Melbourne is where my family emigrated to after surviving the war in Liverpool. Two of my grandmother's sisters, Eva and Gladys had enough of living on rations, in a heavily bombed Liverpool and decided Australia would give a better life to their families. My grandmother was one of 10 children, and it was particularly hard on her. This week I visited some of that family. First to Croydon by direct train from Melbourne, on the Lilydale line. Gilbert was Eva's son and just 4 when he came over. He and his wife Susan made me very welcome in the home they built 30 years ago, and daughter Jo with new baby Ava, and daughter Megan with her husband Mark and 2 daughters Zara and Chloe all came for a meal to meet me. Jo I had met in Meols when she visited us.

Then on a bus and a train for nearly 2 hours to Pakenham. Here Gilbert's older sister Thelma lives with her son Greg and grandson Chris. Thelma has had major surgery recently, but at the age of 85 is remarkably fit and still driving! I stopped for a cup of tea with her. The photos my nana took in 1964 and mum and dad took in 2000 as they visited Australia and New Zealand along with some old ones of mum's were with me and we reminisced and they helped me see who they all were. The photos included Gladys's daughter Eva who lived in New Zealand. I remember her writing chatty letters to mum and dad after their visit, but sadly she has since died. It was great to see how they had taken this amazing risk to better their families chances, all those years ago.

The oldest photo I have taken about 110 years ago was an amazing record of the family, Daisy and her husband George Carter a carter in Liverpool who could get you anything during rationing! George and his wife Hetty who I remember staying next to Burbo. Ethel, Eva and Gladys and young Herbert one of the boys, along with great grandparents Herbert and Sarah. Herbert was also pictured in the 1940s on another photo outside Thelma and Gilbert's home in Liverpool before they came. Amazing history to talk about with them all, and lovely to see the latest additions too! Gilbert gave me a copy of the emigration certificate of his parents, something else to keep, with all these old photos.