Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

azzduo · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:01 pm Post subject: Dundas hostel

hello I,m Paul Dewhirst, and I arived in Dundas hostel aged 7 with my twin brother Gary, sister Gail,(5) and mum and dad. in 1964 What an adventure it was for two little boys. We had arived in Sydney on the SS Himalayer, both me and my brother were dressed as cowboys. (they was all the rage at that time). Dad had got a job at the Sydney woollen Mills, which he hated, mum worked at the toothpaste factory for a while. Another sister came along and mum then worked as a house keeper for the family that had the garden and house round the back of the hostel. Nearly 45 years ago,. and, now Ive seen this site the memories are all coming back................ Oatlands school, Parramatta swiming pool, building bonfires for the queens birthday, building dens in the bush(scrub land at the bottom of the camp) tin nissen huts with no a/c . etc etc

Len · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:59 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul and welcome. Sounds like you had a blast, as we did. We did similar things down in the Wollongong area.
We also had bonfires on unusual dates and built cobby houses in the back paddock. Smile

Phyl · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:56 am Post subject:

We were at Dundas the first time in 1964,so were probably there at the same time as you were.Love to hear your memories. Smile

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

GinaKate · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:09 am Post subject:

How long were you on the hostel Paul? I just can't place your family. We only had a few nissen huts, most of us were all in a fibro row, do you remember any of the families close to you? I remember the Dexters, Orrs, McGreggors, Bells, and Jacksons lived in the nissen huts, were you nearby any of those?

azzduo · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:47 am Post subject:

hello ginakate yes when we first arrived we were in the nissan hut at the bottom next to the road, if I remember rightly there was a wash room just behind us. we had only been there a short while when one of the neighbours had a fatal accident at work, carnt remember his name. After about eight months we moved into the rows, looking directly at the kindergarten. Some of the folk around us were John and Ann Green Derick Wilkinson and family the Feathers the Hughs family, so many others that came and went. Will have to ask my mother for more info, and see if she still has pics. Though most of them were taken on slides. The name mcgregors seem to ring a bell.

Phyl · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject:

Was there a little blonde blue eyed boy in the Hugh's family ,think his name may have been David .They were I think from Durham.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

GinaKate · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:27 pm Post subject:

The fatal accident was probably the policeman. They had only been there for a few months when he was killed. I can't remember the details but his wife and three small children returned to the UK soon afterwards. She really wanted to stay but her family convinced her to return home.
Another nasty accident at that time was Jim Coyle, can't remember what happened there either, but he lost an eye and had to have a glass one.
We were on the back row next to the Sheridans, directly in line with you. Adelle Sheridan would have been your age, as was Elizabeth McGreggor, the McGreggors were on the hostel for something like six years, Elizabeth was quite ill with hepatitis when we arived.
And yes they certainly did come and go, you might remember the Hayneys, they returned to UK before their two years were up, the Thomas' had three small girls, and the Harringtons' were also along your row.
If your mum has photos I would love to see them and I'm sure Phyl would too, I would be very surprised if she didn't remember those families I have mentioned.