CHITRAL

My family came to Australia in early 1950 from England to Australia on the Chitral. I was 18 months old so do not remember anything of the voyage. However, it was the best move we ever made.

My grandparents Hubert and Winifred Grant with their 4 children including my dad, Ian Donald Grant, emigrated to Melbourne from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire . They left on the 17th of October 1951 and settled in Glen Waverly. The little yellow weather board home they built is still there, for now anyway!

My family emigrated to Australia in 1952 (£10 poms) on the Chitral. I was 4 at the time. We had family living in Killarney Vale on the shores of Tuggerah Lakes. We lived in a tiny fibre house called a humpy for about 18 months before moving to Paddington Sydney. Wonderful memories. My Dads cousin Jack Goodrich built the first post offices in Killarney. I still have vague memories of the voyage I remember playing on the deck. I am sure I remembered seeing half sunken ships maybe in Port Said, or on the Suez Canal.

I have a crew photograph from April 1932 in Singapore. My relative served on this ship

My parents were married in Melbourne in 1946. In his 2nd tour, Pop was posted to a squadron based at Camden, (Sydney) and then the Liason Staff based on Leyte. They travelled to England on the Chitral, arriving just in time for mum to experience an English winter in 1947. During the voyage, it stopped at Ceylon, Port Said and Naples, where a large number of former Italian prisoners were disembarked. Mum and dad made themselves responsible for the welfare of the Italian men during the trip, making sure that they were well treated and provided for. In the early 1950's, dad, returning North one day, picked up a hitch hiker at Mill Hill. He was an Italian engine designer on his way begin working at the Vauxhall plant. "I know you" he said. Small world!

My parents and I sailed on the Chitral in 1952. I turned three on the voyage. I don't remember anything but do have photos of my father and me sitting in deck chairs and one of me dressed in fancy dress. Apparently, I was frightened to death of King Neptune who was welcomed when the ship crossed the Equator. Also, it was dangerous going through the Suez canal and know one was allowed to take pictures but my father took some through the porthole. We have another photo of when we docked at Columbo. Long time ago.

I came to Australia on the Chitral we arrived in Freemantle on my Birthday the second of December 1950 as a four year old all I remember was the big hand of Bananas it must have been Columbo My dad had been to Australia before on the HMS Malaya and also the Valiant so he my mum and sister left the UK he got sick on board an dhe was taken to hospital in Melbourne and died six weeks later of a brain tumor so mum and my sister started life here with nothing because they had signed a form saying they wouldnt claim Social services as it was called then for two years my mum with the help of Legacy got the law changed so she could get the widows pension anyway that was over 70 years ago and Im still alive thanks for listening

Hi. I'm writing my mum's autobiography. She was on this ship from the UK in 1950. I'm looking for a man named David Hounslow he was in the same room as my mum. They were just young children.

We are about to celebrate Agnes Mailley's 90th Birthday tomorrow on the Gold Coast. Agnes and Tom Mailley sailed on the SS Chitral in 1952 with daughters Melda, Denise and Pat and eventually settled in Cooma. The men were segregated from the women, but during the day apparently Tom was able to help Agnes with the kids. I am married to their 4th daughter Susan who was born in May 1953, so may have been conceived on the Chitral!?

My Alexander Kinninmont Thomson traveled from Glasgow Scotland in 1949 to Port melbourne Australia station pier melbourne on the Chitral he was 27 years of age , he savaged in st kinda melbourne for a while before he traveled to Sydney Australia by train to find reletives that lived in Greenacre near Bankstown , were he met my mother and they were married 1 yr later.

My Father Alexander Kinninmont Thomson traveled from Glasgow Scotland in 1949 to Port melbourne Australia station pier melbourne on the Chitral he was 27 years of age , he savaged in st kinda melbourne for a while before he traveled to Sydney Australia by train to find reletives that lived in Greenacre near Bankstown , were he met my mother and they were married 1 yr later.

My father William Antony Barnes left Bombay April 1952 (aged 16) on the Chitral for England travelling with his older sister and family. The rest of the family came to England at other various times also by ship. I would be interested to hear from anyone else who was onboard or have any photos from this time. I know that there was a couple who were going to Canada who befriended my father on the voyage. My father and his family are off Anglo Indian descent. If anyone has any memories of the Barnes/Keenan family I would love to hear further. My grandfather William Charles Barnes worked for the GIPR.

My grandfather, John Thomson, designed the interior of this ship back in the 1920s in Glasgow. He was chief architect for the ship builders, Alexander Stephens and Co, Ltd. I'm glad the ship was used to transport people to good lives in Australia and other places.

I was five years old and sailed with my parents and 9 year old brother on the Chitral. We arrived in Sydney in December 1950. I remember the rocking horse in the children’s playroom. There was a swimming pool that was made of a canvas fabric and was on the deck like a huge above ground pool. I have photos of the crossing the equator party. Like the earlier correspondent my family has had a wonderful life in Australia.

SS Chitral voyage 1950: My mother, Father and I traveled on the SS Chitral in the latter half of 1950. traveling via the Suez arriving Port Said, Aden 13 Nov. 1950 and Columbo, Ceylon, 24 Nov. 1950 and Fremantle, WA. 3 Dec. 1950 [Above, someone said 2 Dec. 1950 and that might have been the arrival day but my entry papers went through customs on 3 Dec. ] to Melbourne 9 Dec. 1950. Being a migrant ship families were split my mother and I shared an inner cabin with another mother, Mrs Simpson, and two daughters who shared a bunk. I was lucky and had a bunk to myself. Dad was billeted in an outer cabin, it had portholes through which I remember seeing flying fish and dolphins, where he shared with other men. I believe we got stuck at Port Said for a while due to the toilets malfunctioning. Whilst being a migrant ship some of the niceties were kept. 4 pm was coffee time in the lounge and us kids who had been in the creche/play area would be taken up to the lounge back to our parents. To this day the odour of salt air and brewed coffee immediately bring back images of the ship. If I remember correctly there was not only a horse in the children's playroom but also a camel . I too have pictures of the "Crossing the Line" ceremony with myself dresses as a cupid!

I migrated to Melbourne, Australia with my parents Thomas and Dorothy Fenton in 1952 on the Chitral. I was only three at the time and don't remember the journey. I remember Dad talking about him dressing up for 'Crossing the Line' and Mum said there was a measles (?) outbreak amongst the children on board. I have a couple of photos of Mum and I on deck. There's also a photo Dad took in Aden (?) where only the men were allowed off ship.

My family sailed from India on the Chitral arriving in Tilbury, UK in September. 1951. I was only 13 months old so have no memory of this time but my sister, Lynette aged 7 can remember a few things and brother Errol aged 4 remembers a bit less. They recall the play room and the cabin most clearly. Mum and Dad were Colleen (nee Broadbent) and John Edmiston who had lived mainly in Lucknow. Also travelling with us were our paternal grandparents George and Maria (nee Clarke) Anderson-Edmiston. They had both been born in India in 1885. It seems Mum's relatives mostly went to Australia and Dad's returned to the UK.

My Grandsons family came to UK from India in 1949 on the Chitral