Adrianus Noels, known within the family as Janus, was born in Dordrecht on 30 July 1906. He was the son of skipper Jan Noels and Wilhelmina Zoutewelle. Growing up among Dordrecht’s rivers, harbours and shipping traffic, he became familiar with life on the water from an early age.
On 12 September 1929, Janus married Margriete Tannetje Openeer in Kruiningen. They established their home in Dordrecht and had two children: Jan Cornelis, born in 1930, and Hendrika Wilhelmina, born in 1937.
From 1933, Janus was captain of the steam tug Wilan, which was also used as an icebreaker. The vessel was jointly owned by Janus and his brother Wilhelm Jacobus Noels. His experience as a tugboat captain later made him well suited to the Dutch dredging and maritime project being established in Australia.
Janus departed from Schiphol Airport aboard the KLM flight to Melbourne on 22 June 1950, occupying seat G1. He arrived on 27 June and began preparing a new home for his family. Margriete and their two children followed aboard the second KLM flight on 22 July, occupying seats G3, H3 and H4. They arrived in Sydney on 27 July.
The family settled at 9 Twyford Street in Williamstown, Victoria, and subsequently became Australian citizens. Their continuing attachment to the Netherlands is evident from several later journeys. Margriete and Hendrika returned to Australia after a Dutch family visit in 1956, Janus returned from leave in the Netherlands in 1959, and Janus and Margriete travelled to the Netherlands again in 1970.
Their son Jan Cornelis remained in Australia and married May Noels. They had two daughters, Diane and Susan. Jan Cornelis and May were both buried at Altona Memorial Park, illustrating how the family’s Australian story continued into the next generation.
Adrianus “Janus” Noels died in Australia on 4 October 1993, aged 87, and was buried at Altona Memorial Park. His life connected the maritime traditions of Dordrecht with the Dutch dredging migration to Williamstown and the establishment of a permanent Dutch-Australian family.
This account is based on family-history and migration research undertaken by Fred Stuij. Sources include the National Archives of Australia and the Regional Archives Dordrecht. Photographs are from the image collection of the Regional Archives Dordrecht.
Related DACC research
Read the broader story in From Sliedrecht to Williamstown: Dutch dredging workers in post-war Australia.
For related personal stories, migration accounts and company histories, visit the Dutch Dredging in Australia Research Portal.
