Summary

Photograph of James and Eileen Leech with their baby son Phillip at Eileen's parents home in Heston, Middlesex in England in 1956. They resided here for about five years. The photograph was taken soon after they returned to England having migrated to Australia in 1953.

James and Eileen Leech and their two and a half year old daughter Susan migrated from Manchester, England in November 1953 under the ten pound assisted migration scheme on the ship 'New Australia'. James, who had served with Australian soldiers during World War II was drawn to Australia while Eileen, with strong family ties, was reluctant to come. James was employed in his field as an optical mechanic and they lived in Sandringham and then Frankston. While James loved the new lifestyle, Eileen's homesickness led to depression and when she became pregnant, the family returned to England in January 1956 on medical advice. Eileen's mother loaned them the funds to relocate but James never fully recovered his disappointment at leaving Australia and the years living with Eileen's family while repaying the loan put a strain on the whole family. Eileen, who at one time had considered migrating to Australia, returned for the first time in 2014.

Description of Content

Man standing and woman seated holding a baby in a garden setting.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph

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