Adrian Strik





NAME
Strik, Adrian
BIRTHDATE
9-3-1946
PLACE OF BIRTH
Zeist, The Netherlands
NATIONALITY
Dutch
  • Strik, Johannes Bartholomeus – 24-9-1915 – father
  • Veer, Gerarda van der – 13-8-1918 – mother
  • Strik, Elisabeth – 5-8-1947 – sister
  • Strik, Helena – 2-8-1948 – sister
  • Strik, Gerarda – 2-9-1950 – sister
  • Strik, Marie – 28-6-1953 – sister

9-3-1946

Birthday

15-9-1954

Travel

The Strik family departed from Amsterdam on the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt read more external link more info

“My parents made the life-changing decision to emigrate to Australia when I was just 8 years old”

12-10-1954

Migration AU

“I can still quite vividly remember my first glimpse of the quay-side in Fremantle harbour, from the railing on one of the top decks of the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt”

12-10-1954

Scheme

NGAS

Although an accomplished gardener, Adrian’s father was categorized as an ‘unskilled worker’ and the family had an assisted passage under the Netherlands Government Agency Scheme more info

10-1954

Housing

read more external link

Adrian notes: “The meals were served at fixed times in a huge canteen, where everyone sat on long benches at communal tables. The food itself was generally unaccustomed to European tastes, mainly mutton, something no-one had ever eaten in Holland – as well as completely new, unknown things like jelly – and something called ‘junket’! The result was that many families resorted to cooking their meals, on primitive kerosine burners and the like. This was quickly banned, due to the fire hazard.”

13-8-1962

Naturalization

The family received the Australian citizenship in 1962 more info

1966

Employment

Adrian got the job of senior technician at Port Hedland airport (WA)

1969

Migration EU

After an aircrash on 31-12-1968, Adrian was “psychologically pretty much affected” and left Australia to travel in Europe

1972

Marriage

Adrian met his later wife Tonny in London. They had three children, Edwin, Alexander and Sylvia read more external link

12-1974

Migration AU

Adrian travelled with his wife Tonny to Australia to meet his parents, but returned to the Netherlands because of better job opportunities for Tonny, who studied law

“I think in the back of his mind that my dad hoped I would come back to Perth. He would often remind me that they had gone to Australia to better everyone’s chances and now here I was leaving this “wonderful country” to go back to the “rotten” one [his exact words!] that they had left in 1954. In the end, I think he was proud of me later when he came to visit us and meet his Dutch grandchildren.”

21-10-1987

Deathday

Adrian’s mother died in 1987 in Subiaco read more external link

13-8-2008

Deathday

Adrian’s father died in 2008 in Lesmurdie