Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[David Dalrymple]

Yeah it sounds really sad about skip, he was a very laid back sort of bloke but he needed to be with all us brats driving him mad. It's great that you were good friends of him and his dad. Did they live in Cabramatta?

regards David

[Carol Emanuel]

Loved to hear your story David. It helps to slowly put pieces together of my childhood in Cabranatta Hostel.

[Phyl]

Hi David,
No they didn't live at the hostel They lived at Clontarf. the other side of the Spit bridge.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[David Dalrymple]

That must have been a long way to travel especially with the traffic etc. and didn't Skip also work at another hostel as well.

regards David

P.S. are you coming to the Reunion

[Phyl]

Hi David,
Yes he also looked after youth activities on Dundas Hostel.In 1967 he became the Supervisor of Youth Activities for all hostels .And in 1976 he retired because of failing health. And yes it was a long way to travel to work from Clontarf.

Sadly I can't attend the reunion and believe me I would love too.I have failing health and am on oxygen 15 hrs a day and don't go out much so you will all have to tell me about it. Funnily though my illnesses are not age related but older age does make it harder to cope with I guess.
I shall however mention it to my two surviving sons. :
I loved the times (twice) I had at 'Cabra'.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[David Dalrymple]

That's a shame you can't come but I'm sure someone will take lot's of photos and we can share them with you. Sadly at the last reunion I don't think I saw anyone take photos, they would be very interesting at this reunion.

regards David

[bushman]

Hi David....wow I just found this site, I am not much into "computering", but I was nearly blown away when I read out those names. I am Gordon Spear, we were only on the hostel for about 6 mths, can't really remember much.
I do remember Steve Barker, and his older sister, from Lancashire I think. He was about 16, nice bloke. I also remember David Twentyman and his mate Carter. I was almost home one day after dinner when they caught me...Steve Carter held me from behind while Dave Twentyman king hit me on the nose. Broke it good. when I got home dad went balistic and chased Dave down to the park, across the creek and almost to Liverpool.....jeeees. Anyway that was five lifetimes past. I hope they are both alive and well and can also laugh at things we do as kids. I lived at number 20 (i think), opposite the scottish family the Smiths. Alan looked after me the best he could after i got a flogging but he was also very small but a yr older than me. His dad was Archie, and he had a beautiful sister Shiela. They moved to somewhere near Shepparton in Victoria.
wow....Another Scottish fellow came and told me if I had any trouble to go see him. He was one of a huge family.yep he was the eldest of the Dougherty boys Jimmy.
anyway so glad i found this site.
I have to go now and read some more cheers.
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Cheers Pom

[David Dalrymple]

Hi Gordon, your name sounds familiar but I can't place your face. There were three Carter brothers and I didn't like them at the time, the older brother was John ( a little strange) and there was also Jimmy. I think they went to Melbounre because Jimmy returned a few years later and hung around with the hostel crowd but didn't stickaround very long. Steve won't appreciate being told he was from Lancashire as he is from Leeds and very proud of it, you can find him on Facebook. Bev is also on Facebook. I do remember the Dougherty's and one of them played in the soccer team until he got banned for life for decking the referee. I was only standing a few metres from the ref when it happened.

regards David

[dorfor]

Hi, My family (Evelyn, Allan and kids Greg 16, Dorothy (me) 14, Bruce 6 and Linda 3) arrived Sept 1965. We were from New York City and stayed at Cabramatta for exactly 1 day over a year. When I find out how, I'll post the Christmas lunch menu from 1965. Looking forward to participating in this forum! Regards from Dorothy Forgrave

[Phyl]

Hi Dorothy
Looking forward to reading some of your memories.And also seeing the Christmas menue. Send through a photo of it to Len and he will post it for you. My late husband was one of the managers in 1965.
Enjoy the site it is great. Len has given us somewhere for so many memories.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[richardhallford]

Just to keep in the vain (although its probably in the wrong forum)



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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

[aussietrekker]

What year was the menu? We left Altona hostel a few weeks before Christmas 1964. it would have been interesting to have our first Christmas among hundreds of people , but at the time all we wanted was to be away in our own house.

[richardhallford]

1965. Its in the subject header. hehe.
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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

[dorfor]

It was a big change from living in an apartment in New York to a Nissen hut in Cabramatta. We were there for a year from Sept 1965. There was a gap of an inch or so below the hut doors, and the wind would blow in. Our family of six had three rooms, and my mother and stepfather slept on a vinyl lounge that was folded flat into a bed at night. The other two rooms had bunk beds. A tariff was charged to live on the hostel, but it didn�t kick in until the breadwinner got work � very civilized. Also, my mother appreciated not having to cook. We all trooped down to the canteen for meals. Linen was also exchanged at the linen store once a week, so no big washing was required.

I can vividly remember our first experience with a triantelope (Huntsman) spider, which came scrambling in under the door of my parents� room one evening. We freaked out at this huge brown spider about 6 inches across, which ran under the lounge � we�d never seen such a large spider and didn�t know if it was harmful. Can�t remember how we got rid of it though�.

[dorfor]

Menu from Christmas dinner 1965, with space for autographs at the back.