BBC Ten Pound Poms: The sinister realities behind living the Australian dream
Hit BBC drama Ten Pound Poms is back, delving into the experiences of Brits who bravely set out to carve out new lives for themselves in Australia – all for under a tenner.
The term ‘Ten Pound Poms’ refers to Brits who migrated to Australia and New Zealand in the years after World War II, as part of a Populate or Perish initiative focused on industry growth. Back in 1945, the Australian Government introduced the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, with New Zealand following suit in 1947.
For a £10 fee, which equates to approximately £350 today, adventurous Brits were offered a six-week assisted journey on chartered ships and planes, with under 19s allowed to travel for free. This sum also covered migration processing fees.
Between the years 1945 and 1972, more than one million Brits packed up their lives for a new life in Oz, with 80,000 making the journey, tempted by slogans such as “your family will flourish in Australia”. In 1969 – the peak of the scheme – more than 80,000 people migrated.
For many of those in the skilled working class sector, it would have seemed like the adventure of a lifetime, with Brits living in the post-war era dreaming of sunnier climes and lucrative work opportunities.
However, as is explored in the series, the experience of being a migrant down under was far from an easy one, with many finding that the Australian Dream fell somewhat short of reality.
After making the long journey across the ocean, were housed in basic migration hostels and even wartime huts. Speaking with BBC News in 2023, Glynis Rosser, who was just eight years old when she and her family landed in Australia, remembered the grim accommodation they had to live in before moving into their furnished two-bed flat.
Glynis recalled: “My dad was so appalled by the conditions. He was very enterprising and went out the next day, got a newspaper and found a job as a photographer.”
The supposedly booming job prospects were a major draw for struggling Brits, but work wasn’t as readily available as the advertising slogans suggested. Those who relocated also faced hostility from Australians, some of whom didn’t take kindly to the ‘Whinging Poms’, annoyed by their complaints over the heat or cultural differences.
Remembering the difficulties of assimilating to her new country’s culture, Glynis shared: “I was teased at school because I was pale and I never got tanned – I only used to burn – and because of my English accent. This is a country full of migrants, so that whole thing passes after a while.”
Homesickness was a common occurrence and so many Brits eventually journeyed back to England. A number did return at a later date however, hence the term ‘Boomerang Poms’.
Ten Pound Poms airs tonight (March 9) at 8 pm on BBC One.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
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