Fred Feddes





NAME
Feddes, Fred
BIRTHDATE
9-10-1957
PLACE OF BIRTH
Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Mulder, Foekje – 1921 – mother
  • Feddes, Pieter – 1923 – father

9-10-1957

Birthday

1967

Migration

Fred’s parents began to actively explore the idea of emigration. In 1967 they visited their relatives who had migrated to Ontario, Canada. Under the guise of a summer holiday they investigated the options of moving there themselves. Two years later they decided to move to Australia.

1968

Selection

As a devout Protestant family, they attended information evenings at the Protestant Christelijke Emigratie Centrale (CEC or Christian Emigration Center). The CEC had application centers and did the pre-selection in the Netherlands. Once selected the application file was sent to the Nederlandse Emigratie Dienst (Netherlands Emigration Service) and the Australian immigration officers, who did the final selection. The CEC also got them in contact with fellow church people in Australia who could offer practical advice and help.

3-1969

Travel

The family boarded the r.h.m.s. Ellinis, a Greek passenger ship that ran a regular round the world service. read more external link more info

7-4-1969

Migration AU

The familie arrived Fremantle per Ellinis 7 April 1969

7-4-1969

Scheme

NAMA

12-4-1969

Housing

After a trip by train and bus of 5 days the family was housed at Glenelg Migrant Hostel read more external link

19-4-1969

Support

Fred remembers they were allotted a bedroom and a sitting area in Glenelgh Migrant Hostel. It was an interim stay for only a week while they waited for the house the church contacts had organised to vacate.

20-4-1969

Housing

The rental house on Clapton Road that the church had found for them, belonged to an army man serving in Vietnam. When he returned early after being wounded, they had to move, and Fred’s parents bought a house on nearby Yarmouth Road.

5-1969

Employment

Fred’s dad hoped to work with a radio station, but this did not happen. He ended up repairing radios as he had done in the Netherlands for Philips.

1971

Migration NL

When Fred’s parents moved to Australia they intended to stay, but from the start they also regarded the NAMA two-year contract as a test period. Within six months they decided Australia was not the place they wanted to live permanently, and it would be better – if only for their children’s education – to return as soon as possible after the two-year period had ended. They started saving money for the return trip.

1971

Travel

The family traveled by SS Australis, a sister ship to the Ellinis. Fred didn’t like the trip as much as he had done two years before. He felt less comfortable, and more conscious of the abrupt change.

1981

Education

Fred finished the School of Journalism in 1981 and was in involved in free lance writing.

1985

Employment

Since 1985 Fred is journalist and publicist read more external link