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Families I remember from Altona Hostel
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aussietrekker aussietrekker has been starred
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 5:11 am    Post subject: Families I remember from Altona Hostel Reply with quote

I'll also include where they moved to (if I know.) As I mostly didn't know the parent's names, I'll only list the children.

HOUSTON was my own name. (Judith,Martin and Colette.) We went to Altona for 8 years, and then Werribee. Next door was MCKEEMAN- Danny, Margaret, Carol and Christine. They went to Brisbane, and came back to Laverton. Next to them was TIBOS- Peter, Paul, Alison, David and a baby. They went to Broadmeadows. We also had HINDLE next door- Sandra, Martin and Deborah. They went to Altona and I think Werribee later on. Across the way was SIMONDS- Carol, Wendy and Kay. They went back to England the following year.

KINNER- Karen and Stuart (Epping)
MINTO- Howard, Elizabeth, Jim, Margaret (North Altona)
EATON - Linda, Gillian
HIGGINS- Jim, John, George (back to Ireland)
HANSLIK- Kenny and Angela (Box Hill)
KAY- Ailsa
MCMANUS- Louis, Noreen, Mary-Jo, Margaret, Antony (Werribee)
MCMANUS- Ranvag, Frank, Max (Laverton)
DEKONING- Rita, Annika, John, Paul
MATTHEWS- Jacqueline, Maxine, Paula
WERNER- Margaret
GORING- Margaret
MARTIN- Audrey
DRAKE- Pat, Donald, Alan (Melton)

YOUNG, SCANLON, MYERS, WRIGHT, DYKE, ORR, VISSER

will add more as I remember. Smile
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see one of the family names you remember is Myers,well I am one of them,Carol Myers I was then.My sister Linda who lives near me and then there was my brother Cliff who now lives in England.I remember the Youngs they had a daughter Caroline who was really tall and I also remember Margaret Minto and the McManus family they were all little short people.
Families I remember.and the McKeemans,Margaret was the Mum,we were really good friends with them,when we got back to Melbourne from QLD we went to stay with the McKeemans in Laverton for a week until we got settled

Myerscough
Hermit
Gillett
Minto
I will post more later as I think of them too
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carol McKeeman organised a hostel reunion in 1988. Only a handful of families turned up, but it was a great laugh.
I ran into Howard Minto also in 1988, we were both teaching at Newport TAFE. His sister Margaret married another hostel inmate named McLeod and they moved out Mooroolbark way.

I've seen a lot of the McManuses over the years, especially after we moved to Werribee in 1973. My stepmother usually passes on any news, and my sister runs into Noreen now and again. Their history is a bit tragic-they nearly all had severe diabetes later on, and the parents outlived most of the children. I've been to three of their funerals. Margaret, the youngest was the first to go, then Mary Jo soon after. They may have been early 30's and had families. Louis became a professional musician, he went to high school with my brother. He had a stroke and died in his 40's. Louis Snr. died about 3 years ago.Now there's only Noreen and Antony left, and their mother. Antony was born in the hostel, I remember it well.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a shame about the McManus family.
I remember a Pat Heaney and Anette Playfore ,I am wracking my brains now,I know I will come up with some more ..just give me time Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I remember the Heaneys, they were from Scotland.

Do you remember the Macleans, also from Scotland. One of them sticks in my memory because she used to wash her hair everyday, which I thought was a bit over the top!

Some more names:

HESKETH- Glenn and two older sisters
LOGAN
GROVES -two little girls, they were always wheeling their doll's prams into
the mens' toilets
SOAMES- Janet
MACKAY
RAYNES- Vivien, Nigel, Christopher, John
HEWITT- Christopher
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I do remember the Macleans very well,and Janet Soames I used to be good friends with her,OMG forgot all about that one,and the Logans remember them well too they had a couple of boys,one used to mate with my brother.I think Janet Soames was an only child and a bit spoiled at the time,if my memory serves ( which may not be the case ).I dont remember the Groves wheeling their dolls prams but I do remember the name.
I still remember the lay out of that place so well,with the drains running down the middle of the place between the huts and the toilet/laundry blocks,we used to all meet in the ironing room at night as it was on the corner near our hut,and we used to climb all over the benches and the ironing boards,not good really when you think of it,but we had nothing else to do.I had a friend called Susan Gillett and she had millions of brothers and sisters..David,was one of her brothers and Nigel but I cant remember the rest of them.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Didn't know the Gilletts but the Logans were fun.

COOK- Linda and Simon, went to King Island.
RESTALL- Charlie, Emidio and an older sister (Seaholme). They were Maltese.
NICHOLAS- Neil (Williamstown)
REGINIO- Carol and three younger brothers.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes Yes yes I remember Carol Reginio..she bashed me up once Embarassed or twice scared stiff of her I was,we started out being mates and then O.M.G she was bad tempered,but I could have been a little bit of a softie too I suppose,my sister did all my fighting for me,would have took on Casius Clay that one if he upset her Rolling Eyes still the same and she is only 4'11" with her shoes on.
You have the most phenominal memory,and I was there more than twice as long as you,but I do recognize the names when I see them
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How old were your brother and sister?

Carol R was in my class at St. Mary's, we travelled on the same school bus each day and got along OK- maybe she became hostile later on. A few months can make all the difference, and I always reckoned the hostel brought out the worst in us kids.

Yes my memory for ancient events is a bit bizarre- a sign of early Alzheimers?
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My sister Linda was the eldest she was 14 at the time and my brother Cliff was 13,there was only 11 months difference in them Shocked ,I was the baby of the family until I was 18 then my Mum had another baby whilst I was on holiday in the UK. Confused she must have missed me!!!
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, that's adventurous!

There were three of us, I was the eldest at 9, Martin was 7 and Colette had just turned 6 before we left.
I was a real stickybeak, was always on the wander and spoke to everyone. That's why I know so many names. Remembering them so well is a matter I can't explain, but then I remember almost everything that happened in Ireland as well. People are amazed when I go back and tell them stuff that they'd forgotten.

Here's a few more:

MORRIS, Paul
LOWRY
LEE
WILLIAMS, David (Hopper's Crossing)
LAURIE, Jason
WILSON, David
WHITE
PERCONTE- Hector and twins Gabriel and Franco (Avondale Heights)

a lot of these were just little kids that I knew through having a younger brother and sister.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well Trekkie baby!! I have found some photos and all I have to do now is figure out how to get them on here..so Len if you could please give me some of your words of wisdom I would be more than grateful. Confused Confused
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:28 pm    Post subject: Altona Hostel memories Reply with quote

I came across this site quite by chance when looking to find more info on Altona Hostel and what has become of it. I was thrilled to see my name (Carol Simonds) and amazed at how many names you remembered. I must have a bad memory as I can only recall Linda and Gillian Eaton and a girl named Ellen (or Eileen). I remember Ailsa Kay but I thought I remembered her from Seaholme school and not the hostel. I do remember your family though Collette seems to stick out most in my mind. I remember loving your Irish accent!
We did return to England after 2 years as my Mum was so homesick, and never returned to Australia.
Looking forward to hearing some more.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's made my day seeing your post, and being in touch after all these years- your family lived directly opposite us and I remember you all like it was yesterday. You arrived a few weeks after us, with sisters Wendy and Kay. Your Mum and mine had many laughs together, and I remember your Mum smoked Viscount cigarettes. A lot of water under the bridge for us all since then! The Williamstown-Altona area has changed a lot, but many things you'd still recognise. Where do you live in England? We moved to Altona, stayed there 8 years then went to Werribee. Mum and Dad are both buried in Werribee cemetery, their life-spans were very short. Colette has four children and is a granny, and Martin's son and daughter still live at home and have just finished university. I married our Colette's friend's brother from Altona, and we have two girls aged 13 and 20. We live in Geelong, but I still go to Altona a lot.
First Carol Myers and now Carol Simonds- this is great!
And I can't wait till her photos go up.
Very Happy
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't believe how much you remember, even the ciggies my Mum smoked! I didn't know that, although she was a heavy smoker. I can't say I really remember your Mum and Dad very much, but do you have dark brown hair, your brother Martin ginger hair and sister Collette fair hair?

We came back to Slough in Berkshire and none of us have ever moved very far away since. Kay lives in Bourne End in Buckinghamshire, she's married but no children. Wendy lives in Slough, divorced with two children 29 and 27. The older one is now married. I live in Ashford Middlesex. I have 2 children by my first marriage (30 and 29) and 2 by my second marriage (22 and 18) and have 4 grandchildren. I'm separated from my second husband and live alone with my youngest son.

I think my memory was a bit marred by the fact my Mum was so unhappy whilst in Australia and my Mum and Dad argued a lot. They did eventually divorce and Mum died 1993 and Dad lives not far from me and is now 81.

I can remember: the hut we were in with a longish living room and bedrooms off it. Very basic, we used to sweep and mop floors while my Mum went out to work for our pocket money.

the drains going down the middle of the rows of huts; the toilet block with baths; the shop and loving some chocolate with cherry coconut in! can't remember the name of it and also they sold biscuits in tins and you bought them by the pound; the park with monkey bars in the youth club which I didn't go in very much; the office where we collected letters, I loved going there to pick up post from my Nan; the creek (smelly) and walking to the beach passing the Grandstand and feeling really scared of it (probably because of all the scary stories of it being haunted). Also walking close behind my Dad and seeing all the flies on the back of his white shirt! (Ha! silly things I remember). The canteen, I loved seeing the milk being ladled into cups, it was all bubbly and cold. The bacon and egg, the packed lunches, although I don't think I had them often as I remember having a meat pie at school the most; Seaholme school and my teacher Mr Antinoff; then Altona High School, the headmaster I think was Mr Storey. I think I was quite terrified of school! I had a friend at school called Angela Stoodley.

I used to love to go to Williamstown on the bus. We'd walk down passed the library (which I used to spend hours in) and then on to the beach. I can remember buying sweets in Woolworths. Oh it's all coming back now, ha ha!

Before we left for England we learned that my Dad had an Uncle living in Altona (Uncle Ernie) so we called in before we left. He was my Dad's grandfathers brother, (my great, great uncle). I vaguely remember that visit and we have since learnt, by searching online the there is a construction company from Altona called Simonds, which was started by his Ernie's son, I believe.

I would love to go back and see what Williamstown and Altona look like now and the Technopark that once was the hostel. Oh! what about the big oil tanks nearby, are they still there? Is it very built up in that area now?

I remember having days out at Geelong - on the beach. It was fabulous, I used to love going there.

Well that's all for now! By the way I can't remember Carol Myers but the name sounds vaguely familiar. Maybe seeing some pictures might jog my memory.
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