A staff member of National Archives of Australia emailed me yesterday to tell me that a digital copy of my father's immigration file is now accessible.
As mentioned in an earlier post the file title indicated that it contained migrant selection documents, well that is exactly we have, a range of administrative paperwork:
As mentioned in an earlier post the file title indicated that it contained migrant selection documents, well that is exactly we have, a range of administrative paperwork:
- Processing Centre index card (1 card, 2 sides) (see the images above: for an enlargement click on the image);
- I.R.O. Resettlement Registration form (4 pages);
- I.R.O. Resettlement Medical Examination form (1 sheet, folded into 4 pages); and,
- I.R.O. Emigration X-Ray card (1 card, 2 sides; chest x-ray attached).
The file was created and maintained by the Commonwealth Department of Immigration, Central Office as file A11760/1. All in all the file contains 12 pages and holds the assessments carried out to verify my dad's suitability (background and medical) for emigration to Australia. The file is quite dry stuff, however, a first examination did turn up some interesting crumbs of information. Once I digest its contents I will discuss it in a future post (yes, Constant Reader, its really a ploy to keep you tuned in for future installments). A couple of things I can say immediately, the alteration of his surname occurred prior to his arrival in Australia, and not here as family lore has it; the documents also allow me to construct a rough list of dates and places and occupations for my dad back to 1937. There is not much detail but there are leads to follow.
The file's series notes (i.e. series A11760) on the NAA database provide additional useful information, namely details such as the ship's name, S.S Goya. The moral here is read the series notes!
A major line of inquiry will be with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (www.unhcr.org). The UNHCR is the successor body for the UN International Refugee Organization (IRO) with the IRO being wound up on 31 December, 1950 and the UNHCR commencing operations on 1 January, 1951. Its a safe bet that the UNHCR may have inherited the IRO archives or know where they are. If the archives exist and are accessable I can track dad before he came to the attention of the Australian authorities.
The IRO was established in July 1947 as a non-permanent body of the UN and was intended to assist the millions of refugees like my dad in the post war period; due to difficulties encountered with the Soviet government the IRO worked only in the areas occupied by the western armies.
The file is viewable as a digital copy at the NAA web site (www.naa.gov.au)
The file's series notes (i.e. series A11760) on the NAA database provide additional useful information, namely details such as the ship's name, S.S Goya. The moral here is read the series notes!
A major line of inquiry will be with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (www.unhcr.org). The UNHCR is the successor body for the UN International Refugee Organization (IRO) with the IRO being wound up on 31 December, 1950 and the UNHCR commencing operations on 1 January, 1951. Its a safe bet that the UNHCR may have inherited the IRO archives or know where they are. If the archives exist and are accessable I can track dad before he came to the attention of the Australian authorities.
The IRO was established in July 1947 as a non-permanent body of the UN and was intended to assist the millions of refugees like my dad in the post war period; due to difficulties encountered with the Soviet government the IRO worked only in the areas occupied by the western armies.
The file is viewable as a digital copy at the NAA web site (www.naa.gov.au)
Images: © Commonwealth of Australia, 2008.
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