Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[Len]

Shared by Phyl:

[Phyl]

This was our home when we were at Preston Hostel in 1956. It was a flat at the far end of the staff block. When we first arrived there, I was rushed off to the hospital (an annexe at Mosguiel,part of Box Hill Hospital ,so quite a way from Preston) to give birth to our twin boys.. The Manager and his wife at Preston were really lovely so our time there was fine ,apart from the time the residents ,complaining about the food , rushed the office on masse and broke down the door. It was scary for a while. That was early in our stay there.
The powers that be allowed the little fence in front of the flat to be built to keep our two year old toddler safe ,as there was a gully not too far from the front of the flat.I was (((so))) grateful for that. My mother and brother arrived from NZ to stay with us for five months while we were here and ,yes , we had to pay tarriff for them. My mother kept in touch with Julius the chef and his wife, even after she and my brother returned to NZ. I wonder where he, Julius, is now.Anyway another little memory.
We were in three hostels in Victoria,Nunawading,Marybrynong,(I love that word,is it Welsh?) and Preston.
Of interest: The 1956 Olympic Games village was built on the other side of the gully a wee way away but you could see it . Tony was offered the Catering there by CHL ,but his Dad ,also a Manager with hostels was ill, so we wanted to go back to Sydney. Just as well as he died later that year.
Maybe Ted lived in this flat too..Did you Ted?
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[Phyl]

Sorry Len we were there in 1956 not 1965
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[Len]

[Robbo]

Hi, I was in Preston Hostel from 1956 until approx 1961. Yes, 5 years. My mother refused to move out until she had saved for a house and no one was going to try and move my mother once she had made up her mind.
Diana

[Phyl]

Hi Diana
We may have been at Preston at the same time as each other as we were transferred back to Sydney at our own request ,father in law ill,
We were there until October 1956. When did you arrive? You may remember my husband ,Tony Hobbs ,House Manager. He would have been duty Manager in the dining room at times,. He was a pretty chubby guy.
Anyway nice to read your posts. Welcome to the forum and hope we hear more from you. I also am glad I found this site and always thank Len for it.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[Len]

I did a bit of a search on Preston Hostel and found this. It�s from a preview of a book called �Ten Pound Poms: Australia�s Invisible Migrants� it seams 'in the mid 60's' they had a problem with some of the residents whom became rent strikers.
Have a look, the link is below. I�m not really a book reader but I�m keen to give this one a go.

Ten Pound Poms: Australia�s Invisible Migrants 'Preston Hostel'.

[ross.sinclair]

Hi

I am amking a TV programme for transmission in the UK and would love to talk to any �10 Poms who arrived, and stayed in Victoria - please do get in touch - I'd love to hear your stories.

you can email: [email protected]

Thank you
x

[Robbo]

We may have been at Preston at the same time as each other as we were transferred back to Sydney at our own request ,father in law ill,
We were there until October 1956. When did you arrive? You may remember my husband ,Tony Hobbs ,House Manager. He would have been duty Manager in the dining room at times,. He was a pretty chubby guy. .

Ooops sorry I have not been back. We arrived in about March 1956. Parents names were Eileen (Lena) and Johnny (Yan) Wroblewski. Mum was Irish and Dad Polish with three little girls. I did some 'jobs' in the canteen at some stage washing spinach... oh I remember all the grit in the spinach but nothing out of tins as I remember. Also the 'rec' is vivid, the shower/bath facilities, taking the sheets/towels once a week to change. Meals all prepared which was great for working parents. Those huts! Two bedrooms one on each side of the 'lounge' room, no insulation (didn't have any in those day) and electric fires. Memories.

[Phyl]

yes we were there at the same time
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

[Robbo]

Sorry I have not been back.
Just thinking of more things in the hostel. My mother worked at the Repat Hospital. Dad in Dunlop I think in Footscray. We went to Sacred Heart School. I remember the day we left the Exhibition Buildings in a bus and bumped all down that road on a cold wet day and mum cried. Don't know what she thought about the huts when she saw them. Dad would get me to go around the tables when nearly everyone was gone and fill a brown paper bag with suger? Think this came from memories of the war when you couldn't get it. We would cross a field behind the hostel to wait for the school bus. Dad was very handy with his hands and managed to make a huge canvas tent for us to go camping. I remember him putting it up at the end of the huts in a little field. Some people made little gardens outside their huts even one or two from memory putting a little fence there also. Mums friends were the Maloney's children Michael and ?? and O'neill's (children Peggy and Joseph) and I think the Maxwells were there also. There was also a young German cook who I think had to go back to Germany following an accident. Someone also got a tv at some stage and they were very popular with the children. I do remember the place you had to take the sheets etc., for changing. The common bathrooms etc.

[Robbo]