{"id":136684,"date":"2024-06-08T08:41:21","date_gmt":"2024-06-08T08:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=136684"},"modified":"2024-06-08T08:41:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-08T08:41:53","slug":"facing-fortress-australia-ceylonese-migrants-in-the-1950s-1960s-by-michael-roberts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/facing-fortress-australia-ceylonese-migrants-in-the-1950s-1960s-by-michael-roberts\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing Fortress Australia: Ceylonese Migrants in the 1950s & 1960s-by Michael Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Facing Fortress Australia: Ceylonese Migrants in the 1950s & 1960s-by Michael Roberts<\/span><\/h2>\n

Source:<\/span><\/strong>Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Earlson Forbes,\u00a0whose title in THE CEYLANKAN, vol 27\/2, May 2024 is\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>Fortress White Australia: What early Ceylonese migrants [1949 t0 1969] were up against\u201d \u2026\u00a0[without most of<\/em>\u00a0the author\u2019s pictorial illustrations because of The Editor\u2019s technical inexpertise]<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Six Australian Colonies came together on the 1st\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup>of January 1901 to form the independent Nation of the Commonwealth of Australia.\u00a0 From 1788 (First Fleet arrival at Sydney Cove) to the time of Federation, Australia was populated by convict and free settlers almost exclusively from Britain.\u00a0 The 1901 census put the population at 3.7 million.\u00a0\u00a0 Aboriginals were not counted in this census. A small percentage of the population was made up of Pacific Islanders and Chinese.\u00a0 The Chinese entered Australia in the second half of the 19th<\/sup>\u00a0century at the time of the Gold Rush in Australia (mid-19th<\/sup>\u00a0century) and in the years following. Between 1851 and 1870 about 50,000 Chinese were estimated to have entered Australia. Pacific Islanders had been brought to Australia in the second half of the 19th<\/sup>\u00a0century as labourers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

From its inception the Nation of Australia embarked on a highly protective policy regarding entry into the country.\u00a0 Within one year of formation of the Nation, the Australian Parliament passed two Acts limiting immigration.\u00a0 These two Acts were\u00a0The Immigration Restriction Act 1901<\/em><\/strong>, and the\u00a0Pacific<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Islander Labourers Act 1901<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Pacific Islander Labourers Act aimed specifically at putting a stop to admission of persons from this region.\u00a0 The Act stated,\u00a0\u2018No Pacific Island Labourer shall enter Australia on or after the thirty first day of March one thousand nine hundred and four\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Of the two Acts by far the more important was the Immigration Restriction Act 1901. The Immigration Restriction Act aimed to limit all permanent entry into the country not by obvious reference to race or colour, but by imposing a\u00a0Dictation Test<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on any prospective immigrant. The Act stated that the following were\u00a0\u2018prohibited immigrants\u2019<\/em><\/strong>; namely, \u2018any person who when asked to do so by an officer fails to write out at dictation and sign in the presence of the officer a passage of fifty words in length in any European language directed by the officer\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>This prohibition could be used not only against non-Europeans not proficient in English but also against those who were proficient.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The dictation test could be conducted\u00a0in any European language<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(French, Spanish, German etc.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortress Australia doc 4\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Fortress Australia doc 4<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The Secretary for Immigration in Canberra, as far back as 1908 wrote to the Collector of Customs Fremantle, regarding the impending entry to Australia of an undesirable Chinese national in the following terms:-<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I have the honour to inform you that a Chinese named \u2026\u2026\u2026..contemplates visiting Australia shortly.\u00a0 It is understood that he is at present in Ceylon.\u00a0 For various reasons \u2026the Government have refused permission for him to land in Australia.\u00a0 I shall be glad therefore, if you will issue instruction that in the event of this man arriving in Australia he is to be\u00a0subjected to the dictation test<\/u>\u00a0which should be applied in such a manner as to ensure its efficiency.\u00a0 It is probable that \u2026\u2026\u2026..understands English.\u00a0 Inquiries should be made on this point and officers should be in readiness to apply the test say in Spanish or Italian.\u2019<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A typical passage used for the dictation test reads as follows:-<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The hairy adornment of the lion renders him more formidable appearance.\u00a0 But the plain fact is that the tiger\u2019s head and jaws are more solid, heavy and powerful than the lion\u2019s.\u00a0 We can only tell the difference when examining the skeletons of the 2 animals with a skilled anatomist\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This restrictive White Australia Policy of limiting entry to Australia to primarily British and some Europeans only, was adhered to in the first half of the twentieth century.\u00a0 Not only Australians but other\u00a0democracies<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0openly or covertly supported the notion of white supremacy.\u00a0 Australian Policy was apparently considered to be a success in other lands and had its admirers and well wishes in Canada.\u00a0\u00a0Figure 1 below is a letter of admiration to Prime Minister Bruce of Australia from the Ku Klux Klan.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0The letter thanks the prime Minister of Australia for his stand for \u2018an all White Australia\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The author who is the president of a chapter of the KKK, also invokes God\u2019s Blessing on the Prime Minister in preserving, \u2018the heritage committed to his care\u2019<\/em><\/strong>. (Note: Bruce was P M and not Premier as stated in the KKK letter)<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the end of the Second World War saw seismic change in many parts of the world, initially it did not bring any significant change to the White Australia policy. \u00a0The immigration minister at this time (Arthur Caldwell) fully recognised the need for Australia to rapidly expand \u00a0its population.\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Populate or perish\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>was his slogan\u2019.\u00a0<\/em>However, his choice of prospective immigrants was not without prejudice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Caldwell added to his population slogan with the words;\u00a0\u2018It would be far better for us to have in Australia twenty or thirty million people of 100 per cent white extraction than seven million people who are 98 per cent British\u2019. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>As far out as four years after the end of the Second World War, the Immigration Minister\u2019s office sent out a\u00a0secret dispatch<\/strong>\u00a0in which it was stated that the Minister\u2019s view was that non-Europeans are,\u00a0 \u2018not suitable as settlers in Australia\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(See figure 2).<\/span><\/p>\n

Even the judiciary at this time openly supported white only migration to Australia. \u00a0Justice Brennan of the Queensland Supreme Court, in an interview with the Daily Telegraph on 9th<\/sup>\u00a0January 1945 stated: \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Australians will become a nation of slaves if the advocates of Asiatic migration have their way\u2019<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 On the question of migrants from China and India coming into Australia Justice Brennan commented;\u00a0\u2018A million from each country will outbreed us in 25 years\u2019<\/em><\/strong>. He concluded his interview with the question;\u00a0\u2018why are our politicians so fearful of applying the White Australia policy?\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Post Second World War is appeared that all branches of the Australian government as well as the Judiciary were in agreement that for the second half of the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0century, the best option for Australia was to maintain its worn-out White Australia policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceylonese Burghers assail the White Australia Fortress<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although Fortress White Australia appeared to be as strong as ever, the years following the end of the Second World War saw momentous change in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world which would inevitably influence what went on in Australia.\u00a0 India and Pakistan achieved independence in 1947 and Ceylon in the following year. There was also independence on the horizon for countries such as Burma and Mauritius.\u00a0\u00a0 In these countries there were minority communities within their populations which were of European and part European ancestry.\u00a0 In Ceylon, persons of British, Dutch and Portuguese ancestry, (referred to as the Burghers) tactically approached Australian authorities and requested admission as immigrants on the grounds that they were of European ancestry. Due in some degree to pressure from liberal members of government, Canberra marginally relented and decided that persons\u00a0of predominantly European ancestry<\/em><\/strong>;\u00a0European in appearance<\/em><\/strong>;\u00a0and able to integrate into Australian society and way of life,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>would be considered for admission into the country as immigrants.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Predominantly European\u00a0<\/strong>was in the first instance interpreted by Canberra to be\u00a075% European\u00a0ancestry.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the case of a Ceylonese who was applying for permanent admission to Australia as a migrant, (with family) there were at the time many hurdles to clear.\u00a0 Some hurdles were known while others were dependent upon the subjective whim of an interviewing officer or beyond the applicant\u2019s control.<\/span><\/p>\n

The primary requirement was to prove European ancestry.\u00a0 To meet this requirement an applicant had to produce a\u00a0genealogy statement<\/strong>\u00a0tracing ancestry to European parents, grandparents and beyond.\u00a0 Figure 3 is one such\u00a0abbreviated<\/strong>\u00a0genealogy statement.\u00a0 This particular genealogy record is from a Ceylonese Burgher family of British origin.\u00a0 To protect privacy, names have been deleted.\u00a0 The original document reads as follows: \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 3<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The abbreviated genealogy statement sets out that: \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The founder of the family was an Army Captain who came out from Scotland and married (or co-habited) with a female of Dutch origin. They had 2 male children. The founder, (Army Captain) was killed in action.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. One son (Samuel), died young (unmarried). The surviving son (Leo) married a female of Portuguese origin. They had children but how many is not known.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The eldest son of couple 2 above married a female of Italian origin. They had several children.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. The fourth son of couple 3 above married a female of British origin.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The Principal Applicant for entry to Australia as a migrant, was the son of couple 4.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The applicant in question was able to trace European ancestry and appeared to satisfy the requirements of Australian Immigration.\u00a0 However, the genealogy statement had to be authenticated with citation of relevant official records. For example, a record of marriage of the couple in 1 above was not available, but District Court records of a Testamentary case cited the female of Dutch origin as the mother of the 2 brothers.\u00a0 Similarly, there was a Church record (St Lucia\u2019s Cathedral Kotahena) of the marriage of the couple in 2 above. Records from St Mary\u2019s Church Bambalapitiya substantiated the marriages of couple 3 in 1893, and of couple 4 in 1927.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As the ancestry statement above shows, persons of British heritage were able to trace their ancestry with a great degree of certainty as government and church records of births, deaths and marriages could be traced if relating to the later 19th<\/sup>\u00a0century and the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0century.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Individuals of Dutch ancestry were also at most times able to trace their ancestry.\u00a0 There were records of births deaths and marriages (in the Dutch Language) in government and Dutch Reformed Church records that could be accessed.\u00a0 Besides the churches in Colombo, the Dutch Reformed Churches in Galle and Matara were fertile sources of births and marriages records for the compilers of Dutch family genealogies.\u00a0 Also, some Dutch families maintained a record of family events in \u2018Stamboeks\u2019 (clan or family books) which proved to be another valuable resource.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In addition to all of the above, the Dutch Burghers had formed their own representative association; the Dutch Burgher Union, (DBU) as early as 1908.\u00a0 A very important part of the work of the DBU was the compilation of Dutch Family genealogies. In its publication,\u00a0\u2018The Journal of<\/em>\u00a0the Dutch Burgher Union,\u2019<\/em>\u00a0the DBU had traced the family history of many families in great detail.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In comparison to persons of British and Dutch origin, those of Portuguese origin had difficulty in tracing unbroken European ancestry.\u00a0 The Portuguese presence in Ceylon went back many centuries and as one would expect, during that time there had been formal and informal relationships between the Portuguese and the local communities, which obscured the tracing of\u00a0 family history.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Compilation of a family genealogy statement was at most times tedious work.\u00a0 Australian High Commission officials tasked with the examination and evaluation of these family genealogy statements, often found them confusing and misleading.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Submitting an acceptable family genealogy statement was only step one in the process of making an application for admission to Australia as a migrant.\u00a0 Many other hurdles had to be cleared. Following on the submission of requisite papers and documents, the next stage in the application process was the all-important interview at which several criteria had to be met.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The foremost requirement at the interview, was to be in the eyes of the interviewer, a person of\u00a0\u2018Predominantly European Appearance\u2019<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0This of course was beyond the control of the applicant.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Figure 4 is the final page of an interview assessment confirming that in this particular case the requirement is satisfied.\u00a0 \u2018Appearance Predominantly European\u2019<\/em><\/strong>, notes the interviewing officer and he\/she signs off just below the observation.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Figure 4<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    If this requirement could not be met an applicant could be denied entry to Australia as a migrant.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2018European Appearance\u2019, obviously had a lot to do with the colour of the applicant\u2019s skin.\u00a0 Figure 5 is a memorandum from Colombo to Canberra, in which the application for migration to Australia is rejected on the grounds that,\u00a0\u2018his colour was darker than we would feel it would need to be to secure his admission to Australia\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Note also that this refusal was issued although the applicant, \u2018was able satisfactorily to establish his genealogy\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    The unreliable and misleading nature of some genealogy statements which came across the desk of Australian officials at the Colombo High Commission, is also noted in some detail in figure 5.\u00a0 In the memorandum dated 28th<\/sup>\u00a0January 1950, the writer.\u00a0 (Official Secretary) comments that;\u00a0\u2018Burgher genealogies present some difficulty since although they are traced for several generations and more than a century through records kept since the Dutch administration of Ceylon, cases are believed to have occurred in which Singhalese persons assume Dutch or Portuguese names upon Baptism in their respective Churches\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Figure 5<\/span><\/p>\n

    The next broad requirement was for the applicant and his\/her family and dependants to demonstrate that they were\u00a0able to integrate into Australian Society and way of life.\u00a0<\/strong>As figure 6 shows, this requirement covered several personal and subjective matters pertaining to the applicant and his family, as well as social and economic criteria.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The interview report (figure 6) covers not only the appearance of the principal applicant but his work experience and several other observations about the applicant and family, his parents and siblings.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Firstly, in the report there is an unfavourable observation that,\u00a0\u2018In appearance Mr \u2026. is not approvable\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>However, his work experience is cited in his favour.\u00a0 The interviewing officer notes,\u00a0\u2018He is Assistant Station Master at Maradana Station.\u00a0 He has had eighteen years<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    experience on the Railway.\u00a0 From 1941 -1946 he was a private in the Middle- East forces\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>In addition, the applicant was observed at the interview to be, \u2018well-dressed and quietly spoken \u2018.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Scrutiny at the interview then went well beyond the applicant.\u00a0 It extended to his wife, teenage daughter and son.\u00a0 In this case the applicant\u2019s wife\u2019s parents had joined in the application as dependants of the principal applicant.\u00a0 Their position in relation to application requirements is also examined in detail.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Fortunately for the applicant his wife is seen as, \u2018quite approvable.\u00a0 She is practically 100<\/em><\/strong>%\u00a0European<\/em><\/strong>\u2019, notes the interviewer.\u00a0 Also favourably viewed is the applicant\u2019s teenage daughter.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cShe is light in complexion and quite approvable\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Even the two-year-old son is assessed.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0He is said to be\u00a0\u2018fractionally darker\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>than his sister,\u00a0\u2018but well above borderline\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The comprehensive nature of the interview is demonstrated in that it extends beyond the immediate family of the applicant.\u00a0 The applicant is questioned on the whereabouts of his parents and siblings.\u00a0 The interview notes state: \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2018Parents\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dead.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Brother \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mr. \u2026\u2026.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ceylon.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has not applied.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Sisters\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs.\u00a0 \u2026\u2026..Ceylon.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has not applied.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs.\u00a0 \u2026\u2026\u00a0 Ceylon.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has not applied\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    The dependant couple on the application, (wife\u2019s parents) are not spared of detailed assessment.\u00a0 The applicant\u2019s father-in-law is favourably considered.\u00a0\u2018Mr. \u2026. is a retired Major in the \u2026\u2026\u2026 Army.\u00a0\u00a0 His features and complexion are sufficiently European for him to be approved and his background is, of course, entirely satisfactory\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0In addition, it appears that having family already settled in Australia is an asset.\u00a0 Further plus points for the father-in-law are noted as,<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2018He has two sisters in Australia; \u2026\u2026\u2026.and a sister-in-law who is also in Australia\u2019. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The fact that the Major\u2019s wife\u00a0\u2018is pure Sinhalese<\/em><\/strong>. and that she wore a\u00a0\u2018sari\u2019<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0to the interview does not prejudice the final successful outcome of the application.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Although there were some shortcomings as to the appearance of the principal applicant, his work skills, being well-dressed and softly spoken, coupled with the\u00a0\u2018approvable\u2019<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0appearance of his wife, teenage daughter, toddler son and father-in-law, led the interviewer to conclude that: \u2013\u00a0\u2018He would not be greatly out of place in Australia\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    It is interesting to note the reason adduced by the applicant for his desire to leave Ceylon and move permanently to Australia.\u00a0 The applicant, a worker who had eighteen years\u2019 service on the railway and who had reached the position of Assistant Station Master at a very prominent<\/span><\/p>\n

    Colombo railway station, was making the application to emigrate to Australia because: \u2013\u00a0\u2018He had been given the option to retire under the language policy proviso and must make a decision\u2026.\u2019<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The language policy of the government was the single most important reason for Burgher migration to Australia and other welcoming countries.\u00a0 Burghers wanting to migrate to Australia, seeking sympathetic consideration of an application often held themselves out to be,\u00a0\u2018soft<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0refugees \u2018<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 In an official Despatch to Canberra on 4th<\/sup>\u00a0August 1947, the Office of the Commissioner for Australia in Colombo observed: \u2013\u00a0\u2018Nearly all those Burghers who have interviewed the Commissioner state that they are anxious to leave Ceylon because there is a growing prejudice against them here\u2019<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Australian Commissioner\u2019s office, at this time located at The Galle Face Hotel, with not many staff on its roster, felt overburdened.\u00a0 In the same Despatch, (4th August 1947) it is noted:\u00a0\u2013 \u2018This office is being approached continuously by Ceylonese anxious to emigrate to Australia.\u00a0 As many as 16 seek (and obtain) interviews in the one day\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Besides the individual and family applications, there were proposals for mass migration put forward at this time.\u00a0 The most significant of such proposals was the one promoted by the Burgher Settlement League, whose secretary was Mr. J. G. van der Hoeven.\u00a0 Mr. van der Hoeven\u2019s proposal was to set up a fund to assist Burghers to migrate to Australia. Migrants from the United Kingdom could under certain circumstances be eligible for a fully assisted (paid) passage to Australia.\u00a0 In Ceylon it was suggested that part or fully assisted passages could be extended to the mass migration scheme proposed by the Burgher Settlement League.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mr. van der Hoeven held out that the Burgher Settlement League could muster between 10,000 to 13,000 migrants. The plan involved charter of ships which could carry many migrants across to Australia; (thousands per trip was the claim made by the Burgher Settlement League).<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Australian Commissioner in Colombo was highly critical of the Burgher Settlement League and its grandiose plans.\u00a0 Meanwhile Canberra showed no interest in a scheme of part or full assisted passages from Colombo to Freemantle. The final nail in the coffin of mass migration was inserted when, in a Despatch dated 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0February 1948, the Australian Commissioner very ironically noted:\u00a0-\u2018As far as we can ascertain, only about nine members of his League have emigrated under his regis.\u2019<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 There was mass migration to Australia from Europe in the years following the end of the Second World War, but these plans were not to apply to Asia even if was to be limited to the Predominantly European minority section of a population.<\/span><\/p>\n

    With all the issues involved in migrating to Australia, the number that actually went across from Ceylon was comparatively small in the first 12 years (from 1948 to 1960).\u00a0 The\u00a0Colombo Times<\/em>\u00a0newspaper (7\/10\/60) in an article on the subject of Burgher migration stated: \u2013\u00a0\u2018About 2,500 have found a new home in Australia since 1948 and some 200 men, women and children now leave Ceylon every year.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>These numbers are in line with Australian Department of Immigration figures, which in 1961 put the number of Ceylon born persons in Australia at 3400.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    If one had successfully cleared all the hurdles, jumped through the hoops, and been approved\u00a0 to migrate to Australia, the journey (unlike today) was most likely to be by sea. Passenger liners sailed regularly from Southampton to Australia and New Zealand.\u00a0 Navigating through the Red Sea, the liners would pick up more passengers at Colombo or Bombay.\u00a0 Sailing Southeast in the Indian Ocean and crossing the Equator, the next stop after Colombo or Bombay would be Freemantle in Western Australia.\u00a0 One of the more popular shipping lines (the Orient Line) had its vessels all named with the first letter being \u2018O\u2019,(Orcades, Orantes and\u00a0 Oransay).\u00a0 Later in the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0century the Orient Line merged with a rival enterprise to form the biggest passenger liner company in the world at this time, titled P & O, (Peninsular and Oriental).\u00a0 In the years<\/span><\/p>\n

    immediately following the end of the Second World War, migrants were transported in converted war ships.\u00a0 In these vessels the slow journey was a most unpleasant experience.\u00a0 But as demand for travel by ship increased Orient and other companies built vessels specifically designed for passenger transport which offered a much more comfortable journey; especially if one could afford first class. Stopover in Colombo was popular.\u00a0 Figure 7 is the cover of a brochure and a poster advertising the attractions at this stop in the journey.\u00a0 Some passengers apparently did not appreciate all of the Colombo experience.\u00a0 In 1955 a migrant from Malta noted: \u2013\u00a0We were overwhelmed at the Colombo wharf by a pervading enveloping aroma, which we discovered once on shore to be the smell of curries from the motley array of food stalls beyond the terminal\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Figure 7<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    In the last couple of years of the nineteen fifties, and progressively in the nineteen sixties and seventies, Australia\u2019s immigration policy underwent a transformation to be more open, liberal and inclusive, and a policy from which reference to race was finally excised. There were many reasons for this transformation which will not be considered here, other than one development which saw Ceylon as the centre of attention. This event was the establishment of the Colombo Plan in 1951. Out of an initial grant of 31 million Pounds Sterling to the Colombo Plan, Ceylon received nearly 20 million Pounds.\u00a0 The Colombo Plan which sought to develop major infrastructure in member countries, also at the micro level provided funds for promotion of education and professional development.\u00a0 These initiatives brought decision makers in Australia in contact with educated professionals in Ceylon and Colombo Plan member countries.\u00a0 The close personal contacts led to the realisation in Australia that there was a pool of educated talent in Colombo Plan Asian member countries which Australia could utilise for its own development.\u00a0 To harness this resource Australia\u2019s immigration policy underwent a quantum change. From immigration policy based on selective European only migrants, through to immigration to \u2018populate the country\u2019, there was movement in the mid nineteen sixties for a change in immigration policy geared to develop and progress the nation.\u00a0 Figure 8 (Department of Immigration communication dated 19th<\/sup>\u00a0September 1967 [Restricted]) states: -\u2018Following the Government\u2019s review of policy in March 1966, provision exists also for the entry of other persons wishing to settle here on the basis of their general suitability, their ability to integrate readily and their having qualifications which are positively useful to Australia\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Figure\u00a0 8<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    The doors to settlement in Australia were thrown open to qualified professional and skilled workers. Among the numbers who migrated from Ceylon were some who had previously been trained under the auspices of the Colombo Plan and who desired to return to greener pastures \u2018Downunder\u2019.\u00a0 Figure 9 shows an immigrant from Ceylon at work in Queensland.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Figure 9<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n

    All documents (other than figures 3 and 7) courtesy National Archives of Australia. [These documents have not been released prior to this]. Figure 3 from private family records.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly to your inbox!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Facing Fortress Australia: Ceylonese Migrants in the 1950s & 1960s-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Earlson Forbes,\u00a0whose title in THE CEYLANKAN, vol 27\/2, May 2024 is\u00a0\u201cFortress White Australia: What early Ceylonese migrants [1949 t0 1969] were up against\u201d \u2026\u00a0[without most of\u00a0the author\u2019s pictorial illustrations because of The Editor\u2019s technical inexpertise] The Six Australian Colonies came together on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":136685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,42710],"tags":[1881,54637,60273,65576,43282],"class_list":{"0":"post-136684","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-michael-roberts","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-australian-parliament","11":"tag-earlson-forbes","12":"tag-pacific-islander-labourers-act","13":"tag-world-war","14":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"\nFacing Fortress Australia: Ceylonese Migrants in the 1950s & 1960s-by Michael Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Earlson Forbes,\u00a0whose title in THE CEYLANKAN, vol 27\/2, May 2024 is\u00a0\u201cFortress White Australia: What early Ceylonese migrants\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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