Theodoros N. Politis
This biography is part of a collection from "Life in Australia" :
Mr. Politis is most charming and likeable. He hails from the village of Kontaraina, on the island of Lefkada, where he was born in 1881. He studied for a few years in the school in his village, before engaging, at an extremely early age, upon the path of one who fights to survive. He was taken on as an employee by traders who were acquaintances of his in Lefkada, where he lived for some years. His entrepreneurial spirit, however, speedily compelled him, in company with three others from his village, to seek fulfillment of his aims abroad. Leaving his birthplace, he came to Cape Town.
His sole resource was his love of hard work and his energetic activity. Before, however, much time had passed, he had succeeded in becoming the owner of a total of three shops, thanks to his unceasing desire for hard work. He also succeeded in being recognized by the English firm, Buchanan Bros., as their general representative in Cape Colony. As a result of a downturn in business, however, he was compelled in 1901 to seek a new career in Australia. He settled in Melbourne, where he engaged upon various commercial activities of differing degrees of success. He is now the owner of a splendid lounge that operates during the summer, Cremone Gardens.
Mr. Politis is simple, straightforward and modest, but also endowed with rare energy. He is beloved by all for his approachability and the nobility of his sentiments.
In the Greek community of Melbourne, a large Samiot family includes among its members the well-known Mr. Stamatis I. Maroukis. Mr. Maroukis, who is famous for his commercial verve, was born on 20 October 1883 in Palaio Karlovasio, in Samos. He completed his preliminary studies at school in Neo Karlovasio. Having a particular affection for the nautical life, which was the profession of his father, he dedicated ten whole years to this activity. He is, however, by nature a businessman, as are many of his compatriots, and so decided in 1907 to move to Australia. Some days after his arrival in Melbourne, he assumed the management of the shop in Spencer St., belonging to his brother-in-law, Mr. I. Kontoyiannis. Thanks to his splendid abilities and experienced management, he instituted a completely new period of increase in the trade of this establishment. After seven years of continuous work, he purchased from Mr. L. Koras the establishment that he has at present. This, thanks to his careful overseeing, is now notable for its cleanliness and select range of goods.
He married the daughter of the worthy pater familias from Samos, Mr. L. Savvas, and now has two children, whom he literally adores. As an excellent citizen, as an affectionate head of his family and as pure Greek patriot, Mr. Maroukis enjoys the esteem and affection of the Greek community of Melbourne.
This biography is part of a collection from "Life in Australia" published in 1916 by John Comino. It is an important book as it was one of the first Greek books published in Australia for the Greeks back in the homeland. If they needed any more convincing of the golden opportunities awaiting them in Australia, it probably helped create interest amongst young Kytherians and other Greeks. Each of the men portrayed in the book paid for the honour, which, considering their reputation for thriftiness, must have made the decision a hard one for many a Kytherian.
The Kythera-Family.net team, with the support of the Nicolaus Aroney Trust and other generous sponsors, has undertaken to transcribe the entire book for the website and to translate it into English for the non-greek-speaking diaspora community. We hope to also produce a printed version of the translation of Life in Australia sometime in 2005.
For valuable information about the historical background of the publication of Life in Australia, please read the entry by Hugh Gilchrist I ZOI EN AFSTRALLIA in the History, General History section.
