ELLJAY

Tonight on ABC 8.30pm.....Ten Pound Poms

The stories of nine Britons and their families who migrated to Australia in the postwar era.


Thought other expats may be interested in watching this.

L-j

Timber Floor Au

thanks.. will set the reminder

ELLJAY

It'll be interesting to see how back in those days they "REALLY" had it tough.

I'm fascinated by it all. It also amazes me that (from my experience) many poms from way back - never actually went for citizenship.

I also find it amazing how rules change...for example - my neighbour - came here as a child...when of an age to vote - wasn't allowed....then the rules changed...she was allowed.....then rules changed again - now she's not able to vote.

Have a good day. Gonna get my bottle of cider ready for 8.30pm!

L-j

Fly Away

My Grandmother's sister went out in 1952 as a £10 pom. She took her 3 children age 5, 4 and 2.

Two of these children now have Ozzie citernship - 1 doesn't. When she leaves the country she has to get a RRV, even though she's lived there for 50+ years, married an Ozzie and has Ozzie children and granchildren. You should hear the stories they tell about the camp they lived in for 3 years and the hard times they had.

jad n rich

Was just reading about it in The Age, it comments poms were sold a blissfull dream of appealing housing, endless jobs, improved health and ceaseless beachside activities the publilcity was nothing like the reality - backward, harsh, flyblown and unwlecoming, sounds like BE LOL

http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv-rev...618955741.html

Dicko

Thanks for that, will take a look.

It is interesting to see what the older migrants had to put up with. I am just reading a book at the moment which is fascinating, it is many stories of these 10 pound poms and what they actually put up with from the take up the offer right thru to when they settled or didn’t as the case may be.

Worth a read

bridie

Nothing much has changed then!!

pam0512

My parents were one of the last 10 pound poms to come over in 1970....they brought my brother and I with them....and yes they were sold a dream. They have many stories to tell of their time in Australia not only about living in the camps / hostels but the job situation etc (there were none!!) Needless to say they decided to go home and packed us off on the last ship back to the UK. Unfortunately, whilst it cost £10 to get here those that went home had to pay the Aus Government a whole lot more to get back if it didn't work out.
I will definitely be watching that progamme to see what they went through to get here and when they were here....
Pam x x

sel

My mom and dad were £10 poms. My brother was born there and then mom got homesick, so after 6 years they went back to the UK ... without getting citizenship !!! Would have saved me alot of sweat, tears and cash had they have got it.

JAJ

There is nothing stopping her becoming an Australian citizen if she wants to.

In itself, marrying an Australian, having Australian children/grandchildren or even living in Australia for 50+ years are not enough to make someone an Australian citizen. A migrant must make the positive choice to become an Australian, and Australia won't force it onto people.

Gibbo

Can't agree with you or the Age. There was plenty of work in Sydney and the Healthcare was better and cheaper than it is now. Hostels weren't great but we didn't find Australia unwelcoming or backward to any great degree.
In reply to another post, we only had to pay back the cost of migrating here if we didn't stay for 2 years.

Gibbo

The reason so many didn't go for citizenship was because we could vote and had all the advantages of citizenship without actually being citizens. I got my citizenship after 38 years because the RRV, which used to be free, became ridiculous in price. My 2 eldest sons, who were 3 & 1year and 10 months when we came, have now at 44 & 43, just taken out citizenship.
Can't understand how your neighbour was allowed to vote and then not.

NickyC

Me neither - that just doesn't make sense at all.

Any permanent residents that were on the electoral roll at the time they changed the rules (so that only citizens could be added to the roll) stayed on it. They certainly weren't removed from the roll and therefore forbidden to vote

I was in exactly the same position at the time and continued to vote as a PR for a few years until I became a citizen.

ELLJAY

Sorry - only repeating what they told me.

Looking forward to program tonite.

lj

NickyC

Same here!

I'm off to watch it now...