Richard Grattan
Ship name / Flight number: Strathnaver
Arrival date: 22/06/1955
6 Aug 1937 – 15 Dec 2020
Rick Grattan left England May 17, 1955 on the Strathnaver (arriving 20/06/1955), and then went to the training farm at Liverpool – two days later – to a new adventure.
Rick attended several reunions and shared his story with other ex-Little Brothers and BBM.
This is part of his story:
“As I was in the building trade I studied Science & the Technology of Building for two and a half (2.5) years at a college in Surrey.
After leaving the farm at Liverpool I went to a farm called a Eumina at Goolma, which I have visited a few times with family. They would say to me: Rick how did you put up with it – only cup of tea at breakfast and if lucky – one at teatime.
I lived in an empty old house with no running water, hot or cold, no light or power and a ground toilet. My room was six foot by 10 foot. I only had a wire bed, a rough mattress, and it was very cold. You can bet I only lasted nine months before I went back to my trade: the building game.
During that time, I went to Sydney a few times to see Mr Mansell (a nice guy), and talked about life at £7 (pounds) for 6.5 days…
Another lad went with me named Allan. However, he did not last as Mr Conn fired him. But I was a good worker. He said he was mean. And a so-called ‘church man’.
I went to a town nearby called Wellington and got digs with a drunk’s family for three months, then off again to another four – all good drinkers too! I left after two months and went to a lovely family with whom I stayed.
I was 21 years old when I went to Melbourne as my folks came to live with an aunty.
I lived in the one house in Glenroy for fifty-nine years along with my wife and four siblings.
We struggled.
Later on, we found ourselves at Wangaratta after losing our son Stephen on 6 July, 2019 at age fifty-one – it hurts always.
So, after putting things straight we are off on a new adventure.
There is so much to put into a book. God Willing.”
Rick at the 2019 Riverina Reunion: #5