently had no stabilisers), to the crossing the line ceremony (I was in it and drank salt water!). Breaking down and floating across the equator, struggling in to Capetown. Then departing and having to make another stop in South Africa at Durban cause the engines still weren't right. But I loved every minute of it, I remember visiting Las Palmas and South Africa but I can't remember anywhere else. I am looking for the itinerary if anyone has it.

When we docked in Melbourne we stayed at Preston in the hostel.

I now live on the sunny Gold Coast and would to hear from other passengers. :D[/quote']

 

Please let us know when you publish the book - I'm sure a few of us would be very interested!

[SouthAussie100]

I came upon this site by accident as I am doing some research for a book. What a find! I too came out on assisted passage with my parents' date=' brother & sister in 1969 (I was 9) on the Fairsky. I remember lots of things, from the treacherous Bay of Biscay (the ship apparently had no stabilisers), to the crossing the line ceremony (I was in it and drank salt water!). Breaking down and floating across the equator, struggling in to Capetown. Then departing and having to make another stop in South Africa at Durban cause the engines still weren't right. But I loved every minute of it, I remember visiting Las Palmas and South Africa but I can't remember anywhere else. I am looking for the itinerary if anyone has it.

When we docked in Melbourne we stayed at Preston in the hostel.

I now live on the sunny Gold Coast and would to hear from other passengers. :D[/quote']

We were on the Fairsky too in 1969. we arrived just before my 5th birthday (in March). We stayed in the new immigrant hostel in Port Adelaide for a few weeks and ended up staying south of Adelaide. I really don't remember a lot about the cruise except the same waiter who looked after us every day and the delicious fresh pineapple juice for breakfast :) (other than the previous unfortunate incident I shared earlier in this thread :confused: ) I've still got a picture of us disembarking. I should try and scan and post here !

[SouthAussie100]

I hope this works, haven't tried this before. Here is hopefully the link to webshots with the pic I was talking about

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2617074620101644679BDcGIB

 

good grief I was a cute kid :D

[karmac]

Great pic!!

 

Karen

[SouthAussie100]

Great pic!!

 

Karen

thanks Karen, I thought I was a 'first time' cruiser but actually I've been before :rolleyes: . Although, I think this time I will have a much better time ! My mum in the photo (who is now in heaven) was a great organiser and I'm sure had everything under control for our big first 'cruise' ! What brave souls all the mums and dads out there that made the decision to move to another country !! That's gutz !! Thank goodness for me and my brother we live here and not still trying to make a life in England. I have cousins in the UK who can't believe the beautiful country we live in and that we actually own our own house :eek: And yes, they believe that kangaroos are in every backyard (we have them sometimes) and you can't go swimming without being attacked by a great white shark. And, don't forget the deadly snakes waiting to bite behind every long blade of grass !! Glad to be an Aussie :)

[karmac]

.... What brave souls all the mums and dads out there that made the decision to move to another country !! That's gutz !! ...

 

Totally agree with you Vanessa. My parents were 35y.o with 3 kids (8,10 & 12) when they made the move to a "foreign" country with basically nothing but a few clothes. Don't think I could do it.

 

Karen

[Neilius]

Hope you don't mind me resurrecting an old thread, but I struck paydirt at the state library yesterday, and found some old shipping notices announcing the arrival in Brisbane of our immigrant ship from the UK in May 1965.

 

Click on the image below to read my blog entry on it, and see larger copies of the announcement.

 

I've also discovered that the National Archives have microfilm records of ship passenger lists up to 1965, so I should be able to get a list of everyone who was on the ship.

 

Fascinating stuff.

 

 

http://neilius.blogspot.com/2008/07/arriving-in-oz.html

[mickalex]

You prob already know and http://www.naa.gov.au but if you don't go there and to the search records link, then in the keyword box paste "ELLINIS departing UK on 29 March 1965" without the quote marks and select PHRASE from the drop down menu at the end.This will give you 143 files with the names of over 143 passengers as there are multiple names in family groups in a file.

Then just copy and paste it into Word. That should give you all the passengers full details.:D

 

If you have any trouble give me a yell, i do history research so it took me 2 minutes to work out the best keyword term to use.

 

Enjoy

Mick

[Neilius]

You prob already know and http://www.naa.gov.au but if you don't go there and to the search records link, then in the keyword box paste "ELLINIS departing UK on 29 March 1965" without the quote marks and select PHRASE from the drop down menu at the end.This will give you 143 files with the names of over 143 passengers as there are multiple names in family groups in a file.

Then just copy and paste it into Word. That should give you all the passengers full details.:D

 

If you have any trouble give me a yell, i do history research so it took me 2 minutes to work out the best keyword term to use.

 

Enjoy

Mick

 

Mick

 

THANKS!

 

This is awesome. I didn't realize it was so easy to browse the records.

 

I've ordered an original of the document.

 

This is exciting.

 

Neil

[mickalex]

My pleasure mate.

The digitizing of records around the world is a great thing!:D

[margrey]

Where did your parents come from in scotland Badgerbill? I am from Edinburgh although i have only been here 6 years.

Would have been okay getting over for 10 pounds though compared to what it costs now:D

Cheers Marg

[Guest012]

Where did your parents come from in scotland Badgerbill? I am from Edinburgh although i have only been here 6 years.

Would have been okay getting over for 10 pounds though compared to what it costs now:D

Cheers Marg

 

Hi Marg

We come from Bainsford just a few minutes out of Falkirk I have been here since 1962 and i arrived for FREE...:D:D:D My son now lives in Edinburgh and he loves it.....caught himself a lovely Scots girl ...just like his mam .....lol......we are heading that way after our cruise in April next year ...can't wait... cheers shiona

[Skyrules]

Mum and Dad tell me that they eventually berthed at a "Wheat Wharf", which I'm guessing was the old grain wharf at Pinkenba -- on the northside of the river, out near Eagle Farm airport.

 

 

Ahhh, the grain wharf at Pinkenba - I did my first cruise on Pacific Sky from there!

 

 

Kym

[lizzy77]

We came out in 1959 on the HMAS Iberia. I still have so many memories of the four weeks that it took to get to Melbourne. The Suez Canal, Colombo, crossing the Equator and those wonderful meals in the dining room.

I also remember the sacrifices my parents made to come to this wonderful country and thank them for making the right choice. We came from Edinburgh and I had the good fortune to go back to visit last year.

[ianqld]

We came out from Scotland in 1961, I was 3yrs old.

The only memory I have of it is a photo my uncle took of me and my cousin (also 3) having a peeing contest over the side from the top deck. :(

My uncle swears to this day that he heard people from the decks below complaining about the warm rain.:D

 

Thanks to Mick (mickalex) and the National Archives I now know it was on the SS ORONTES departing Tilbury.

 

I was able to track down a photo (thanks to Duncan Whitrow) of the ship docked in Outer Harbour, Adelaide in 1961. This is where we got off the ship, probably when this photo was taken.

[mickalex]

ORONTES 1929

The ORONTES was the second ship with this name owned by the Orient Line (part of the P&O group). She was a 20,097 gross ton ship, length 638.2ft x beam 75.2ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 460-1st and 1,112-3rd class passengers. Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness in 1929, she commenced her maiden voyage in June when she started a Mediterranean cruise and joined the Australia service on 26th Oct.1929 when she sailed from London (Tilbury) for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In 1940 she was converted to a troopship and took part in the North Africa landings in Nov.1942. In 1943 she was present at the Sicilian landings at Avola, and put ashore 4,000 troops from her landing barges. She then returned with a fresh load of troops which she landed at Salerno, Italy. In 1945 she was engaged in trooping to the Far East in preparation for the invasion of Japan and in 1947-48 was reconditioned as a one-class ship. She resumed the London - Australia service on 17th June 1948 and continued on this service until March 1962 when she arrived at Valencia, Spain for scrapping. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient & Blue Anchor Lines][North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

ref:Ships List

 

 

ID Number: 303744/01 Physical description: Black & white Summary: AERIAL STARBOARD BOW VIEW OF THE BRITISH TRANSPORT RMS ORONTES WHICH TRANSPORTED RAAF PERSONNEL TO MALAYA IN 1940-07. IN 1947 SHE REPATRIATED THE SURVIVORS OF THE GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER KORMORAN FROM CAPTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION) Copyright: Status to be assessed Related subject: Prisoners of war Related unit: Armed merchant cruiser Kormoran; Royal Australian Air Force; SS Orontes; Transport ships Related place: Malaya Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/303744/01

 

 

Click here http://cas.awm.gov.au/TST2/cst.acct_master?surl=447768932ZZZHNHMKCKRBL35391&stype=3&simplesearch=&v_umo=&v_product_id=&screen_name=&screen_parms=&screen_type=RIGHT&bvers=5&bplatform=Netscape&bos=Win32

 

And just type ORONTES in the search box and it will give you 133 pictures or so of her.Pictures of on the decks etc etc.

 

Enjoy

Mick

[url=http://cas.awm.gov.au/TST2/cst.acct_master?surl=447768932ZZZHNHMKCKRBL35391&stype=3&simplesearch=&v_umo=&v_product_id=&screen_name=&screen_parms=&screen_type=RIGHT&bvers=5&bplatform=Netscape&bos=Win32][/url]

[mickalex]

I actually have a few pictures of my uncle onboard her here.When i get back from my trip i will scan them and post them.He was Sid Barnes the cricketer and the Australian cricket side traveled on her {ORONTES}.Also have a page from the London times of Don Bradman on her that i will post when i get back if you want or i can just email them.:D

[bawn2cruz]

I came out on the RMS 'Otranto' a 'tourist one class' ship in 1952 - in fact on this day 56 years ago we were in Naples! My father paid our own way as he was too impatient to get passage as 'Ten Pound Poms'!

 

We had a cabin in what was originaly first class - no aircon., no en suite, however, we did have a porthole which you could open. There was a hand basin with a cold water tap with a small tank behind the mirror which a steward filled as required. I can remember having salt water baths with a container of fresh water to rinse off! My how things have changed!

 

I even ended up working in Melbourne for 'Orient Line, P &O-Orient Liines and Sitmar Line - so I guess that's where I got my cruising bug.

 

Cruise no: 26 coming up on PD in October followed by no: 27 in May.

 

Roy

[cruiselover53]

Our family emigrated in 1963 on the Fairsky.If you think the Regal Princess/Pacific Dawn refurbishment was something.......look at what the Fairsky was before she became a "cruise" ship

 

 

 

http://www.ssmaritime.com/sitmar2.htm

[mickalex]

My great grandfather came out here on the steamship "Rome", Arrived Australia 8th Aug 1892.The "Rome" became a P&O cruise ship in the early 1900's. He was 17 and from Old Machar, Aberdeen and his father was killed in the train crash at Inverythan in 1882 along with 4 others.The family is from Ythanwells/ forge area for hundreds of years. Alexander surname is like Smith and Jones!:D

My mothers side Barnes/Meadows from Witnesham and Iken, Suffolk , arrived November 1853, South Australia on the "Bolton". I was lucky an engineer that was a passenger kept a day to day diary of the trip and they are mentioned through out the diary on the ship and in Adelaide.

 

If anyone wants a hand with genealogy and history research just give me a yell as i do them fulltime and have a huge amount of resources at my finger tips.

 

Mick

[suey]

Thanks for the link to the archives. I looked up our family imigration record, my brothers name is spelt wrong in the records Leith instead of Keith - all very interesting!:)

[Brushtail]

Thanks for the link. I had a big search for Oriana departing UK on December 20, 1964 and the nominal roll is not available. :( I couldn't find anything on our family name.

 

It says Access Status - not yet examined