| Occupation as written | None |
| Standardised occupation | XX00: Other - Other |
| Application received | 17 Oct 1916 |
| Application status | Denied |
| Official | A.H. |
| Date of approval or denial | 23 Oct 1916 |
| If rejected, why? | not eligible (Syrian) |
| Birthplace as written | Mount Lebanon. Syria |
| Modern country | Lebanon |
| Age on application | 46 |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 22 |
| Port of Departure | None |
| Port of Arrival | None |
| Date of arrival | None |
| Name of ship | None |
| Address in Australia | |
| Address State | |
| Time at address |
| Married | Yes | |
| Children | Yes | 7 children, b in Syria (1) and NSW (6); 2 sons and 2 daughts stuck in Syria at start of war with husband |
| Name of reference | None |
| Occupation of reference | None |
| Marginalia description | place of birth underlined |
| Police report attached | No |
| Link to other applicant | |
| Literate | Yes |
| Reason | other |
| Other information | Sarquis to Hunt, 7 November 1916: ‘As my husband at the present is in another country, And as the papers are with him Therefore I have no proof of his being naturalized, And the only way to obtain same is by writing to you in order that you may look up the date and where he was naturalized.’ She is sure if he applied as Louis Sarquis or Elias Sarquis. |
Thought husband was naturalised in NSW around 1895, which would apply to her; 23 October 1916, Hunt writes ‘as you are an aboriginal native of Asia, you are not eligible’; she replies that husband already nat (see why apply);
14 November, Hunt asks when and where husband naturalised.
27 November 1916 - Hunt tells her to contact Chief Secretary’s Office, Sydney, for proof of husband’s nationality.
No more information until 1939 app (approved in 1940)
See NAA: A1, 1919/17601, Louis Sarquis - Repatriation from Syria (1919): She writes to get her husband and children repatriated from Syria to Australia, 19 December 1919. Letter from P McM Glynn, 19 December 1919: 'I have given this matter careful consideration but regret that the Department is unable to grant the desired financial assistance in this case.’ Husband 2 sons and 2 daughters detained in Syria at the start of the war.
Sarquis response, 27 October 1919: ‘They have suffered great hardships and horrors and are now quite destitute, everything they had being used up to provide food… and even had to live on bran and grass. Money I sent them has gone astray… My husband holds naturalisation papers dated 28 June 1898 and my children are Australia born. During my husband’s detention I have managed to support myself and children in Australia but I am not in a position to pay the amount, about £200, it will cost to transport my absent ones to Australia. ‘I humbly petition and pray that the Federal Government will grant me monetary assitance to bring my husband and children from Syria, from the scene of their sufferings, horrors and hardships, to a reunion with the other members of their family.’
P. J. Quinlan, 7 October 1919 - problem partly seems to be the inability to easily book passenger space from Australia to travel, since most already fully booked from London for a considerable time. Not many ships yet running. ‘Mrs. Sarquis’ chief concern is in regard to the cost of the passages. I very much regret that the Department is unable to grant any assistance in this direction… The Customs authorities at Sydney are being advised that on production of the naturalization certificate and birth certificates held by these people, they may be allowed to land without restriction.’
NAA: A1, 1916/8122, 10 November 1915, PM’s Department: sends out memorandum saying no remittances can be sent to naturalised subjects if they are in enemy territory. that would include to trapped relatives in Syria, Egypt, etc.