344 Spencer Street

The Life of Charlie & Dolores Camilleri.

Charlie Camilleri was born on 17 July 1899 in Zebbug, Malta. He arrived in Australia on the passenger ship “Orvieto” on 29 June 1922. His first job was working on the Great Ocean Road. There were many jobs after that mainly as a cook.

Dolores (Gauci) was born on 15 March 1908 in Hamrun, Malta. She arrived in Australia on the Passenger ship “Baradine” on 13 May 1930. She stayed with the Parnis’s in Spencer Street unit she married.

Charlie and Dolores were married on 7 June 1930, at St Mary’s Star of the Sea, West Melbourne. After saving up they bought their first property which was a fish and chip shop at 344 Spencer Street, West Melbourne. During WW11, their business became very popular with the sailors when Charlie started making battered sausages. Life was good but very hard. The day started very early and ended late.

They had five children, Carmen, Teresa, Anthony (Tony), John (died after only 5 weeks) and Phillip. They all attended St Mary’s Primary School, then the girls attended St Aloysius, and the boys St Joseph’s.

After their school years, Carmen worked as a typist at the Preston Motors factory, Spencer Street, West Melbourne. Teresa worked at National Bank in Bourke Street, Melbourne as a typist. Tony worked as an apprentice electrician, then laying carpet for Jack Howard’s in North Melbourne. Philip often worked with his Uncle Tony (Gauci), at West End Removalists in Spencer Street.

When Carmen married Charlie (Cutajar) at St Mary’s Star of the Sea, they moved into the milkbar in Spencer Street. They had two, children Marise and Phillip. Later they moved to Albert Street, North Melbourne, then to Moonee Ponds. On the 20 July 1956, Tony married Patricia (Kidd) at St Mary’s Star of the Sea, West Melbourne. They lived at 183 Stanley Street, West Melbourne, until 1969, with their four children, Karen, Christine, Lynette and Peter. All their children attended St Mary’s Sea of the Sea Primary School.   Phillip married Florence and moved to Glenroy with their three boys, Charlie, Paul and Jason. Teresa married Tony (Farrugia) in 1961 at St Mary’s Star of the Sea, then moved to Hawker Street, North Melbourne. All their children attended St Michael’s Primary School, North Melbourne.

In 1952 Charlie and Dolores bought a mixed business at 509 Spencer Street, West Melbourne. Both were well known to everyone. Especially Dolores, even though she could not speak English well she could hold a conversation with anyone. Everyone knew Dolores and Charlie as they always welcomed anyone to their shop. No one went home hungry, even when they couldn’t pay for the meal.

Dolores’s favorite pastime was shopping, usually with her sister Rita (Buhagiar). They both loved catching the No 59 tram to Elizabeth Street to go to Myer. Everything was brought on cash on delivery (COD).  Another place they often went to was Johnston’s Furniture Store. Going to the movies, after Mass on Sunday at St Augustine’s, was another favorite outing with her daughter Teresa. Dolores also loved to dance. Nearly every weekend she enjoyed attending a dance in Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.  Charlie never went along, he was more than happy to stay at home. He was the quiet one.  They both lived there until the death of Dolores in1961. Charlie then sold the milk bar and moved in with his son Phillip in Glenroy until he passed away in 1963.

story written by Karen Camilleri in 2023.