Coming to Australia:
Athanasia Papageorgiou was born in Greece in 1933, and migrated to Australia in the mid 1950s. All of her siblings, five in total, migrated from Greece without their parents.
Athanasia was a dressmaker and designer and had had her own business in Greece. When she came to Australia she initially worked as a seamstress in the government munitions factory making parachutes. After marrying another migrant Konstantinos Papadimitropoulos, Athanasia purchased an overlocker and worked from home sewing pyjamas, while raising two children.
Family Milk Bar:
In 1972 the family bought a milk bar which became K & A Pappas, Australian & Continental Milk Bar at 295 Gilbert Road West Preston. When the family purchased the shop it was a single fronted milk bar with a small house attached in the rear. The family lived there for 20 years, leaving in 1992. For a short period of three years from 1983 to 1985 they sold the business and leased the freehold to be able to travel. The new owners went bankrupt and the family re-acquired the business in 1985. The name on the door, 'K & A Pappas,' was an abbreviation that Athanasia and Konstantinos used for a short period until their children grew older and objected.
Family Outings:
The extended family excursions were all day affairs. Athanasia and Konstantinos' daughter Dimitra Birthisel remembers:
'They liked to travel out to Bundoora, to the beach, and to Whittlesea. At the beach, they never would picnic on the sand, always on the grass under the trees. The parents would leave at 6:00 am and they had to be at the beach at 7.00 in the morning to get the best spot, the perfect tree to sit under. It would be so cold everyone would be freezing and wrapped in blankets, and then they would warm up as the sun rose. The younger generation then come at 11.00am.'
'They would cram into three or four vehicles, and towed a trailer to carry the rotisserie spit. The spit was hooked up to a car battery which had been modified by the Papadimitropoulos' uncles, in order for the rotisserie to function.' 'The children were embarrassed that the family would insist on using the spit and the family remembers there was a mixed response from other picnickers. The Greek families loved it, however, and even though there was some sniggering, overall people thought it was great. The picnic would happen every few months for the cousins to get together and play, and the aunts and uncles to catch up.' 'Picnics for the whole family, with people from both Athanasia and Konstantinos' sides, including even extended cousins by marriage, and their children.
They would have taken an elaborate picnic with spanakopita, tyropitas, boiled eggs and salads, meat loaf, cooked chicken, lots of feta cheese, home grown tomatoes, but no sandwiches. An unbelievable feast.'
Athanasia Papageorgiou was born in Greece in 1933, and migrated to Australia in the mid 1950s. All of her siblings, five in total, migrated from Greece without their parents.
Athanasia was a dressmaker and designer and had had her own business in Greece. When she came to Australia she initially worked as a seamstress in the government munitions factory making parachutes. After marrying another migrant Konstantinos Papadimitropoulos, Athanasia purchased an overlocker and worked from home sewing pyjamas, while raising two children.
Family Milk Bar:
In 1972 the family bought a milk bar which became K & A Pappas, Australian & Continental Milk Bar at 295 Gilbert Road West Preston. When the family purchased the shop it was a single fronted milk bar with a small house attached in the rear. The family lived there for 20 years, leaving in 1992. For a short period of three years from 1983 to 1985 they sold the business and leased the freehold to be able to travel. The new owners went bankrupt and the family re-acquired the business in 1985. The name on the door, 'K & A Pappas,' was an abbreviation that Athanasia and Konstantinos used for a short period until their children grew older and objected.
Family Outings:
The extended family excursions were all day affairs. Athanasia and Konstantinos' daughter Dimitra Birthisel remembers:
'They liked to travel out to Bundoora, to the beach, and to Whittlesea. At the beach, they never would picnic on the sand, always on the grass under the trees. The parents would leave at 6:00 am and they had to be at the beach at 7.00 in the morning to get the best spot, the perfect tree to sit under. It would be so cold everyone would be freezing and wrapped in blankets, and then they would warm up as the sun rose. The younger generation then come at 11.00am.'
'They would cram into three or four vehicles, and towed a trailer to carry the rotisserie spit. The spit was hooked up to a car battery which had been modified by the Papadimitropoulos' uncles, in order for the rotisserie to function.' 'The children were embarrassed that the family would insist on using the spit and the family remembers there was a mixed response from other picnickers. The Greek families loved it, however, and even though there was some sniggering, overall people thought it was great. The picnic would happen every few months for the cousins to get together and play, and the aunts and uncles to catch up.' 'Picnics for the whole family, with people from both Athanasia and Konstantinos' sides, including even extended cousins by marriage, and their children.
They would have taken an elaborate picnic with spanakopita, tyropitas, boiled eggs and salads, meat loaf, cooked chicken, lots of feta cheese, home grown tomatoes, but no sandwiches. An unbelievable feast.'
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