Teddy Bear

Fast Facts

Type of thing	Personal
Date made or found	"{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. 1950
Place used	Mallala, South Australia

Mrs. Christiane Boril, her husband and their two small sons left Germany in 1949 to settle in Australia arriving at Port Melbourne . The family was sent to the Bonegilla Migrant Hostel in Victoria and later transferred to Mildura. While in Mildura Mrs. Boril purchased a teddy bear, a pair of boots and a birthday cake for her son Alex's first birthday. His birthday was celebrated on April 28th 1950 in Mildura. She had purchased these gifts with her Child Endowment Allowance of three pounds. In September 1950 the family moved to the Mallala Migrant Hostel situated at the Mallala Air Force Base.

When accommodation and employment became available in the town of Mallala the Boril family moved out of the Hostel to take up residence and begin a new life in Australia. The articulated bear measures 450mm in length. It is a golden plush fabric bear with bound stitched nose glass brown eyes and padded paws.

Sources

• Mallala Museum Notes - Mallala Migrant Camp