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This wonderful and interesting story arose out of a contact by Norman Taylor with Mike and his wife Thelma over what happened to St Joseph’s boys who were emigrated to the Colonies. Read on.

Thank you for the email Norman - it makes things clearer to me, how you fit into the picture now. I had mistakenly thought you and Michael were two of the boys who had come to Australia but eventually returned to the UK as some others had. There was a Taylor and a Michael O"Brien on the first two boats!

The 8th July 1938 was an eventful day for 37 young boys from various Catholic orphanages throughout England. It was the start of an adventure for them and many others - boys and girls- who followed as child migrants.

Along with two Sisters of Nazareth from Hammersmith and a Christian Brother they boarded the P&O Liner RMS "Strathaird" for a month's journey to Australia. I was one of those boys, aged 9 years, all very excited to be sailing on a luxury liner with no idea where we were going nor, in fact, why.

After a fun filled trip, experiencing many strange sights, we arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 9th August 1938, to be greeted by a band and civic reception. The event was reported in the local press along with a photograph of the group.

“This photo was taken at a civic reception the day we arrived at Fremantle on the RMS Straithaird 9th August 1938.

Of the 37 in the group some have died, many have scattered to other parts of Australia and one, at least, returned quite early to live in England.

We were housed in one of the homes run by the Christian Brothers for a week awaiting the arrival of a second boat, RMS"ORTRANTO", carrying a further 31 boys which docked on 16th August 1938. These boys, also, had been accompanied by two Sisters of Nazareth.

The contingent of 68 boys, mainly 7-11 years old, the four Nuns and several Brothers embarked on a steam train for a 300 mile journey north of Perth to the Agricultural School run by the Christian Brothers which was the basis of the "scheme" under which we had been sent to Australia. The governments of the UK and Australia had agreed with the Catholic Church to send young boys chosen from among it's orphanages to Western Australia into the care of the Christian Brothers. The boys were to be educated and trained in the hope that many would take up farming and settle on the land.

On leaving Perth we were soon into the vast and sparsely populated bush land which got even more desolate with every mile. Eventually we arrived at a small railway siding called Tardun - just a small general store no platform or shelter - to be met by three trucks. We clambered aboard and travelled a further 10 miles into the bush, to suddenly come upon what was to be our home for the next six to ten years!

Sine departing England in July we were on a high - so much had happened. New sights and experiences, new friends made among the boys, we had been feted and fussed over on arrival at Fremantle and had a 300 mile train trip! Reality wasn't long in coming however.

Obviously there is much to tell of the past 70 odd years - but a little at a time. To bring you up to date let me say Thelma and I are both well and enjoying a comfortable life. We met and married in Darwin in 1956 and have just celebrated our 50th anniversary - it was a great event and I am attaching some photos.

Derek Harper who came out on the third boat arriving in March 1939 also moved to Victoria and has since passed away. Many of the boys who came out on those first three boats (pre war) have spread far and wide throughout Australia and no doubt many have died - I only have contact with a small number now.

That's enough for now, but more will follow now we have made contact and hopefully it will be of interest to other ex St Joseph boys.

Briefly, Peter Grigson became a sheep shearer when he left the Agricultural School run by the Christian Brothers at Tardun where we had been sent. I think he is still living in Western Australia and I will try to contact him and let him know of your interest.

1941 was important not only because 10 of us successfully passed the end of year exams for grade 10, but we were to loose the Nuns who had accompanied us from England. They went to Geraldton - a seaport and rail terminal 100 miles west - to operate a brand new institution specially built for orphaned girls, who had also been sent out from England. Four Nuns from the Presentation Order from Geraldton replaced them.

Another type of work we did was quarrying for granite stones that were used to build the outer walls of a beautiful two- storied Convent built during the first year. At times we had to use gelignite for blasting. The larger suitable stones were loaded onto horse drawn drays and carted to the site. The rest was put through a mechanical crusher and reduced to aggregate for concrete.

Memories of the first summer bring back a funny incident. I was riding in a truck with a Brother inspecting a fence line - it was very hot. In the distance I could see a lake. After a while we stopped and the Brother handed me a can and told me to get some water for the radiator that had begun to steam. I set off willingly at a brisk pace and had been walking for some time but did not appear to be getting any closer to the lake. After about 20 minutes the truck pulled up beside me, and the grinning driver told me to hop back on board. When he had finished laughing he explained I had been chasing a mirage!

1942 was an interesting year - our fourth. Four of the older and stronger of our special class commenced full-time work on farm duties. The Brothers were unsure what to do with the remaining six so for a full year we marked time, and although we continued school we had no formal syllabus and were not preparing for exams. I remember we had a lot of fun with chemical experiments and spent a lot of time away from our desks.

1942 was also a year of some upheaval. Although we had experienced little evidence of the war, being so isolated, the first week of March an influx of 150 boys, five Brothers and six nuns arrived. Forty-six Australian boys, boarders from St Patrick's College Geraldton and 104 orphans from Clontarf, Perth, were evacuated to join us. So suddenly we had more than double the number of people to accommodate. It was a logistical nightmare, chaotic at times, but some how we managed!

When I look back I see 1943 as the turning point of my life. Up to that time I had been one among many with no distinct identity, nor clear future. That was to change.

The Brothers had finally decided what to do with we six. Four went to work full time on farm duties and the other two of us were chosen to undertake further education. We were to be sent, as boarders, to St Patrick's College, Geraldton, to study Grades 11 and 12. To this day I do not know why that decision was made, nor why we two were the lucky ones. I was the youngest of the ten to have passed Grade 10 and being the smallest - obviously not considered suitable farming stock! For each of the next three years I spent ten months away from Tardun being exposed to a totally new world and social structure.

We were both successful in Grade 11 and then again in Grade 12 in 1944 - we had now reached the end of Secondary School. But once again it was considered that I was too young at 15 to leave Tardun permanently, so I was sent back to College to repeat Grade 12 in 1945. I breezed through the year and passed Grade 12 for the second time. This second pass was good enough for me to win a scholarship to the University of WA at the tender age of 16.

So in February 1946, fitted out in a good second-hand suit with a case of other clothes a letter to a boarding house near the University and five pounds I boarded a train at the rail siding where I had arrived some seven and a half years previously. With a pat on the back and an admonition to remember my prayers, attend Sunday Mass and make a regular Confession, I was off to the big City. I had no further contact with Tardun until 1958 when I took my bride of one year to see where I had spent my formative years.

For seven and one half years I had lived a monastic life style in a male community of some 100 persons. The only female contact of any note was with the Nuns. Suddenly I was in a city of several hundred thousand - 50% of them female. There were other wonders too from trams to cinema theatres. To a totally unsophisticated lad of sixteen it was overwhelming - I had not been prepared for this. I had left a strict ordered discipline and now found myself completely on my own with no one to turn to for advice or guidance. I'm not sure I would have taken any notice anyhow! I was out of my depth and had no idea how to adapt to a study regime at University level. By the middle of the year it was obvious I was in trouble.

Fortunately the standard of pass I had achieved in Grade 12 also qualified me for selection as a Public Servant and an invitation arrived just in time. I commenced as a clerk with the Taxation Department in September 1946 and was to remain in the public service for the next 45 years until my retirement.

Although my first try at University was a disaster, years later I recommenced studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1975.

Working as a public servant had several advantages -job security and good prospects for promotion - based on performance and length of service. In addition it gave access to a vast pool of jobs in a variety of Government Departments in all States of Australia and it's Territories. A gazette of vacancies was published each month inviting applications. In mid 1949 I applied and was promoted to the Government's Construction Authority and moved to a construction camp at the Woomera Rocket Range in South Australia.

The Construction Authority was responsible for the design, construction and subsequent maintenance of all the facilities of every other Government Department. It employed Architects, Engineers etc with Administrative and Financial Services support staff and a very large Day Labour Force. I spent my career in Financial Services working up steadily from Paymaster at Woomera, to retire in November 1992 as Executive Officer in charge of the Financial Services for the Western Australian Office.

I spent three and a half years at Woomera and had my first birthday party ever, to that time, my 21st! One of my friends, unbeknown to me, had arranged for his mother in Adelaide to bake a cake and send it by plane. Also I purchased my first car - a Singer Tourer - which I eventually took to Alice Springs and then drove 1,000 miles to Darwin to a new Job.

It was in Darwin that I met and married Thelma (we have just celebrated our 50th) and our son and daughter were born. After ten and a half years in Darwin I moved to Papua, New Guinea, for 18 months and finally returned to the Perth office to serve out my years until retirement.

Norman, I did enjoy the tale of the first air raid shelter exercise at St Joseph's and the gas masks. Trust Eric to be different!

The oldest boy in our pre-war group - he was 14 - joined the army aged just 19 and, sadly, just two years and one week later, only 21, was killed on active service, Thankfully he was the only defence services war time casualty.

Norman, I have read many of the Blaisdon Memories and get the feeling it was a happy place in the main. The extent of your Old Boys Association is evidence of good bonding. We have an Association too - mainly from the post-war group. It organises weekend camps twice a year and occasional reunions for special events (50th etc). The next big one will be the 70th for the 38'ers - I wonder how many of us will attend!

MEMORIAL ERECTED AT FREMANTLE 2003 TO COMMEMORATE THE CHILD MIGRANTS SENT TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA

I managed to put the writing on this photo so we know what it is. We have also managed to put all the photos on the computer so I'm sending all the photos to you to put on your computer. (See photo above)

As I approach my 80th in good health, in a comfortable home with a lovely companion of 50 years and enjoy the thrill of seeing grandchildren grow up, I reflect on a fortunate life. The first nine years gave no promise of what was to be, but coming to Australia turned out to be a godsend. I don't know why I was chosen, nor why I was then given the opportunity for higher education rather than be placed in farm work, but I thank my lucky stars. I am convinced many other boys would have achieved just as well given the same chance.

Speaking specifically of my group of ten boys who came out pre-war, I can say that most on reflection would agree that being sent to Australia exposed them to opportunities they would never otherwise have experienced and they are thankful. Most in their own way have been successful, but others, sadly, have lead lonely and unhappy lives.

There were shortcomings on all sides in the administration of what was a well-intentioned idea. Committees set up by both the British and Australian Governments found many things had been badly mishandled and made strong recommendations to help rectify and repair the damage that had been done. The Congregation of Christian Brothers, admitted in 1993 that abuse had occurred and settled a multi-million dollar out of court action. Some lives were irreparably damaged.

Do I personally have any specific criticisms? Yes. There was a total lack of any show of concern at the individual level, never a consoling arm around the shoulder - "a stiff upper lip" and "men never cry" were the maxims. Another failing was the lack of preparation given to us for what we were about to encounter when we left Tardun for a strange unknown world out there. We had no training to fit us with "family" related skills. I have no doubt this lack resulted in many marriage failures

Was the intended aim to settle boys on the land achieved? Not really. Of the pre-war group five did take up farms but three later sold up. Whilst other boys initially worked on farms they quickly drifted into other forms of employment. A few, Peter Grigson was one, did work in shearing teams for many years.

Having said all that however, I have had a fortunate life! I still go to Mass every Sunday, Confessions are rare - at my age what is there to tell - and I did remember my prayers, after all I have a granddaughter named Grace!

For almost seventy years the boys who were resident at St. Joseph's Home Enfield, have always wondered whatever became of the boys who were sent

to Australia. At St. Joseph's, the long established pattern for removing the boys from one Home to another was to do whatever had to be done, without warning and as quickly as possible. It was quick and it was brutal. Very few boys ever had the opportunity to say goodbye to their friends.

Early in 1938 rumours began to circulate that boys were to be sent to Australia. The precedent for this action had been established in the early years of the twentieth century, when boys and girls who were in the care of the Crusade of Rescue, many of whom were St. Joseph's boys and were sent to Canada. The decision to send children to the Empire had been taken at the highest level of government, without whose permission and connivance the scheme could not have proceeded.

The plan was to assist in the populating of these countries with white children, with the view to future population growth, and who better to put this plan into effect than poor orphaned children without the encumbrance of parents or guardians who could raise objections. There was also the view that by reducing the numbers poor people in Britain there would be a beneficial effect on our economy. The charitable preached the view that there would be a better future for these children.

In June 1938, four boys were selected by some mysterious process to be sent to Australia. The four boys were Michael Hannigan, Dennis Poulter, Peter Grigson and Peter Kronidorf. What was the criteria for this random selection? Why these four boys and not others chosen, was there a particular reason to send these four boys? We will never know the answer to these questions. What I clearly remember about this time is that I was terrified that at any moment I would be told that I was going to be sent to join these boys in Australia. Some boys may have welcomed this news; I did not. I thought of my brother and sister and my dead mother. I still truly believed that my father would come to St. Joseph's to take me home.

The boys sent to Australia did send letters back to St. Joseph's or at least we believed that they were from the boys. They may have been from an adult who was travelling with them. I remember that these letters gave the impression that the journey was a great adventure and the ship must have passed through the Suez Canal because a postcard arrived giving brief details of the ships passage. These letters did not move me to thinking that going to Australia was a good idea. I planned that if I was chosen I would run away on the day we were to travel.

Rumours still persisted that more boys would be dispatched to Australia and in March 1939 Derek Harper was the next boy to be sent to join the other four boys. I understand that the plan was to send three boys, the other two being Eric Nutcher and Michael O'Brien. Both had been interviewed at Australia House for their suitability. Neither of the boys was sent. Eric was in hospital at the time and Michael must have been omitted for some other reason. War was declared in September 1939 and that put a temporary end to the scheme. The practice was resumed shortly after the war ended and by that time I was able to make my own decisions about my future.

What became of the boys who were sent to Australia has always occupied my mind. It was as if they had disappeared from the planet. Eric Nutcher, Michael O'Brien and myself have often spoken of the day when the boys left the playground and after a few letters during their journey to Australia were never heard of again. Whatever became of them? We have heard stories of ill treatment to the child migrants by those placed in positions of trust to look after them. Were our boys victims of this mistreatment? We did not know, we hoped not.

This enigma may now be to be solved. On December 2nd 2006 I was among the St. Joseph's boys who attended the Catholic Children's Society's Benefactors Mass. Mass and after Mass while speaking to Carol Roper I mentioned to Carol that since 1938 we had not had any news of the five boys sent from St. Joseph's to Australia in 1938. Carol kindly suggested that I should send to her the names of the boys and she would see what she could find out. I left taking any action on this matter until the New Year. Imagine my surprise and delight after little more than a week I received an email from Carol telling me that contact had been made with Michael Hannigan.

I have since had a number of emails and photos from Michael and his wife Thelma. Michael is now in the process of sending me details of his journey and life at the Agricultural School run by the Christian Brothers at Tardun Western Australia.

I end with the sad news that Derek Harper is now dead, and that at the moment Michael has lost touch with Dennis Poulter, Peter Grigson and Peter Kronidorf. I often think about Peter Kronidorf as he travelled with me from the Crusade of Rescue offices via Kings Cross to St. Joseph's. With us also was John Slattery and the three Paris brothers. The date was 29th January 1936. A date that will always be with me!