Summary

Black and white digital photograph showing John and Barbara Woods and four friends seated around a small table at what may be a crowded community hall in Sunshine, Melbourne on Christmas Day, 1958. The photograph was taken by an official photographer. From left to right: John Woods, Elsie Barton (Stan's sister), Ted Barton, Barbara Woods, Shirley Sexton, Stan Sexton. John and Barbara had migrated to Australia from England under the assisted passage scheme on the same ship as Stan and Shirley Sexton, also in the photograph with whom they remained close friends.

Barbara and John Woods married in 1955 and were living in commission housing with extended family in Buckinghamshire, England when they decided to apply for the assisted passage scheme and migrate to Australia. They sailed on the Sitmar Line MV 'Fairsea' from Southampton in 1957 and eventually built their house in Lalor [also referred to in some items in the collection asThomastown] in 1960. They had a variety of jobs before they opened their own drapery store in Lalor and had four children.

Description of Content

Group of six men and women seated around a small table with jug and glasses of beer..

Physical Description

Digital scan of photograph.

Significance

The Woods family collection documents through objects, documents and photographs the experiences of an English family who migrated to Australia under the 'Ten Pound Pom' assisted passage scheme. The material enables the exploration of their entire migration narrative, from the decision to emigrate, planning and departure, the ship voyage, arrival and early settlement, including employment, building a house and family life. More than one million people from Great Britain migrated to Australia under this scheme between the 1940s and 1970s.

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