Who Are They?

These photographs were taken on board the Asturias in November 1948, by Pat Piggott. His wife Irene (Rene) and son Michael are pictured with other passengers. If you can identify them, please let us know.

Passport Photo

In May 1952 Robert and Mary Scarlett came out to Australia along with their two children Maureen aged 9 (the writer of this little story) my brother John aged 5 and my dad’s widowed Mam Mary Scarlett - our grandmother. We came under the 10 pound Pom scheme (only my parents were Irish) .

For us kids it was an amazing time. We stopped in the harbour of Malta and I remember how very, very bright everything was - the sea, the rocks, the houses. I guess it was the stark contrast to dark old coal burning England in Rockferry where we had lived.

The ship broke down in the Suez Canal. We saw hundreds of flying fish. A lovely lady in Colombo whose husband was working there for the British Government stopped in her car and took us around to many sites and to her home for afternoon tea.

Crossing the equator made our cabins so hot many families took their mattresses up on deck like us. We saw whales off the Western Australian coast going north to give birth. It was an amazing education for kids. My Dad in particular thoroughly enjoyed the journey as he was in the Royal Navy for 12 years before and after the war. Mum I’m sure enjoyed the rest and free from the worry of Ration Books. Our dining room steward always kept us back and gave us kids extra deserts. Anyway, we settled in Geelong and my brother eventually played football for the great Geelong Football Club as did his son Matthew Scarlett. The greatest fullback ever in the history of the AFL. A legend. Liverpool Football Club’s greatest loss!
  
Written by Maureen Scarlett