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Mayol family aboard the ACHILLE LAURO

Publisher Fairfax Publications, Sydney Morning Herald

Date1969

Object numberANMS1453[124]

NamePhotograph

Mediumphotographic print on paper

DimensionsOverall: 167 × 215 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionBlack and white image of Vittorio and Maria Mayol walking on the deck on the ACHILLE LAURO with their five children. HistoryA newspaper clipping attached to the back of the photograph reads ‘The Duplicate Family. The million-to-one chance Mayols arrived in Fremantle today. Their arrival in the ACHILLE LAURO was the final chapter in an 11-year story of fight-back from tragedy. Eleven years ago Vittorio and Maria Mayol were ready to come to Australia. Then one-night tragedy struck. Their Naples home caught fire and five children died. They decided to start another family. One by one the children arrived and remarkably the order of the sexes was the same as it was with their dead children – four girls then a boy. More remarkably, the age difference between each child was identical almost to the month. And to keep the coincidence going, the Mayols waited till their duplicate children were the same ages as the others were when the original migration plan was made. Then they came to Australia. On the wharf today are Clementina (9), Lucia (5), Vittorio, Carmela (10), Alberto (4) Maria and Anna (7). “We never gave up hope of reaching Australia. There will be plenty of work here, and I know the children will love it” said 42-year-old Vittorio. He works as a tanner and plans to settle in Melbourne.’ SignificanceThis image is one of a series produced by Fairfax newspapers that provides a unique window into how immigrants were viewed and immigration policy articulated in the popular press. The images in this selection are significant in representing the personal face to Australia's massive post-war immigration push that saw aggressive immigration programs orchestrated by the Australian Government that was promoting a 'populate or perish' philosophy.