Just a few thoughts
My dad was the youngest in his
family. His father was a man who had worked his way up from casual farm
labourer to landholder, a mixed farm in Holland.
My dad wanted to become a policeman, but that wasn’t approved of and he was
given about 2 hectares/5 acres of land to make a living from agriculture. This
was during WW2.
I am the oldest of 7 children. Dad & Mum soon saw that no matter how much they
tried to make horticulture work for them, they could not provide a future for
those 7 children from that small plot of land.
They looked for alternative opportunities and migration came into focus more
strongly after the disastrous floods of 1953 and the Hungarian uprising of 1956
– the Cold War!
Canada was a very popular destination for Dutch migrants, but at that time
there was an economic downturn there. New Zealand was his 2nd focus.
Many Dutch people migrated there successfully. However New Zealand only wanted
adults, people for the workforce. So Australia became the next focus and it was
accepting families with young children.
So in 1959 we arrived in
Australia! Dad worked in an orchard in Norton Summit. When we had settled in he
was ready to explore his options. He preferred to be his own boss! Sadly there
was no bank that would lend him sufficient funds to buy his own farm – too many
young children!
All of the children were successful in education and gaining professional
employment.
Sadly Dad never got to enjoy his retirement. Cancer! Terrible! He died at age
68.
At the Norton Summit cemetery his gravestone reads:- Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Reflection
The Parish Choir members
are saying ‘Hello’
¯
Ready The Way - Bob Hurd
¯
Ubi Caritas - Ola Gjeilo
Bits & Pieces
v 1872 - Dr
George Nott
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