Some thing new, this week I was going through my files when I came across the first poem I wrote on the day 50 years from when starting our voyage to Australia, I thought you might like to read it.
A NEW LIFE.
FIFTY YEARS AGO FROM THE CITY OF NOTTINGHAM
FOR OUR FAMILY A NEW LIFE BEGAN
DOWNTO LONDON TO BOARD OUR SHIP
THIS WAS THE START OF A MAGNIFICENT TRIP
FOGHORNS BLOWING FARE WELL CROWDS CHEERING
DOWN THE THAMES OUR SHIP WAS SOON VEERING
EARLY EVENING PAST THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER
OUR FIRST TIRING DAY WAS ALMOST OVER
IN A FEW DAYS WE PASSED GIBRALTER
THE SHIP PLOUGHED ON WITHOUT A FALTER
WITH FLYING FISH AND DOLPHINS TOO
EACH DAY GAVE US A DIFFERENT VIEW
THE FIST STOP WAS TO BE PORT SAID
NATIVE BOATS SELLING GOODS WERE A NOISY CROWD
NOT ALLOWED OFF THE SHIP TO SHOW OUR NEW TAN
WE WERE ENTERTAINED ON BOARD BY THE GULLY MAN.
DOWN THE SUEZ CANAL IN BRIGHT MOONLIGHT
BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF MY OLD ARMY CAMPSITES
AFTER THE CANAL CAME THE RED SEA
OUR STOP AT ADEN SHOWED MUCH POVERTY
THEN TO COLOMBO THROUGH THE INDIAN OCEAN
THIS WAS THE START OF A SICKNING MOTION
AT THIS TIME WE CELEBRATE DOREENS BIRTHDAY
NEXT STOP FREEMANTLE ONCE AGAIN WE ARE ON OUR WAY
AFTER DOCKING THERE A TRIP TO PERTH
WE FIND OUT WHAT AN ENGLISH POUND IS WORTH
0N THE STRETCH TO ADELAIDE WE DO IT TOUGH
FOR THE SEA HAS TURNED MIGHTY ROUGH
THE CREW RIGGED ROPES SO WE COULD MOVE AROUND
DISHES AND PLATES BOUNCE TO THE GROUND
WE SPEND THE DAY IN THE CITY
SURROUNDED BY PARKS IT IS SO PRETTY
THEN ON TO MELBOURNE OUR FINAL DESTINATION
ARRIVING THERE TO JOIN OUR NEW NATION
GREETED AT DOCK SIDE BY FAMILY AND FRIEND
OUR TEN POUND TRIP WAS AT AN END
GOD BLESS AUSTRALIA

I HOPE I HAVE NOT BORED YOU WITH THIS POAM, INCASE YOU ARE THINKING WHAT A GULLY GULLY MAN WAS IT HIS AN EGYPTIAN MAGICIAN, WE WERE NOT LET OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE PASSPORTS, ALL THE FAMILY WERE INCLUDED BY A DOCUMENT FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPT
 
Did you know: That the stop/go traffic controllers at each end of road maintenance jobs refer to caravans as wobblies?

Some thing new, this week I was going through my files when I came across the first poem I wrote on the day 50 years from when starting our voyage to Australia, I thought you might like to read it.
A NEW LIFE.
FIFTY YEARS AGO FROM THE CITY OF NOTTINGHAM
FOR OUR FAMILY A NEW LIFE BEGAN
DOWNTO LONDON TO BOARD OUR SHIP
THIS WAS THE START OF A MAGNIFICENT TRIP
FOGHORNS BLOWING FARE WELL CROWDS CHEERING
DOWN THE THAMES OUR SHIP WAS SOON VEERING
EARLY EVENING PAST THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER
OUR FIRST TIRING DAY WAS ALMOST OVER
IN A FEW DAYS WE PASSED GIBRALTER
THE SHIP PLOUGHED ON WITHOUT A FALTER
WITH FLYING FISH AND DOLPHINS TOO
EACH DAY GAVE US A DIFFERENT VIEW
THE FIST STOP WAS TO BE PORT SAID
NATIVE BOATS SELLING GOODS WERE A NOISY CROWD
NOT ALLOWED OFF THE SHIP TO SHOW OUR NEW TAN
WE WERE ENTERTAINED ON BOARD BY THE GULLY MAN.
DOWN THE SUEZ CANAL IN BRIGHT MOONLIGHT
BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF MY OLD ARMY CAMPSITES
AFTER THE CANAL CAME THE RED SEA
OUR STOP AT ADEN SHOWED MUCH POVERTY
THEN TO COLOMBO THROUGH THE INDIAN OCEAN
THIS WAS THE START OF A SICKNING MOTION
AT THIS TIME WE CELEBRATE DOREENS BIRTHDAY
NEXT STOP FREEMANTLE ONCE AGAIN WE ARE ON OUR WAY
AFTER DOCKING THERE A TRIP TO PERTH
WE FIND OUT WHAT AN ENGLISH POUND IS WORTH
0N THE STRETCH TO ADELAIDE WE DO IT TOUGH
FOR THE SEA HAS TURNED MIGHTY ROUGH
THE CREW RIGGED ROPES SO WE COULD MOVE AROUND
DISHES AND PLATES BOUNCE TO THE GROUND
WE SPEND THE DAY IN THE CITY
SURROUNDED BY PARKS IT IS SO PRETTY
THEN ON TO MELBOURNE OUR FINAL DESTINATION
ARRIVING THERE TO JOIN OUR NEW NATION
GREETED AT DOCK SIDE BY FAMILY AND FRIEND
OUR TEN POUND TRIP WAS AT AN END
GOD BLESS AUSTRALIA

I HOPE I HAVE NOT BORED YOU WITH THIS POAM, INCASE YOU ARE THINKING WHAT A GULLY GULLY MAN WAS IT HIS AN EGYPTIAN MAGICIAN, WE WERE NOT LET OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE PASSPORTS, ALL THE FAMILY WERE INCLUDED BY A DOCUMENT FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPT
Nice to reminisce Dennis.My mother lived in Lincoln not far from Nottingham . We set off from Ilkley in November 1969 and our ship nearly sank going through the Bay of Biscay then broke down in South Africa
 
  • Like
Reactions: Littleboy8
Some thing new, this week I was going through my files when I came across the first poem I wrote on the day 50 years from when starting our voyage to Australia, I thought you might like to read it.
A NEW LIFE.
FIFTY YEARS AGO FROM THE CITY OF NOTTINGHAM
FOR OUR FAMILY A NEW LIFE BEGAN
DOWNTO LONDON TO BOARD OUR SHIP
THIS WAS THE START OF A MAGNIFICENT TRIP
FOGHORNS BLOWING FARE WELL CROWDS CHEERING
DOWN THE THAMES OUR SHIP WAS SOON VEERING
EARLY EVENING PAST THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER
OUR FIRST TIRING DAY WAS ALMOST OVER
IN A FEW DAYS WE PASSED GIBRALTER
THE SHIP PLOUGHED ON WITHOUT A FALTER
WITH FLYING FISH AND DOLPHINS TOO
EACH DAY GAVE US A DIFFERENT VIEW
THE FIST STOP WAS TO BE PORT SAID
NATIVE BOATS SELLING GOODS WERE A NOISY CROWD
NOT ALLOWED OFF THE SHIP TO SHOW OUR NEW TAN
WE WERE ENTERTAINED ON BOARD BY THE GULLY MAN.
DOWN THE SUEZ CANAL IN BRIGHT MOONLIGHT
BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF MY OLD ARMY CAMPSITES
AFTER THE CANAL CAME THE RED SEA
OUR STOP AT ADEN SHOWED MUCH POVERTY
THEN TO COLOMBO THROUGH THE INDIAN OCEAN
THIS WAS THE START OF A SICKNING MOTION
AT THIS TIME WE CELEBRATE DOREENS BIRTHDAY
NEXT STOP FREEMANTLE ONCE AGAIN WE ARE ON OUR WAY
AFTER DOCKING THERE A TRIP TO PERTH
WE FIND OUT WHAT AN ENGLISH POUND IS WORTH
0N THE STRETCH TO ADELAIDE WE DO IT TOUGH
FOR THE SEA HAS TURNED MIGHTY ROUGH
THE CREW RIGGED ROPES SO WE COULD MOVE AROUND
DISHES AND PLATES BOUNCE TO THE GROUND
WE SPEND THE DAY IN THE CITY
SURROUNDED BY PARKS IT IS SO PRETTY
THEN ON TO MELBOURNE OUR FINAL DESTINATION
ARRIVING THERE TO JOIN OUR NEW NATION
GREETED AT DOCK SIDE BY FAMILY AND FRIEND
OUR TEN POUND TRIP WAS AT AN END
GOD BLESS AUSTRALIA

I HOPE I HAVE NOT BORED YOU WITH THIS POAM, INCASE YOU ARE THINKING WHAT A GULLY GULLY MAN WAS IT HIS AN EGYPTIAN MAGICIAN, WE WERE NOT LET OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE PASSPORTS, ALL THE FAMILY WERE INCLUDED BY A DOCUMENT FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPT
Brings back memories. We left England on 2 December 1966 and arrived in Sydney on 31 December 1966. We did not stop at Adelaide on the way. Our bad weather was coming through the Bay of Biscay when we were not allowed on deck and all doors to the decks were locked because of the horrendous seas. Unknown to us at the time, the Captain of our ship, who was actually Commodore of the Line, and a lovely person, was sufferring from cancer and when the ship left Sydney to go on a trip up the coast with cruise passengers after dropping all the migrants, this lovely Captain died on the voyage.
 
I driving through the suburbs in S.A. once and I found myself behind a rickety old camper van, this thing was falling to pieces, the back window had news papers, the bumper was hanging off, both break lights didn't work, nor one of the indicators and the paint job had to be seen to be believed.
But what caught my eye was the sticker on the back, it said:
"WannabeaBago"
I had a doctors appointment but I so wanted to follow it and get a photo, sadly I never saw it again LOL.
 
Nice to reminisce Dennis.My mother lived in Lincoln not far from Nottingham . We set off from Ilkley in November 1969 and our ship nearly sank going through the Bay of Biscay then broke down in South Africa
On a trip to the UK in 1996 my wife and friend who took us spent a pleasant day in Lincoln.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Littleboy8 and Ebby
Brings back memories. We left England on 2 December 1966 and arrived in Sydney on 31 December 1966. We did not stop at Adelaide on the way. Our bad weather was coming through the Bay of Biscay when we were not allowed on deck and all doors to the decks were locked because of the horrendous seas. Unknown to us at the time, the Captain of our ship, who was actually Commodore of the Line, and a lovely person, was sufferring from cancer and when the ship left Sydney to go on a trip up the coast with cruise passengers after dropping all the migrants, this lovely Captain died on the voyage

Brings back memories. We left England on 2 December 1966 and arrived in Sydney on 31 December 1966. We did not stop at Adelaide on the way. Our bad weather was coming through the Bay of Biscay when we were not allowed on deck and all doors to the decks were locked because of the horrendous seas. Unknown to us at the time, the Captain of our ship, who was actually Commodore of the Line, and a lovely person, was sufferring from cancer and when the ship left Sydney to go on a trip up the coast with cruise passengers after dropping all the migrants, this lovely Captain died on the voyage.
Crossing the Bay of Biscay is something l wouldn't want to do again in bad weather. They closed down the top deck too everybody even the crew were sick. Looking through the porthole we first just saw the sky and then it was under the sea .A bloke died of a heart attack and was later after a service at night was tossed over in a sheet.
 
Crossing the Bay of Biscay is something l wouldn't want to do again in bad weather. They closed down the top deck too everybody even the crew were sick. Looking through the porthole we first just saw the sky and then it was under the sea .A bloke died of a heart attack and was later after a service at night was tossed over in a sheet.
Oh Sh*t
 
  • Like
Reactions: Littleboy8
My family and I were 10 pound poms as well, myself, my three older brothers and my parents.
We flew over by B.O.A.C. in 1966 and I was sick the whole trip. The air hostess gave me a big pickle to eat not long after we took off and it made me very ill so I spent the whole journey cuddled up on my parents laps.
If memory serves we first landed in Darwin, where we stayed on the plane, then off to Sydney or Melbourne to stay in some boarding houses then off to Adelaide where we settled.
Apparently I was so ill that the authorities taking our names rushed us past them and dad never got to register us and iv'e had problems ever since trying to prove i'm an Australian resident 🤨
 
  • Like
Reactions: Littleboy8
My family and I were 10 pound poms as well, myself, my three older brothers and my parents.
We flew over by B.O.A.C. in 1966 and I was sick the whole trip. The air hostess gave me a big pickle to eat not long after we took off and it made me very ill so I spent the whole journey cuddled up on my parents laps.
If memory serves we first landed in Darwin, where we stayed on the plane, then off to Sydney or Melbourne to stay in some boarding houses then off to Adelaide where we settled.
Apparently I was so ill that the authorities taking our names rushed us past them and dad never got to register us and iv'e had problems ever since trying to prove i'm an Australian resident 🤨
Poor you! We ended up in Lindfield army barracks just before Christmas because the ship
was late owing to it breaking down twice.We had to line up for food and then take our dirty dishes back to wash them.We had four children Sonja was only ten months old .
We didn't use a passport either and the identity we had got burnt when our rented house caught fire causing ramifications for us all:)
 

Join the conversation

News, deals, games, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.
  • We believe that retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, not worry about money. That's why we're here to help our members make the most of their retirement years. If you're over 60 and looking for ways to save money, connect with others, and have a laugh, we’d love to have you aboard.
  • Advertise with us

User Menu

Enjoyed Reading our Story?

  • Share this forum to your loved ones.
Change Weather Postcode×
Change Petrol Postcode×