Trying to trace Lawrence Psaila, formerly of Alexandria, Egypt (till 1956)

I am writing to see if Lawrence Psaila, who emigrated with his parents and siblings to Australia - likely to Melbourne - in 1956 is known to anyone on this board. He would now be around 70 years old.
His father was the superintendant at the British Boys' School in Alexandria when the Suez Crisis erupted in 1956 and British-connected foreigners were forced to leave Egypt.
My father was the headmaster of that school, and Lawrence and I used to play together.

I found this photo on a BBS website: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cam37/3689774343/in/album-72157622061...

I searched the Ancestry.com.au records for "All Census & Voter Lists results for Psaila"
I note Anthony Lawrence Psaila first appears in the Australian census of

1958 - city, Lalor, Victoria, Australia, then:
1967 - city, Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia
Then in 1977, about the time he might be living in a separate residence, we have Lawrence Psaila

1977 - city, Melbourne North, Victoria, Australia.
1980 - city, Wills, Victoria, Australia - but I see no record of a town or suburb in Victoria named "Wills'!
...and then the records seem to stop.

I then received this from Mark Caruana at Malta Migration, a record of a "Master L Psaila" landing at Freemantle in 17 Dec 1957, record no.30132262; with a forwarding address as 2 Stewart Place, Pascoe Vale, Victoria;

I have always wondered how the Psaila family fared following this great upheaval in their lives.
Any information would be appreciated.
best regards,
Nigel Bruce

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Replies to this discussion

Permalink Reply by Sylvia on February 17, 2018 at 20:10

Could this be his family?

This is could be the death of his mother in 2001 : http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/archivenotice/2585324/view?random=...

It would fit with the initials in this passenger list: http://soda.naa.gov.au/record/30132262/10

The burial of the father and mother:

BurialNumber: 724732

Surname: PSAILA

GivenName: JOSEPH

DOB: 31/03/1923

DOD: 10/10/1994

Age: 71 Y

ServiceDate: 17/10/1994

Service Type: Interment

Cemetery: Keilor Cemetery

Area: Area J

GISLocation: KE-J****578

BurialNumber: 724733

Surname: PSAILA

GivenName: XANTHIE

DOB: 17/04/1924

DOD: 14/01/2001

Age: 76 Y

ServiceDate: 18/01/2001

Service Type: Interment

Cemetery: Keilor Cemetery

Area: Area J

GISLocation: KE-J****578

Sylvia

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia on February 17, 2018 at 20:21

PS re the electoral rolls listings for e.g.:

1977 - city, Melbourne North, Victoria, Australia.
1980 - city, Wills, Victoria, Australia

In these electoral rolls "city" is the actual suburb or place name (will be exposed when logging in to Ancestry), while "Melbourne North" and "Wills" were/are electoral districts/divisions.

eg http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/vic/wills.htm

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Permalink Reply by Nigel Bruce on February 17, 2018 at 20:40

Many thanks - yes, it all makes sense. However, 17 years have passed, so I hope Lawrence and his family are OK and I can trace them.

Best regards,

Nigel Bruce

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia on February 17, 2018 at 20:46

I've just had a look at the 1957 outward UK passenger list for the above family. They were orginally from Egypt and dad was listed as a motor mechanic .. (and mum's first initial was an "X"). "L" and "A" were born in the mid forties.

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Permalink Reply by Nigel Bruce on February 17, 2018 at 20:57

Hi Sylvia,

I was born in May 1949, and Lawrence was a bit older.

Just hope others can come in with more information. There must surely be a Psaila 'clan' of sorts in Melbourne.

Best regards,

Nigel

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia on February 17, 2018 at 21:00

If the Lawrence in the 1980 electoral roll is the right one, then it seems he is still at the same address ... (of course I can't just mention that address here in public)

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Permalink Reply by Nigel Bruce on February 20, 2018 at 13:06

Hi Sylvia,

njbruce@hku.hk - please follow up....

Nigel

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Permalink Reply by Nigel Bruce on June 7, 2018 at 19:09

Hi Sylvia,

I have a very good friend who has returned to Melbourne - Chris Robinson - at christopher.n.robinson@gmail.com.

Do get in touch with him and perhaps let him know where to look for Lawrence Psaila. He's found L Psailas in the white pages in Coburg North and Altona Meadows - might he be in that area?