Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum
Hostels were used to accommodate new Australians. 1950's-1970's
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

I'm writing a biography on a man who lived in a hostel

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index -> General Chat:
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
pauly2321
New Member
New Member


Joined: 06 Jul 2011

Posts: 1
Location: Adelaide

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:02 pm    Post subject: I'm writing a biography on a man who lived in a hostel Reply with quote

Hi my name is Paul. I am currently in the process of completing a biography writing course and yesterday the 5/7/2011, started writing a biography on a person who attended the Pennington Hostel.

Being only 22, I found it fascinating that there were hostels for European Migrants around. This person I am writing on was only 2 years old at the time and can't fill me in on what living in a hostel was like.

I would be very interested in hearing from anyone who lived in a hostel who can tell me what it was like. From what I know and what I have read, living standards were very basic

If anybody can tell me what living in a hostel was like, this would be much appreciated.

Kindest Regards
Paul
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
stormfour stormfour has been starred
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 15 Jul 2009

Posts: 506
Location: Melbourne, VIC

PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul,I think your best bet here would be to contact a member by the name of Aussietrekker you will find her on the Altona hostel forum,she has the most incredible memory of the hostel days.
_________________
Carol Myers Altona Hostel Dec 1962 - June 1964
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
aussietrekker aussietrekker has been starred
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 06 Jul 2009

Posts: 790
Location: Geelong

PostPosted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well thank you Stormo, and Paul, you may wish to refer to my memoirs on the Altona Hostel thread...I'll be getting to the hostel in the next instalment.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kate fletcher
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2011

Posts: 63

PostPosted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 6:08 pm    Post subject: living standards in the hostels Reply with quote

In Holmesglen Hostel in the late fifties and early sixties, we lived in nissen huts that were divided into six rooms. Drinking water had to be fetched from the canteen, and there were toilet and shower blocks in themiddle of the hostel. Simmer heat turned the huts into ovens, and in the winter they were very cold. The wooden partitian walls were thin, and you could hear the peole in the other rooms. My parents used to leave the radio on, to try and make the two rooms we had seem more private. There was a sofa with a plastic cover, that turned into a bed for my parents, but I had a proper single bed in my own room with black metal bars behind the pillow.
There was a kindergarten with a sand pit for pre-school children, and some swings, climbing bars and chutes for the older kids, but most of us preferred the creek, despite the rats and red-back spiders.
The food served in the canteen wasn't very nice, and always seemed to be overboiled vegetables, even in summer, though you could order a salad picnic lunch at the weekends.
School lunch was provided in brown paper bags called crib bags. We were given bread rolls that were often dry by the time you ate them. You chose the fillings the day before, and I particularly remember a date spread that was sickly sweet.
When it rained heavily, the noise insdie the huts was deafening, and if you strayed off the paved paths on your way to the toilets, the red clay was like trying to walk in treacle.
I suppose the conditions were very basic, by modern standards, but we didn't have very high expectations in thise days.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
aussietrekker aussietrekker has been starred
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 06 Jul 2009

Posts: 790
Location: Geelong

PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, delectable dishes for starters!
Though Altona Hostel's Apple Slice and custard was to die for.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kate fletcher
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2011

Posts: 63

PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Holmesglen's speciality was strawberry jam flan sprinkled with cornflakes that went soggy in the custard.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ninette
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 19 Sep 2017

Posts: 14

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We actually thought the food was pretty good at East Hills and we used to get desserts which were made in huge tin trays. My favourite was a pineapple slice. On Sunday nights they cooked potatoes fritters which I loved. My Mum filled out as when we were in England I think she didn't eat much so us kids got fed!
We shared a Quansa hut with a Dutch family and a wall in the middle separated us. I don't remember if the noise carried but we were 3 little giggly girls and the noise was probably us! Sine and Hans next door were wonderfully kind to us.We also had the shared toilets, 1 bath and 1 shower in the middle of the huts.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index -> General Chat: All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
 
 
Copyright � 2003 migrantweb.com
Images on this site are owned. Reproducing, republishing or mirroring on other WebPages or websites without permission is not permitted.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group