Source: Changing rights and freedoms of migrants
Paul Khoury Abi Esber was born in 1914 in Kfarhata, Lebanon. He was the youngest of seven children and the son of the priest in the local Orthodox church. When Paul was ten years of age his sister, Elmose, migrated to Australia with her husband. They settled in the New South Wales town of Narromine. With the death of Elmose’s husband, and her three young children to raise, Paul left Lebanon to be of help to his sister. With a loan of £25 in his pocket he arrived in Australia in 1937.
Paul Khoury spent some time with Elmose and the children, and then moved to the historic goldmining town of Gulgong where he opened the PK, Paul Khoury, store. The PK store was a clothing and fabric shop, following the traditional Lebanese community practice of establishing small businesses selling cloth, sheets and towels.
At the beginning of the twentieth century Lebanese communities grew in the innercity suburbs of Redfern, Waterloo and Surry Hills. Members of the community opened warehouses and factories providing employment for the newly arrived. They also provided business opportunities, through the supply of small goods such as ribbons and fabric off-cuts on credit, to those prepared to try their luck selling these goods in country towns. The Lebanese community established a network of rural businesses and so encouraged the economic development of rural New South Wales. Churches and Lebanese community organisations also helped to preserve the contact between these geographically scattered people.
When war broke out in 1939, Paul volunteered for enlistment. Lebanon was under the control of the Vichy French and so the Lebanese in Australia were officially regarded as ‘enemy aliens’. This was despite the Lebanese contribution to Australia’s development during the previous decades. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Japan’s entry into the war, every volunteer was needed. Paul enlisted in March 1940 into the 2/3 Battalions where he served in New Guinea for two years, with nine months on the Kokoda track.
Paul Khoury on his last day of army life, 21 March 1946
Paul was discharged from the Australian army in March 1946 and returned to his shop in Gulgong.
Many non-British migrants who have arrived since 1945 were the friends and relatives of those who had landed before 1939. This process of ‘chain migration’ began with the early European arrivals — the pioneer settlers who wrote home to their relatives telling of the opportunities open to them in the new land. Letters and personal stories brought further migrants. This tie of family, rather than just individual gain, was the force behind so much of the migration to Australia during the post-war period.
In January 1951, Paul’s 21-year-old niece, Angel, arrived in Sydney aboard the Florentia. She left Lebanon for a new life in Australia with her husband John and their infant daughter, Laudy. They settled with Paul in Gulgong and joined the family business. Another generation of the Khoury family was established in Australia.
When Paul Khoury died in June 2008, the local newspaper paid tribute to the hard work and contribution made by this treasured member of the Gulgong community. His service to the people of Gulgong was long, including 19 years of volunteer work for the hospital and nine years as president of the Shire Council. Before coming to Australia, Paul Khoury had been a teacher who spoke Arabic, French and English. In bringing pieces of his old world to his new land he enriched Australia. Paul Khoury’s place in the civic and social life of his town was expressed in the Gulgong Weekly eulogy; to this community he was "the impeccably dressed little man with the big smile and big heart, with his hand out to greet you and help you, he was always the gentleman. A fine citizen and a great Australian."
Source: Changing rights and freedoms of migrants
The following entry in Dun's Gazette notes the establishment of Paul Khoury's business in Gulgong:
P K STORE, THE, Herbert-st., Gulgong, drapery and mercery. Com. 14/5/39. Propr: Paul Khoury. Reg. 14/6/40.
Source: Google Street View
'Erection of signs. — Applications have been received from Messrs. Scanlons New Neon Ltd. on behalf of Messrs. Cox Bros, and Mr. P. Khoury, for permission to erect illuminated signs in Herbert Street, Gulgong. Each sign will be suspended under the verandah awning 8ft. 6in. above the footway, and will measures six feet long and 12 inches high. Messrs. Cox Bros.' sign will be worded 'Cox Bros.' and will have the outline of a bullock's head; Mr. P. Khoury's sign will be worded 'P. Khoury Mercer Draper.'
Mr. P., Khoury,' draper and mercer, of Gulgong,. was admitted to the Gulgong District - Hospital on
Sunday evening last.
Preparations are going ahead for the production in Gulgong on August 21 of a locally written play, 'Touch and Go.' The proceeds will represent the Boy Scouts' war effort. Here are some details about the play: — Written and produced by Mr. A. R. Newton (Gulgong); ballet mistress, Miss M. Plum; wardrobe mistress, Miss Edna Fyfe; scenery, Messrs. E. Longman and K. Hooper; properties, Mr. R. Allan; electrician, Mr. J. Gardiner.
- Roderick Julius (Frenchman), Paul Khoury;
- Sergeant Major Wilds, Frank Gilmore;
- Jean Allen, Marian McCracken;
- Colonel White (English Secret Service), Dr. L. W. Tunley;
- Clarry Oakley (young man about town), Ian Gilbert;
- Margaret Watkins (housekeeper), Mary Stonos;
- Harold Langden (private secretary General Allen), Ross Clark;
- Fanny Jones, Betty Caldwell;
- General Allen, J. W. T. Easdown.
1940 - 'TOUCH AND GO' - Gulgong Stage Production
At the conclusion of last week's performance of 'Touch and Go' at the Roxy Theatre, Gulgong, Dr. R. M. Allport, mayor of Gulgong, in a brief address from the stage, referred to the unique nature of the
production. He said that it was acted by local residents, produced by a local man, and even written by a local man; so that it was certainly a unique event for Gulgong and, probably, taking into account its ambitious nature, unique in the western towns.
The production was a musical comedy-drama, written and produced by Mr. Ray Newton, of Gulgong. It included splendid solo items and choruses, a number of excellent ballet numbers and toe dances, a male ballet (of exceptional weight), fine orchestral music, and running through it a gripping story of secret service and fifth column* activities in wartime England...
The chief parts were taken by Paul Khoury, Frank Gilmore, Marian McCracken, Dr. L.W. Tunley, Ian Gilbert, Mary Stones, Ross Clark, Betty Caldwell and Jack Easdown, with excellent work by a number, of Boy Scouts of the 1st Gulgong Troop. ...
There can be no doubt that the production was a splendid piece of work, produced and acted by people
of outstanding ability. Much of the acting was of a professional standard, and the staging was most
capably managed. It is hoped to stage the production in Mudgee in the near future.
[* the phrase "fifth column" refers to Nazi sympathizers in Britain working to prepare the ground for a German invasion.]
Mr. Paul Khoury, who has been in business in Herbert, street, Gulgong, for some time, is closing down shortly after Christmas and leaving for Narromine. Mr. Khoury has made quite a number of friends in Gulgong. Everyone will wish him well in the future.
(From Our Sydney Representative)
Saw Paul Khoury the other night. A member of the A.I.F., Paul looked as fit as a fiddle.
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 27 May 1943 Page 17
overseas.
A former businessman of Gulgong, Mr. Paul Khoury visited the town the weekend before last and
made arrangements to open a men's and ladies wear shop in Herbert Street within a few weeks.
[NB: these two paragraphs were on the same page in this order.]
1951 - CERTIFICATES OF NATURALIZATION.
IT is hereby notified for general information that the Minister of State for Immigration has granted Certificates of Naturalization to the persons named in the sub-joined list.
T. H. E. HEYES, Secretary,
Department of Immigration.
19th June, 1951.
I; Sir John Northcott, ... appoint Mr. P. Khoury, mercer and draper, Herbert-street, Gulgong, to be a director of The Gulgong District Hospital, vice Mr. A. J. Brigden, resigned, to hold office until his successor has been elected or appointed.
Dated this 28th day of September, 1955.
J, NORTHCOTT, Governor.
District Hospital and appoint Mr Wilfred Kent Brown, funeral director and building contractor, 175 Mayne Street, Gulgong, in pursuance of section 25 of the Public Hospitals Act, 1929, as amended, to hold office in his stead.
Dated this 22nd day of September, 1971
A. R. CUTLER, Governor.
A. H. TAGO, Minister for Health.
I, ... do hereby:
(1) Unite, on and from 1st July, 1975, the Municipality of Mudgee ... and the Shire of Cudgegong
(2) Constitute, on and from 1st July, 1975, the area formed by the union of the said areas, as a shire, which shall be named the Shire of Mudgee, with boundaries as described in Schedule "A" hereto.
(3) Determine that the Council of the Shire of Mudgee as hereby constituted, shall consist of twelve councillors ... the persons whose names appear in Schedule "B" hereto...
Provisional Council of the Shire of Mudgee
Alexander Black Clark, Esquire; Albert William Cox, Esquire; Walter Kenneth Evans, Esquire; Anthony James Furney, Esquire; William Joseph Hensley, Esquire; William Robert Keech, Esquire; Paul Khoury, Esquire; Mrs Kathleen Marjorie Lawson; Norman Francis Leonard, Esquire; Peter Brian Walter Rayner, Esquire.
Front row (L-R): Barry Stutsel, Tony? Rayner, Wal Evans, Bill Hensley, Kath Lawson, Len Tink, Viv Goninan.
1970 - GULGONG CENTENARY -
Shire President’s Message
The developing of any frontier community leaves indelible traces on the lives and characteristics of a people. Australia has developed from virgin bush to a thriving international nation in a little over one hundred and fifty years.
The first big thrust towards international community was the discovery of gold in Australia in 1852. Gulgong became known throughout the world in 1870 when gold was discovered here in that year by Tom Saunders. From a booming mining centre, Gulgong gradually declined to an agricultural economy and in most of its phases had followed the development of Australia.
In fact, the development of Gulgong could well be called a microcosm of the advance of this nation. Goldrushes, bushrangers, railways, industry and agriculture followed in their course add they did throughout Australia.
The people also developed on similar lines, developing the rangy build and sun tanned faces typical Australian, and also becoming the casual, courageous, loyal and sports loving “Take a chance” prototype of the typical first and second world war Australian.
Ballarat, Ophir, Lambing Flat and Gulgong were household words throughout most of the world in that period of Australia’s history and the Gold Rush days were probably the biggest single influence in forming Australia, both as a nation and as a people.
In a land of vast distances and little communication the dependence of people on each other was emphasised and was a dominating factor in the underlying loyalty and mateship of Australian people.
The Goldfields of Gulgong played their part in forming this aspect of National character and today the spirit of loyalty and co-operation is still evidenced in community activities in and around Gulgong.
This Gulgong celebration in this year of grace, 1970, provides a link between the tumultuous, frenzied days of the booming gold town and the more regulated, even placed life in Gulgong today. The 100 years of history have not dimmed or tamed the pioneering spirit, they have only channelled it into varied fields of endeavour.
Paul Khoury,
President
Cudgegong Shire Council
________________________________
For more photos of Paul Khoury, see:
