Ten pound poms

By Kay McMeekin

The phrase 'Ten Pound Poms' is used to describe the Britons who emigrated to Australia following World War 2 on the Australian government's assisted passage scheme. The purpose of this scheme was to enlarge Australia's population whilst supplying workers for the country's growing economy and industry.

Britons were offered a way out of the rationing and deprivation of post-war life, shown visions of glorious sunshine and boundless possibility by a government desperate for an influx of labour.

They were offered the dramatically reduced fee for their passage only on the condition that they stay in Australia for a minimum of two years, or pay the full £120 fare back. This fee was prohibitively expensive for most.

The scale of the migration was such that some former troop ships were converted and dedicated to carrying Britons to their new home, such as the S.S. New Australia, formerly the Monarch of Bermuda. the Britons who emigrated to Australia following World War 2 on the Australian government's assisted passage scheme. The purpose of this scheme was to enlarge Australia's population whilst supplying workers for the country's growing economy and industry.

From Findmypast blog 

https://www.findmypast.com.au/blog/history/ten-pound-poms

The scheme lasted until early seventies.

Case One 1949 with thanks to Sissy Hamilton

One local girl who was lured to Australia was Elizabeth McNeish Milligan from New Cumnock. Link to the Cumnock Connections tree. She was born on the 4th July 1923 in Lanemark Row, New Cumnock to coal miner Andrew Milligan and his wife Elizabeth Clark McNeish. She was a shorthand typist on the ship's manifest. Elsewhere she was described as a bank clerk.

She sailed on the M.V. Dorsetshire a converted troop ship from Liverpool to Fremantle on 29 July for the 5 week voyage landing on 2 September 1949.

Images of the Dorsestshire

https://www.polishresettlementcampsintheuk.co.uk/passengerlist/shipsindex.htm

https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Ships/HMTroopshipDorsetshire.htm

Elizabeth went to Perth and met and married another recent migrant, Hungarian Pal Rozsy.

https://museum.wa.gov.au/welcomewalls/names/rozsy-paul

ROZSY, Paul

Origin Maramaros-Sziget - Hungary

Accompanying Family None

First settled in Perth

Original Occupation Lawyer

Occupation in Australia Importer of European Foods

SKAUGUM

Departure Port Bremer-Haven

Arrival Year 1950, Fremantle Panel 48

For many years Paul found it hard to reconcile himself to his new life in Australia. Through his business of importing European foods he felt that he made a worthwhile contribution to the culture of his new homeland.

and

MILLIGAN, Elizabeth

Origin New Cumnock - Scotland

Accompanying Family None

First settled in Perth

Original Occupation Bank Clerk

Occupation in Australia Business Owner / Operator

DORSETSHIRE

Arrival Year 1950, Fremantle Panel 48

A woman, whose indomitable spirit took her on her journey to Australia and saw her through the many challenges of her life. Her three children were her raison d'etre.

Case Two 1960 with thanks to Senga Hiley

The COLVIN family

In 1960 a local Netherthird family, the Colvins flew to New South Wales to start a new life

Father Allan Colvin had worked as a miner at Whitehill Pit at Skares. He and his wife Sarah (Raeside) had 7 children. The reason for the move was that they discovered he had a shadow on his lung and could not work as a miner any longer. In Australia Allan became a machinist in a large factory but sadly he passed away at aged 48.The Colvins managed to buy a home twelve months after their arrival to Australia. Their many descendants have thrived there.

Case Three

WILSON family from Skares

Robert Wilson married Emily Thorburn on 26th of October 1956. They had four children, Karen, born 1957, Linda 1959, Robert born 1960, Melanie born 1963. They lived in Skares in Cumnock.  Rob was a lorry driver for Alex Houston. On a trip down to England he stopped for dinner with a fellow driver William (Bill) Whyte. Rob read an article in the paper saying migrate to Australia. They looked at one another and said let's do it. It took a few weeks, but in early April, the Wilsons were on their way to Australia. They arrived in Australia on the 4th of April 1967 and were transported to Bunnerong hostel.  The hostel was an old naval store converted to accommodation for new migrants. Emily broke down in tears thinking, “what have they done bringing the family here?” After a sleep from the long flight and meeting others in the hostel she was a bit more settled. Rob looked for work as driver and ended up working as a prison officer at Long Bay Jail. The children hated the school they went to. They would skip school as much as they could. But they were often found by their dad after he was notified by the school. Living in the hostel system was hard at times. Rob ended up working for the government under commonwealth hostels limited. From then on they were moved from hostel to hostel all over the country from state to state. They lived in hostels for 17 years. They finally bought a house in 1982 and Rob retired a few years later.  These are the hostels they stayed in.

Bunnerong hostel 
Berkley hostel 
Unenderra hostel 
East hills hostel  
Villawood hostel all in New South Wales.
Wacol hostel in Queensland 
Enterprise hostel 
Wiltona hostel in Victoria 

Pennington hostel in Adelaide .

During their time in Australia, they saw a lot of devastation with floods and cyclone Tracy in 1974. The hostels had to accommodate misplaced people from different backgrounds.

Rob died in 2010 and Emily in 2019. Their son Rob returned to Scotland who told us their story.

CASE 4 

TELFER sisters

Two of the sister of George Telfer the undertaker emigrated in the 1950s.

First Mamie Telfer and husband Thomas Rorison left with their sons James and George on the Mooltan in 1951  going to Adelaide.

Her sister Jenny Telfer husband Maxwell Drydale a  printer and their two daughters, Roslyn and Lorraine sailed from London on the Arcadia on 14th January 1959 and landed on 3 Feb in Fremantle, Western Australia. They settled in Sydney.

The Wilson family visited both sisters,