Time for an update on various Tasmanian Somerton Man research leads, though I have to say that none of what I’ve found supports the Risdon hypothesis floated by both Byron Deveson and me (i.e. that the high level of lead in the Somerton Man’s hair probably arose from his inhaling fine lead powder as part of an industrial process, and that this could well have been at the Electrolytic Zinc Company’s Risdon plant).

Regardless, here’s what I uncovered: perhaps it will help make some other things clear.

(1) I asked the Tasmanian Information and Research Service (who I’m delighted to report were diligent, extremely helpful and informative) about various records in their holdings.

One key record was the EZ staff records in NS3753/1/93, the first item I would want to look at. However, TIRS replied that: “Unfortunately, despite a lengthy search by archive staff at our off-site repository, this file is missing“. So it seems we’re out of luck here. 🙁

(2) I also asked about AA59/1/256. TIRS noted that this file contains records dating from 1947 to 1950, and contains records relating to seven British migrants: John Bradley, Alan Clay, Frederick North, J L Targett, Henry Alfred Thompson, Kenneth Thompson, and William Handel Williams. However, there did not seem to be any records there relating to the group of Displaced Persons I was most interested in.

(3) In addition, I asked about NS569/1/602: but this seems to contain carbon copies of ship journeys carrying processed zinc to customers, i.e. sales-shipping documents. As such, it contained no mention of the Incharran (and I’d guess not the Era either) for the general period we’re interested in.

(4) I was also interested in NS569/1/796, because this was described as containing correspondence between EZ Co and the Royal Hobart Hospital. It turns out to contain carbon copies of letters from EZ Co’s General Superintendant to the Secretary at the RHH. The abundantly helpful TIRS people noted:

There are three carbons for the second half of 1948:

1. 3/8/48 – letter requesting a medical report for accident to Mr B E Davidson admitted to the hospital on 22/7/48 “suffering from burns to the face and eyes as a result of an accident whilst at work”.

2. 30/11/48 – donation of 5 pounds to the hospital

3. 6/11/48 – Insurance accident claim no. 4586 H L Paul – injury to neck on 23/7/48 returned to work 2/11/48 – Mr Paul raised the possibility of permanent injury – since he was treated by Dr Parker in hospital – request further examination by this doctor and a request for an appointment.

(5) Separately, I bought a copy of “From Amber Coast to Apple Isle: Fifty Years of Baltic Immigrants in Tasmania 1948-1998” by Ramunas Tarvydas. It’s a fascinating and evocative little read, telling the story of Baltic immigration in Tasmania, built from a combination of archival research and first-hand testimony.

From this, I now know that the set of “Displaced Persons” I was interested in all reached Australia on the SS Wooster Victory on 6/9/1948, and then arrived at Beauty Point in Tasmania on the SS Taroona on 15/10/1948 as per my last Risdon round-up post.

I liked Tarvydas’ book, not only for its useful appendices but also for its copious photographs. It paints a picture of how life was for these Balts: though initially there was clearly a lot of antagonism towards them, it seems that once they had had a fight and a beer with the blokes, they were largely accepted. Social integration, Aussie-style. 😉

Some selected quotes re Balts working at EZ Risdon:

The first job for the men from the Wooster Victory was to dig a trench for some underground cables. They used jackhammers for the first time in their lives, hard work indeed for those who had been students. For this the men were paid eleven pounds and one shilling per fortnight, of which seven pounds thirteen shillings was deducted for board. (p.39)

After their normal shift at the factory, [the Balts] would be sent down to the labouring gang on the wharf to shovel concentrates or to carry zinc ingots. They found this work very hard, and the following day they would ask for light jobs because their backs hurt or their hands blistered. The clerk would say, “Well, there’s only one bloody light job here, and I’ve got it. If you can’t work, go back to where you came from.” (p.40)

Most of the original 18 Lithuanians left the plant on the expiry of their [typically two-year] contracts: only one of these Juozas (Joe) Paskevicius, stayed till retirement, 37 years later. (p.42)

There were 18 Lithuanians and 3 Ukrainians. Tarvydas is only concerned with the 18 Lithuanians (of course) and was aware that he was working from an incomplete set of information: so here are the sixteen Balts he lists, along with their age (and page reference):-

Benys (Ben) Berzanskas – 27 – p.160
Jonas (John) Deckys – 39 – p.162
Kazimieras Degutis – 28 – p.162
Valteris Fromas – 38 – p.163
Pilypis Kairys – 38 – p.167
Vincas Milinkevicius – 28 – p.173
Juozas (Joe) Paskevicius – 25 – p.175
Juozas Petraitis – 36 – p.176
Jonas Pincius – 35 – p.176
Pranas Rupslaukis – 18 – p.179
Petras Slegaris – 43 – p.181
Jonas Slyteris – 45 – p.182
Alfonsas Stankius – 22 – p.182
Juozas Stasevicius – 31 – p.182
Stasys Valaitas – 19 – p.184
Jurgis Vasiliauskas – 37 – p.185

(There’s a photograph of fifteen of them on page 96, but as it’s a bit small I’ll ask the author if I can get a better quality scan before posting it).

Note that the two over-40s in the list – Slegaris and Slyteris – were both alive after 1948, so can be immediately ruled out as Somerton Man candidates. This leaves the two as-yet-unlisted Lithuanians and the three unknown Ukrainians: pretty slight odds, sure, but you never know. 🙂

(6) Tarvydas also mentioned a book by someone I didn’t previously know about: Australian author and historian Alison Alexander.

Hence before I delve any further into the history of EZ Co at Risdon, I really ought to get hold of her two books on the subject: “A Heritage of Welfare and Caring: The EZ Community Council, 1918–1991”, Risdon: Pasminco – Metals EZ, 1991; and “The Zinc Works: Producing Zinc at Risdon, 1916–1991”, Risdon: Pasminco – Metals EZ, 1992.

8 thoughts on “EZ Risdon research update…

  1. A little off topic from Risdon…Forgive me Nick!

    I’ve been reading on Pete’s site and noticed a mention of a “Sister J E Thomson” attached to “Jestyn” and Prosper’s phone number in Glenelg. As such, I started searching for J E Thomson (or potentially a Miss J E Thomson) and happened upon an article:

    “WOMEN WHO MAKE NEWS AT UN” in The Argus, 29 October, 1949.

    This article refers to a UN General Assembly which has taken place at Lake Success in the US in 1949. It goes on to say “Miss J E Thomson of Adelaide, SA, is a recent graduated cadet from the Department of External Affairs, attached to the High Commissioner’s office in Ottawa. She has been assigned to Third Committee.”

    Well, this is interesting. So I looked a little further and I have found a picture of Miss J Thomson. She looks a little like the (very few) pictures that I’ve seen of Jessie. You can see the picture at:

    http://www.unmultimedia.org/photo/detail.jsp?id=884/88446&key=49&query=%22search:%20%22Women%20Worldwide%22%22&so=0&sf=date

    Opinions? Thoughts? Could this be Jessica Ellen?

  2. B Deveson on January 24, 2015 at 4:17 am said:

    Misca,
    it looks like a very good fit. A great find! There are various photos of Aase Lionaes, the woman on the left, and she appears to have been about 5 feet four inches in height, judging from the known height of other people in photos with Aase. Aase in the photo is clearly quite a bit taller than Miss J.E. Thomson. It has been previously stated (information from Derek?) that Jessie was 4 feet eleven inches in height, and Jessie has been otherwise described as being petite.
    The features of Miss J.E. Thomson accord well with those in the two photos of Jessie that I have seen and I can not see anything that would suggest that Miss J.E. Thomson, “of Adelaide” could not be Jessie.
    If this identification is correct it will suggest explanations for many of the curious anomalies in the SM case.

  3. Misca / B Deveson: the NAA seems to have plenty of archival records relating to the Australian High Commission in Ottawa from this period. I’d suggest…

    * A1838, 1342/2 PART 1 – 1869825 – “Ottowa – Staffing”

    …as a starting point. Note that Canberra also has (from 1948)…

    * A1838, 480/9/10 – 1062563 – “Visit of Misses Keller and Thomson to Japan”

    …which, coming from the same Department of External Affairs series, may well refer to the same Miss Thomson. Though if this is the J E Thomson we’re actually interested in (who would surely be a “Mrs J E Thomson” if she was a Thomson at all) I strongly doubt. But I thought I’d mention it anyway. 🙂

  4. Nick – It is my understanding that she changed her name to Thomson prior to marrying Prosper. She supposedly married him in 1950 after his divorce was finalized. On Pete’s site there was discussion that she listed her telephone number under “Sister J E Thomson”.

    I’m not at all sure it’s her, nor am I vested in the possibility that it is, but I felt the need to follow the lead. This is why I searched for a photograph.

    Surely someone who met her or knew her will be able to tell if it’s her?

  5. Debbie on January 24, 2015 at 8:40 pm said:

    That’s not the correct Jessie Thomson you are after.

  6. I think that this lady may be Miss Jan Thomson. I have found an article on trove:

    “Homeward Journey” , The Advertiser, Wednesday 1 November 1950:

    “Mrs. Thomson reached home at
    the end of last week.
    She went to Ottawa to see her
    daughter. Miss Jan Thomson,
    who is assistant secretary in the
    office of the Australian High
    Commissioner, there. Then she
    visited’ her son. who is working
    on a scholarship in Boston.”

  7. Misca: that sounds about right. 🙂

  8. Nick – Regarding “* A1838, 480/9/10 – 1062563 – “Visit of Misses Keller and Thomson to Japan”

    The Daily News, Monday 21 June 1948:

    Helen Keller
    Says Goodbye
    ‘Carry on with the workfor the blind and deaf’ isHelen Keller’s farewell message to the people of Western Australia. She and her aide Miss Polly Thomson are leaving by ANA tonight for Adelaide. From there they willgo to Queensland, New Zealand, Japan, China, India.

    Another dead end.

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