The Welsh Pilgrims

That ship carried many women who were called "war brides" and Muriel remembers some of them who received word while still on their journey that their husbands had decided that it was all a mistake and that they should go back. One can only  imagine the panic and heartache of such a message.

When Muriel arrived in Sydney, she was met by a family who had immigrated from Port Talbot some years before, the Barnes family. Their son, Keith, was to go on and become one of Australia's rugby league icons, the great kicker from Balmain. Bernard met Muriel in Sydney and they journeyed up to Brisbane to meet the family.

Grandma's Dream

When Nancy left home, her mother made a secret promise to herself that she would come out to Australia and visit. But it was a poor, post-war Britain and funds and opportunity weren't to happen. Yet it never stopped her from gathering travel brochures and poring over them in the kitchen at Bath Street, dreaming of what the journey might be, and what it would cost. Her dream would eventually come true in her children.

Nancy, like the Irish members of the Costello family, was not going to be able to return home, especially not with a young family to rear in Queensland. But the dream   was always there too, that one day, she would get back home to Port Talbot.

Twenty Six Years Later

In 1972, the fream came true and Nancy flew to Heathrow and met the family who took it in turns to drive her back to Wales. There, for the first time in over 26 years, the family was re-united. Nancy and Myra and Rae have audio tapes of the speeches made at the family reception held for Nancy and the local paper has a picture of her receiving a civic reception from the Mayor of the City. 

The visit was memorable in so many ways and stories abound in Wales of the highligts, including a car break-down on the drive back to Heathrow and Nancy missing her plane. Richard Thomas, Nancy's nephew, has some vivid and humorous memories of this famous trip to the Airport and other stories of Nancy's Return.

It was a providential visitation because within two years, two members of the family would have died.

Visits and Visitors since then

In 1977, Aunty's Dot and Rae made their first visit to Australia. This was an espeically auspicious occasion for Dot because when she stepped on that jet at Heathrow to fly the 24 hours or more to Brisbane, it was her first time on a plane.

The occasion for the trip was to attend Paul's ordination to the priesthood at Manly church in Brisbane. Not only was it Dot and Rae's first ordination, it was their first visit inside a Catholic church.

The connections renewed by visits, the Welsh and the Australian families now enjoy what the migrants of old could never have imagined, a frequent commute between Wales and Australia.

Visitors Book-Wales to Australia

Dot and Rae in 1977
John and Eileen
Richard and Ruth 1992
John and Eileen and Rae and Betsan in 1995 for Bernard and Muriels 50th wedding anniversary celebrations
Andrew and friends 1997
Michael (Syd''s son) and Margaret in 1997
Andrew in 1998-9

Will  you be next?

Read the Story of Aunty Nancy's first trip back to Wales after 30  years.

Visitor's Book-Australia to Wales

Bernard  accompanied Muriel on their next visit to Wales in the 1980's.
Jennifer visited and stayed some months in Wales in the 80's.
Bernard and Muriel and Paul and Jenny visited in 1984.
Aunty Marg Brody(Bernard's sister) in the 1980's
Paul for Christmas 1993
Michelle(Muriel's grandchild) and husband Dominic in 1997
Peter Dougherty (Muriel's grandson) in 1996
Paul on his trip back home in 1998-9

Who will be next?

The tyranny of distance has been overcome, and the connections between families far removed by country are now brought closer by travel.

This web technology also allows anyone anywhere to log on and discover where the family came from. No more will there be an excuse for not knowing where we came from and from knowing that the invitation is out there to all the family to reconnect.

Visit another member of the family's web site-Phil Thompson- at www.organised_chaos.com