Petrus Wilhelmus Alleblas, known as Peter, was born in Naaldwijk in the Westland region of the Netherlands on 27 September 1923. He was the son of Bastianus Alleblas and Hendrika Maria Steentjes.
On 22 July 1950, Peter departed from Schiphol aboard the KLM flight carrying Dutch workers and family members to Australia. He occupied seat B2 and arrived in Sydney on 26 July. He was unmarried when he migrated.
Peter later married S.H.J. Reynolds in Australia. Her full name and the date and place of their marriage have not yet been established.
The couple lived at Norlane, near Geelong in Victoria. Peter appears to have established a career connected with engineering and the maritime sector.
The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette of 21 May 1959 included Peter Alleblas in a list of engineers eligible to vote in an election for the Marine Board of Victoria under the Marine Act 1958. This indicates that he possessed recognised maritime engineering qualifications or experience, although his precise position and employer remain unknown.
A death notice for his mother also mentioned Peter and his wife. The inscription on the family grave marker appears to suggest that they had children, but this still requires confirmation from Australian birth, marriage or family records.
Peter is associated with Altona Memorial Park at Altona North, Victoria. Unfortunately, a flower obscures part of the inscription in the available photograph, including his date of death. His death and burial details therefore still need to be verified through Australian records.
Further research may establish the full name of his wife, their marriage details, any children, Peter’s engineering career and his date of death. Anyone with additional information is invited to contact Fred Stuij at info@alblasserwaard-genealogie.nl.
This account is based on family-history and migration research undertaken by Fred Stuij. Sources include the KLM passenger information, the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette and the grave marker at Altona Memorial Park. Petrus Wilhelmus Alleblas.pdf
For the wider history of this organised migration project, see From Sliedrecht to Williamstown: Dutch dredging workers in post-war Australia.
More related company histories, archival sources and personal stories are available through the Dutch Dredging in Australia Research Portal.
