by Rupert Hewison (guest author) on 30 May, 2011
Rupert Hewison a former Child Migrant from Britain shares the photographs he took as an eight-year-old at Fairbridge House, Tresca, Exeter, Tasmania.
Rupert explains:
I was in Tresca from October 1964 to October 1965.
As a farewell gift when leaving England in 1964 my second cousin Alan Hewison gave me a small camera. My mother paid for the film and developing and encouraged me to take photos. I was eight in November 1964 so these are an eight year old’s idea of what would make a good photo at the time. As a child I was known by my middle name, John. These days I use my first name, Rupert. My mother died peacefully in Canberra late last year aged 82. Thank you Jean for having the courage to leave behind all your family and friends to give us a better life in the Promised Land.
Hi Rupert,
You and I have never met, but we share the same memories of Tresca. I was also a child migrant living at Tresca from 1958. I new the Godden boys well (Guy,Paul,Ian and Mark) besides others of course and of course Mr & Mrs Richmond. I also attended Exeter area School. I would love to hear your story and see any other photos you may have also. Please reply.
Regards…Roger.
PS. are you on Facebook at all?
Hello Roger,
You are right, we have never met. So I’m not sure how we could ‘share the same memories of Tresca’. Even if we had met, every life is unique and valuable and recalls ‘common experiences’ from a different perspective with different values and emotions. Your experience at Tresca is best told by you, if you wish to, not through me telling mine.
Regarding ‘my story’, I have told as much of it as I feel comfortable to reveal on the Internet, through my photos and commentary already online. Please don’t feel offended or rejected. It’s just that my time at Tresca, while relatively short, was not a happy time in my life and is now nearly 50 years ago. Long past the time to let things go and move on.
Today Tresca is a local community centre and does fantastic work with a group of very warm and friendly volunteers. The beautiful house and surrounds now has a beautiful atmosphere of love and caring that I never experienced when I was there in 1964-65. Mr and Mrs Richmond are both dead and buried. I have not fared quite so well as the house with two failed marriages and bouts of serious clinical depression which continue to this day. Whichever paths we took to get to this moment, whether they crossed or not (well they have now) today and the future is what really matters. Only this morning I noticed that there are already some blossoms in the Winter garden and the promise of another sunny Spring not far away.
Take care
‘Not fare well, But fare forward’ (‘Four Quartets’ by T S Eliot)
Sincerely
Rupert Hewison
18 July 2011
Hello Rupert – is this the same Rupert that worked at Palm Lake Motel in Melb in the 70’s and was aiming to be an actor and bought Kieth Murray’s scooter???
Yes Inta it is! How lovely to make contact with you again after all these years – around 36!! Hello to Keith and ‘baby’ Erica! Please email Adele at the NMA and she will either send you my contact details and/or pass your contact details on to me. Chat soon. Rupert
Thanks Rupert,
Following your request, off line, I have forwarded your email address to Inta.
With best wishes,
Adele