Welcome to Australia

It was a six-week trip to Australia, with the first stop in Fremantle. By the end of October 1953 Ted was in Hobart with his new wife, Tessie.

Within a week of his arrival Ted was working at Electrolytic Zinc (EZ), where he’d had a job organised prior to leaving the U.K.

Ted’s son, Teddy, recalled his father working hard during his early years.

“During my childhood I can recall Dad working many jobs to support his family,” he said.

“He worked at the Zinc Works full-time, then worked at Willings Butchers at night, and also worked weekends painting with his best mate Bill Trappes.”

Ted worked at EZ until April 4 1986 when the company automated a lot of its functions and downsized its workforce — going from 2,300 employees down to 500.

Ted accepted a redundancy but wasn’t quite at retirement age.

“You couldn’t get a pension until you were 65 so I had to keep myself for nine years, which I managed to do,” he said.