Yianni Cartledge discovers long-lost ancestor during PhD research at SA university

·

Yianni Cartledge, a Flinders University researcher and language teacher in South Australia, has dedicated his PhD to exploring the history of Greek communities in the English-speaking world, looking for migration stories from the early 1800s to mid-1900s.

In his search for stories, Mr Cartledge was analysing records of migration from the Greek Aegean islands to the English-speaking world and discovered a long-lost ancestor — his great-great grandfather, Ioannis (John) Gronthos. 

The PhD student discovered Gronthos migrated to SA with his brother, brother-in-law and nephew in 1911. They arrived at Port Adelaide and settled in Port Pirie where Mr Cartledge’s great-great grandfather worked at the BHP smelters. 

After 18 years in Port Pirie, Gronthos became a naturalised Australian citizen in 1929. A year later, Gronthos returned to Greece. 

Mr Cartledge also discovered his great-great grandfather’s son, who is the researcher’s grandfather, migrated to Australia with his children 20 years later. 

“These migrations are part of my own personal history,” Mr Cartledge told Flinders University. 

The language teacher hopes to better understand how Greek communities were created and the challenges they faced when migrating into Australian society. 

“[History] grounds us in an understanding of our current world and our current context… Learning more about history helps us make more sense of the world,” he said.

Records of Greeks migrating to Australia are stored in places such as the National Archives Australia (NAA), National Library of Australia, and State Records of South Australia, as well as libraries and archives in the UK.

During his candidature, Mr Cartledge has faced his own challenges in an attempt to access archival records such as shipping registers, migration papers and naturalisation documents. 

Despite this, the researcher has continued work on his PhD with supervisor Professor Andrekos Varnava

“Professor Varnava was able to help me find the gap in the literature where my work will hopefully fit in,” Mr Cartledge said. 

Understanding the reasons why people leave their homeland and the experiences of Greek migrants in Australia is part of what Mr Cartledge hopes to uncover.

Source: Flinders University

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

Port Macquarie’s Greek community celebrates historic Divine Liturgy

On Sunday, January 21, a significant milestone was reached for the Greek community in Port Macquarie as the Horton Street Chapel hosted its inaugural...

Greek mother and son keeping Queanbeyan’s Melita Coffee Lounge a local icon

“I’d never cooked or worked in hospitality before, but having a Greek mum really helped. Things evolved from there.”

Athena Razos jailed ahead of sentencing for stealing $1.5 million from Melbourne law firm

Athena Razos, who stole nearly $1.6 million from a Melbourne law firm to build a new home, has been thrown behind bars ahead of her sentence.