Nicholas Poulos | Greek-Australian Archive

State Library of New South Wales

Greek-Australian Archive

Nicholas Poulos, 2023

Speaker Profile Προφίλ ηχείου

Nicholas Poulos

Interview date: 20 Jan 2023 | | Language: English

Nicholas Poulos, 2023

Speaker background

Occupation: BusinesspersonYear of arrival: 1954Method of transport: Ship

Nicholas Poulos was born in a village near Florina. His father, George, fought in the Civil War, while his mother also engaged in wartime activities. In 1952 George joined his father in Australia, who had migrated decades earlier, and bought a milk bar in Summer Hill. In 1954, George was joined by his wife and children. Nicholas worked in the milk bar as a child and excelled as a sportsman at primary school and high school. He went on to a successful career in retail and, eventually, managing his own furniture businesses in Erina.

Place of birthFlorina, Western Macedonia

Location in AustraliaWamberal

Interview summary

Much of the interview deals with Nicholas’ life growing up in Summer Hill. He talks proudly about the family’s milk bar, which was a favourite teenage haunt in the late 1950s and 1960s. Nicholas also explains why his parents chose not to engage with the wider Greek community and its politics, which he relates to their traumatic experiences in wartime Greece.

Interview highlights

highlight

Nicholas describes the work patterns that governed the operation of the family milk bar in Summer Hill, and its attraction for teenagers in the late 1950s.

Nicholas: They [his father and grandfather] would work from 9 to 10 [pm]. We had a bit of a shift going. My mum would help. My grandfather helped. I was there helping all the time.
Interviewer: It was a milk bar, wasn’t it?
Nicholas: Actually, the beauty of it was […] that it was just a plain milk bar. We didn’t cook anything. So, all it was a milk bar. We used to have eggs and bread, mainly for our own use and if somebody [customers] wanted some, we’d sell it. It was just a rock ‘n’ roll milk bar, with all the bodgies and the widgies. Johnny O’Keefe was there one day. […] It was just great fun. All the girls used to come there with their miniskirts and tease me.
Timecode 19:01 - 20:13

highlight

Nicholas reflects on his mother’s limited social life.

Nicholas: My mum, unfortunately, with two men there [running the milk bar], [but] had a serious problem with ... She was a beautiful woman [but] had a serious problem with diabetes and ended up dying in her mid 70s. But my mum was protected just like ... Maybe over-protected, like what most Greek, Italian, Yugoslav people would do anyway. But I can just remember us going to Winns at Ashfield and her buying us all the school gear and things like that. That would have been the biggest outing for my mum, going to Waltons in the city […] and she was happy with that anyway.
Interviewer: Did she have friends and any circles [of friends]?
Nicholas: No. No. Actually, I just realised what a lonely life … she had.
Interviewer: Did she get to work in the shop?
Nicholas: Yes. That was her outlet. I’ve got to look at it that way. Her and George’s. Working there and talking to people and so forth.
Timecode 01:09:03 - 01:10:29

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