Home-A College of many cultures
- Our team
- From an orchard and vineyard to a school
- Our school culture
- Our school song and haka
- Languages in our school
- Cultural fusion
- Taste sensations from Samoa and the Phillipines
- Arts and Culture Week
- National Independence of Samoa Day
- Discovering different types of cultural dances in Waitakere College
- Waitakere College Arts and Cultural Awards
- Our long-awaited school Marae
- 12,000 miles to New Zealand citizenship
- Europe to Australia to a life in the circus
- Massive state to tiny island to green New Zealand
- Afghanistan to New Zealand
- India to New Zealand
- Around the world
- Research process
- Learning outcomes
- References and acknowledgements
12,000 miles to New Zealand citizenship
My Great Grandma came from Coventry in the West Midlands of England. My Great Grandad from Staffordshire, a landlocked county in the West Midlands of England.
My Great Grandparents came on a ship called the S.S. Rotorua when my Great Grandma was pregnant with my Grandad. The journey from England took six weeks. My Grandad was born shortly after they arrived in New Zealand.
When they came to New Zealand, they settled in Ellerslie. Grandad went to Cornwall Park Primary School. Something he liked doing was watching the horses being unloaded at the Ellerslie Racecourse. He went to Hamilton Technical College in 1946.
When he left Secondary School, my Grandad worked in an apprenticeship with his father at his Auto Electrical Business in 1948. He then moved to new premises nearby in the 1970’s which he owned and worked at with three of his brothers. Both premises were in Frankton. He married my Grandma and they had my Mum and Uncle. Grandma died when Mum was in her 30’s.
My Grandad is now in his 80’s and he lives in Hamilton. His wife is buried at Hamilton Gardens Cemetery. Grandad is now a New Zealand Citizen. Mum and I are also New Zealand Citizens. It has been a long journey from England to New Zealand in both time and distance.
Link to image of the S.S. Rotorua
Devyn
