Happy Birthday to my much loved grandfather.. Theodore Haralambos Catsoulis, born 21st June 1878, in Potamos, Kythera.
and always will.. Papauli (grandfather) was the youngest of five children born to Maria Fardouly and Haralambos Catsoulis.. He was born on the 21st June 1878 in Potamos, Kythera, Greece.
His siblings were Eleni, Panagiotitsa (brother), Stavroula (sister) and George c 1873.. as written in one of his many notebooks that were given to my Dad.
You can read more about his courtship of the girl who had his heart in BEAUTIFUL EYES. He told his very inquisitive granddaughter the story, over and over, always saying that she had beautiful eyes. They married in Potamos .. two services were held.The engagement service for 25 year old Theodoros and Chrisanthi K. Koroneos was in the Holy Virgin Church of Potamos on Thursday, April (no date) 1904. Chrisanthi was never registered. The second service was on a Wednesday at 2.00pm, no actual date, just April 1904, in the same church, with two witnesses..*
Papauli left his young bride behind when he left Greece to come to Australia to make his way.
He embarked at Port Said with a number of other Greek immigrants, landing at Fremantle, Western Australia in 1904. This was researched for me and verified by James Butterfield, an archivist at the National Archives, Australia in Perth. sent to me in December 2006. I haven’t found a record of Chrisanthi’s voyage, but as was the way then, she would most likely have come as a companion to another family. Their first child wasn’t born till 1910, so I very much doubt that she arrived before October 1909/1910. It must have been very hard for them, particularly Nona, when they first came out as she didn’t speak English. They’d left their large families behind but did befriend other Greeks who formed part of a large wave of immigrants in the early 1900’s.
Other stories .. ONE SMALL SUITCASE.. BUSH SYMPHONY
* I have a copy of their marriage entry.
© Crissouli 21 Jun 2021
urungamaiden 
Great story. I never knew about Greek immigration to Australia!
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Glad you liked it, Amy. There have been many years of Greek migration to Australia..early 1900’s, then again around both World Wars and it has continued ever since. You wouldn’t find too many towns or cities that haven’t had or have Greek migrants, many of them in cafes, restaurants, fish and chip shops, farms and now in all manner of occupations and all walks of life. Some of my grandparents’ families migrated long before them.
I have cousins all over the world, both Greek and Irish, some English, some American, Canadian, New Zealanders.. to name just a few.
It sure makes interesting researching.
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I, too, never knew of immigration from Greece to Australia! It’s amazing what you can find out when you put your mind to it. I’ve missed your postings! Hope you’re thinking of coming back!
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Thank you. I haven’t been active here lately, but sure have on my other blogs..
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my fathers mother lived at urunga
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What was her name, Jan?
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Sorry Jan, just saw your comment.. what was her name?
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