Australian or British of Both?! The “Ten Pound Poms” that May Surprise You!

What is the connection between famous personalities Hugh Jackman, The Bee Gees, Olivia Newton John, Kylie Minogue and Alan Bond?

They’re all Aussies right? Well, yes, but there’s more to the story….so read on.

After World War Two various population and employment crises were not just facing Europe but were a worldwide phenomenon. 

In Britain, many people had literally been bombed out of their homes. The UK was suffering from a chronic housing shortage combined with a high population and rampant pollution.

Many wanted a better life and in the period of 1945 to 1972, they found it down under in Australia.

These people had little need of a migration agency - all they needed was ten quid!

Around one million British people emigrated to Australia in the postwar period and have been immortalised by the expression Ten Pound Poms.

They were looking for more space and less pollution as well as a classless society and many found it in Australia after walking down the gangplank of famous ships of the P and O and Orient lines.

The normal cost at the time of passage to Australia was around 120 pounds but this was subsidised by the Australian government to the tune of 110 pounds so the migrants only had to stump up a tenner.

Australia needed an important commodity - people - to supply workers for its burgeoning economy and industry.

All you needed to be was under 45 and fit to work. 

For many, they found what they were looking for. Jobs were plentiful and far better paid than in the UK, especially for tradesmen. They could expect to earn 50% more than in the “old country” as it became known. 

However, 25% of the new hopefuls went back to the UK after not finding happiness - and had to repay the 110-pound subsidy to boot!

Thus spawned the term “whinging poms” - those complaining Brits who went back with their tails between their legs after finding the land of milk and honey was not to their taste and the nomadic life likewise.

So what of the celebrities mentioned earlier?

Well, they are all the children of Ten Pound Poms who either arrived with their British parents or were born in the Land of Oz.

Hugh Jackman’s parents arrived in 1967 while the Bee Gees (Barry then 11, Maurice and Robin 8) arrived in Brisbane in 1958 with their folks and other siblings.

Alan Bond - named Australian of the Year in 1978 - arrived with his parents in 1950 in the early days of one of the greatest mass migrations in the history of the world.

The late Olivia Newton John’s parents and those of iconic star Kylie Minogue were also Ten Pound Poms.

Today it's a lot more complicated to emigrate to Australia but the broader base of immigrants has added to the cultural diversity of the nation.