Summary

Hubert Halls, a carpenter by trade, migrated with his family to Melbourne from the Isle of Wight, England in 1963.

Hubert Halls migrated to Melbourne from the Isle of Wight, England in 1963. He sailed on the MV Fairsea with his wife Dolly and five children.

 

Hubert was a carpenter by trade. He had contracted polio and was ineligible for military service during World War II so he was employed to make coffins for deceased soldiers. After arriving in Australia he worked for the Melbourne City Mission until he retired.

The collection relating to Hubert includes two Fairsea shipboard information sheets, a booklet entitled 'A Handbook of Tools of Trade' published by the Commonwealth Dept of Immigration, and 13 digital photographs featuring Hubert with workmates in England, a family portrait, dockside departure and activities onboard ship.

This collection enables the representation of the working life of a migrant prior to migrating to Australia and the brought skills and trades. In particular the booklet entitled 'A Handbook of Tools of Trade' published by the Commonwealth Dept of Immigration is an evocative example of methods used by the Australian Government to assist tradespeople adapt to Australian working conditions, especially those of a non-English speaking background. It also speaks to the importance placed by the Dept of Immigration on building a construction and manufacturing workforce.

The booklet was produced to 'help the assimilation of migrant tradesmen...Migrants will recognise the tool from the drawing, and will read and learn its English name. Foremen and Australian workmates can help by pointing out in the booklet the tools that the migrants will use, and by helping him with the correct pronunciation.'

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