The Davis family on their arrival to Australia
Date1957
Object numberANMS1453[039]
NamePhotograph
Mediumphotographic print on paper
DimensionsOverall: 258 × 182 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionA black and white image of the Davis family posing on a set of stairs aboard a ship on their arrival to Australia. At the time the family, orginally from Leigh-on-sea, in Essex, was the largest family to have migrated to Australia.
HistoryA newspaper clipping attached to the back of the photograph reads ‘Migrant Family [?] settles down.
They live in a modest house in a modest suburb. They are losing their English accent and are rapidly coming to look on Australia as their home. Not that they are not proud they’re English. Give Mr Bernard Davis 58-year old head of the family of 19 half a chance and he’ll tell you: “Largest family ever to migrate to Australia – that’s us. When we got here in February last year there were 17 of us. Now we’ve added a dinkum Aussie, born here, and another one who came out to join us. We should be able to talk as typical migrants, shouldn’t we? Well we’ve got something to say about those people who go back spreading lies about Australia.”
Not Wanted:
“You’re better off without them. Australia doesn’t want people who won’t have a go.” Mr Davis can back up his “have a go” philosophy with the history of his family. They came from a fishing village of Leigh-on-sea, in Essex, about 26 miles from London.’
SignificanceThis image is one of a series of photographs taken by Fairfax photographers that provides a unique window into how immigrants were viewed and immigration policy articulated in the popular press in Australia. They represent something of the personal face to Australia's massive post-war immigration push and show immigrants from many European nations, USA and China.
