There is currently a revived interest in British emigration to Australia; This book fills a gaping hole in the literature; Explores the experiences of migrants who returned to Britain as well as the lives of those who stayed in Australia; Draws directly and substantially upon the rich personal testimony of about 500 British emigrants - including oral history interviews, diaries, letters, memoirs and photographs collected by the authors; The authors are leading practitioners in the field and the book is alert to the subtle levels of meaning available through such sources and explores 'cutting edge' approaches and issues in life history research

Table of Contents

List of figures List of Tables Acknowledgements List of abbreviations A note on punctuation of interviews Introduction PART I EMIGRATION 1. Imagining Australia 22 Leaving Britain 3. Between two worlds PART II BRITONS IN POSTWAR AUSTRALIA 4. Strangers on the shore 5. 'Butlins without the laughs': life on the hostel 6. An Australian working life 7. Suburban dreams and family realities: making a home in Australia 8. Ten pound pioneers of the back-packing generation 9. 'My wayward heart': the British exodus from Australia PART III MIGRATION, MEMORY AND IDENTITY 10. Coming 'home' 11. British Australians: migration, nationality and identity Appendix: statistical summary of project interviews Bibliography Index

About the Author

A. James Hammerton is Honorary Research Associate at La Trobe University, Melbourne. Alistair Thomson is Director of the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sussex and Reader in Continuing Education and History

Reviews

"This book presents a brilliantly vivid, informative, sensitive and thoughtful account of the major post-war migration stream to Australia. Because the authors write in an intelligent, lucid and jargon-free manner, this is a book accessible to many."--Steven Constantine, University of Lancaster.