Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

David Dalrymple · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:44 am Post subject: David Dalrymple

Hi to everybody, the Dalrymple family arrived in Sydney, from Middlesbrough North East of England, on the greek ship Ellinis on April 29, 1965. My parents Raymond and Dot and my two sisters, Susan (17) and Janis (15) and my younger brother Martin (10) and I had just turned 13. We were 10 pound migrants as they called us in those days. We arrived at Cabramatta Hostel in a double decker bus with several other families and it was a warm sunny day as I remember. We lived in number 43 and very shortly after the Robsons moved into 44 which was the other end of 43. It was made up of three rooms, two with double bunks and the "lounge room" was a sofa bed which mum and dad slept in of a night. There was no kitchen or bathroom and we had to fill the jug in the shower/toilet blocks. Mum worked for the hostel in the canteen for a period, can't remember how long, and her boss was a german woman who I can't remember her name but I can still picture her face which always seemed to be smiling. Always remember the cheers in the canteen when somebody dropped their tray. Dad found a job at ICI botany. We stayed for 10 months and then moved into a house in Boyd Street Cabramatta. I can remember lots of families from those days, the Barkers, Whalleys, Young, Carters, Bulmers, Twentymans, Morleys, Dearies and Slaters, McDonoughs, Taylors, Bradleys, Bates, Pages to name just a few. I made lots of friends and continued to hang around there well into my late teens, many a night was spent at the "Wreck" recreation hall and I can still picture the man from the shop, was his surname Ransome. Well I hope thats a good start for my introduction.
regards David

Phyl · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:32 pm Post subject:

Hi David,
Welcome and enjoyed your post.
You would have been at "Cabra" when my late husband Tony Hobbs was one of the managers. The late Mr. Dudman was manager in charge.the late Neville Pitt was youth leader.
The name Twentymans sticks in my memory for some reason .Maybe they played soccer and cricket for the hostel with my boys .As I knew a lot of the staff there maybe I met your mother at some time.I have a photo in the staff journal of a few of the diningroom staff but your mother is not in it. Do you have any photos of that time?
We were at Cabramatta twice ,once in Oct.1956-to late 1957 and in 1965.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

Helen Stewart · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:51 am Post subject:

Hi David
Really enjoyed reading your post. Boy, do the memories come flooding back! We were on the hostel about the same time as you. We arrived during a heatwave after coming from a Scottish winter. You must have lived very near to us as we were in No. 45. I remember the German woman who used to work in the canteen. Actually I was terrified of her because she caught me knocking on her door and running away (a favourite pastime of little hooligans!). I, too, remember the cheers if someone dropped their tray - very embarassing! Mum and Dad didn't move too far from Cabramatta. They moved to Liverpool from the hostel and are still in the same house today. I spent many a happy time at the Wreck, dancing, playing badminton, shuttlecock, and on the gymnastic equipment. I can remember some of the families you mentioned - I had a friend called Sue Barker. My sister Sandra's best friend was Pauline Bulmer. If it is the same Carters who had two sons, named John and Jimmy, I used to have a mad crush on John - thought he was just lovely!
Also knew a family called Taylor who had a son Daniel who was a member of a band. I have just yesterday found this site and am having a major nostalgia episode. I had a great time on the hostel and remember it very fondly, but as someone else on the forum has stated, it must have been very hard on the Mums and Dads. My name back then was Helen Black, let me know if you remember my family.
Cheers
Helen

David Dalrymple · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 4:57 am Post subject:

Hi Phyl and Helen

What were your boys names Phyl, The Twentymans only had one boy(Dave) and he wasn't the sporting type, more the "get into mischief" type but we are still friends to this day. I knew the Taylors, the eldest boy was a drummer in a band and he had a sister called Janice who I was very sweet on but she wasn't interested in the least, poor girl doesn't know what she missed out on :) I don't know whether you get on Facebook but I have posted lots of pictures on my page from those days. I also sent pictures to this site via Len but have never seen them posted. My Facebook page is David Dalrymple and my email address is [email protected] I can recommend Facebook as I have found lots of friends from those days through using it.

regards David

Phyl · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:07 am Post subject:

Hi David,
My boys names were Murray Charlie and Allan, though we always called Charlie , Anthony ,that is until he went to secondary school.
not a good idea to put your email address on the forum. better to use PM. I remember that german head DRA too but I just can't think of her name.Annoying isn't it.
My boys played soccer and cricket for the hostel.I scored the junior cricket and washed the teams soccer tops. Neville Pitt was the youth leader.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

GinaKate · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:47 pm Post subject:

Hello David, I have just looked up your facebook page but I couldn't see any photos, not that I was ever on Cabramatta Hostel I just like looking at all the photos of those days. Although I did meet a few of the Cabramatta girls, they used to join our train at Lidcome to go to work in Sydney. If only I could remember even one name.

David Dalrymple · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:31 pm Post subject:

Hi Ginakate, I'm sure the photos probably don't mean much to you at all, I have now put them in a seperate album called "Cabramatta Hostel", what period are you talking about and how old were you at the time as I might be able to rattle off some names that you might know.

Phyl, your boys names don't ring any bells with me but I didn't have anything to do with the cricket and only used to watch the football, I'm sure I would have known them. Neville Pitt, was he a stocky, tanned craggy face sort of fellow with dark hair who we used to call Skip or Skipper.

regards Dave

Phyl · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:50 pm Post subject:

Sounds about right Dave. Will post a photo ,through Len, and it will confirm it. He was the youth leader .or should I say "Skip" Very Happy

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

Phyl · Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:34 pm Post subject:

Thankyou Len,it looks great. The photo was only a small one so you did well. Very Happy

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

David Dalrymple · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:43 am Post subject:

Yes that's Skip alright, he looks taller than I remember but theres no mistaking the face and the hair. Thanks for that Phyl

Dave

Phyl · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:23 pm Post subject:

you are welcome Dave.Actually he was about 5 foot 11 inches
great chap.
Sadly he died in 1977. cry

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

David Dalrymple · Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:34 pm Post subject:

That's a bit sad Phyl, how old was he?

Dave

Phyl · Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:54 am Post subject:

He was only 54 years old. Too young isn't it Sad

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

David Dalrymple · Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:55 pm Post subject:

Way, way too young, which means he wasn't that old in 1965 although to a 13 yr old he seemed very old at the time. Did he die of natural causes and did he have a family?

regards Davd

Phyl · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:40 am Post subject:

no he was unmarried. He and his Dad,(who was a srumptious cook) lived together. We had many happy times at their place .His Dad lived into his nineties. They were wonderful people .Like family to us.He had a brother who lived in the UK. My son Charlie loved food and when he wouldn't eat there one day and seemed a bit seedy we called into Lidcombe Hospital on the way home. He was admiited and later that night was operated on to have his appendix removed.When he wouldn't eat "Pop's" food we knew something was seriously wrong.
I sure have the most wonderful memories of them,they were most cherished friends.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl