Cyprus-Forum.com

[GreekIslandGirl]

Despite knowing this sad story of how you lost your mummy, I'm still filled with tears.

Back later; carry on at your convenience ...

[miltiades]

27 views since posting the initial part of my true life story dedicated to my hero so I feel that fellow forumers would find what follows a little interesting, since I don't think there are any on this forum who were unfortunate enough to experience the deadly earthquake, the worst in modern Cypriot history, that desolated so many in a small rural Paphos village.
I will go straight to our arrival at the Limassol Orphanage, PEDIGI STEGI as it was then known, and the last building in Limassol, now a crowded car park opposite the Enaerios social cafes and restaurants. An area that on my visits to Cyprus I visit daily, having an early morning coffee and a tiropitta at the 24 hour Cafe, I sit sipping my coffee and reminisce of the past, 60 years ago when as a seven year old I was brought to the Orphanage along with my siblings, the oldest almost 13 and the youngest just 5.
We arrived at the Pedigi Stegi a day after the burial, on September 12th 1953,shocked, bewildered,shoeless and devastated, father suffered a major hernia eruption following the death of my mother and was hospitalized for 3 months.
We were welcomed with much love and care by the staff, given shoes and cloths, a little love and care to ease the trauma our little bodies were having to cope with at such a young age.
You learn much from your childhood experiences and you also learn that you alleviate the pain, tears and sorrow by just being a child, having a few friends, a little cuddle, a few kisses and a few treats.
Those days, cars were practically non existent in Cyprus, taxis were horse drawn carriages, when a car was seen it attracted attention by all, rushing to see these Limousines as we called every car in those days.
My first journey in a car was to the orphanage in an Austin Minor driven by a kindly English lady who gave us so much love and care, she spoke a little Greek but did her best to communicate with us children.That was my first close contact with an English person, and the one that I will always cherish and remember vividly, We thought she was an old lady but then when your 7 years old anyone one over 30 is old !
Our dormitories at the Orphanage were separate for boys and girls, big airy rooms, beds next to each other, a bell to send us to sleep, a bell to wake us up, another bell to bring us downstairs for breakfast, after undergoing a check up for clean hands, nails etc.
I remember my first night at the Orphanage as if it was yesterday, every sound every crick and thump would send me running out of the room, only to be brought back by a Ace, a tough T/C boy who slept in the next bed to me and took a liking to me. The earthquake still prevalent in my mind.
My first morning at the large rectangular wooden dining table was an experience I never had before. Hands on the table resting on a clean handkerchief while Kiria Ioanna went by checking for cleanliness,a disciplinarian and a very strict woman that I learned later that all kids referred to her as the STRIGLA.
After breakfast, we stayed behind while most of rest of the children went to their schools.
I got on with playing with my brother and a few other kids, pirilli, marbles, running around and doing what all children do, until our interest was switched to a gleaming black limousine that drove through the large gates of the orphanage , stopped at the court yard, the kids stood back in amazement seeing a limousine at close hand.
A tall, English looking ,man stepped out of the car walked over to the children staring and said, in Greek, I'm looking for the children from Stroumbi, my older sister, almost in a whisper, raised her hand and siad Kirie imaste emis, pointing to us.
The dashing man walked to me with a big smile on his face, picked me up and said, you must be Akis- my childhood name-
Ne Kirie I replied, he hugged and kissed me and said I'm your uncle Takis- His real name-next he went over to my little brother, my older brother and my sister. We had never seen him before, we knew our mother was from Platres and that from a young age she lived with relatives in Famagusta after losing both her parents to FTHISIS.
Next he went back to his car, by that time Kiria Ioanna had come out to meet him, he took out some boxes containing treats, cloths and sundries, Kiria Ionna took the boxes explaining that children are not allowed individual treats and gifts, all had to be shared amongst all the children.
Uncle Takis spent some time inside with Kiria Ioanna which culminated in my older brother going with him to Famagusta since children over the age of 12 were not permitted to remain in the orhanage.
I felt so robustly proud that such a tall handsome man, and rich by the sight of his car, was my uncle, waving goodbye to him and calling him THIE.
Apparently this man had heard about the earthquake and saw my mothers name as one of the dead, he drove from Ayios Lukas in Famagusta to Stroumbi only to be told that we the children had been taken to the orphanage and that our father was in the Paphos Hospital. He visited dad in Hospital and told him that he would pass by and see us. He was a first cousin to my mother, This was a day after the funeral, the boost we all received was phenomenal......
More to come from My Heroe...

[Paphitis]

Thank you Miltiades for this nice thread.

You are a marvelous human being. Don't forget I would be especially honoured to meet with you this month hopefully...I will pm some info if that is ok.

Look forward to your next installment.

Good night to all! zzzz

[miltiades]

Thank you Miltiades for this nice thread.

You are a marvelous human being. Don't forget I would be especially honoured to meet with you this month hopefully...I will pm some info if that is ok.

Look forward to your next installment.

Good night to all! zzzz

You are on mate, I shall be in Cyprus from June 25th for two weeks,
Contact me, it will be a pleasure to meet you,

[Lordo]

john you have not been scammed by maria. marias kids could not be 4 and 2, 4 years later. look at your timeline one more time.

[miltiades]

john you have not been scammed by maria. marias kids could not be 4 and 2, 4 years later. look at your timeline one more time.

Marias kids are 11 years and 9 years old , Dont know what you mean mate.

[GreekIslandGirl]

john you have not been scammed by maria. marias kids could not be 4 and 2, 4 years later. look at your timeline one more time.

Marias kids are 11 years and 9 years old , Dont know what you mean mate.

Ignore him. Turks haven't a clue about numbers or historical timelines.

[Get Real!]

I haven’t read this new story because as soon as I hit “1953” I knew I read it somewhere before…

[miltiades]

I haven’t read this new story because as soon as I hit “1953” I knew I read it somewhere before…

GR, I'm writing, at the request of numerous English born nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, as well as Australian and Mauritius born relatives whose interest in Cyprus has been kept alive, they number more than 40 including children whose father or mother are half Cypriot and half English, Australian, Mauritius.
Four of us came to the UK, we now number 44. I have kept Cyprus alive in their hearts and all want to know every detail about their parents grandparents and Cypriot ancestry. My older brother is 74 so the time is approaching when all of us will depart.
I thought is a marvelous idea to put pen and paper and leave them a full family history of their Cypriot connection.
Since Im the one out of 3 remaining siblings who has research our family backround they look to me to provide a full family history.

The earthquake was a monumental mark in our lives which we all refer to as BE or AE.
So, here is one Cypriot that wishes his entire non Cypriot born family and additions though marriage non Cypriots , to learn their family history.
In your case GR , I will write about my arrival at Victoria station which I know you are eagerly waiting for !!!
I shall continue with my Heroe story later on today, since I know that a great number of fellow forumers have shown interest, judging by the number of views.
Have a great day mate, and you owe me a drink!!

[miltiades]

Much happened during my more than 2 years stay at the Orphanage, but since I'm writing about My Hero, I shall skip this and move on to our return back to Stroumbi and the newly provided housing now ready to receive all children back including other kids who were taken to Kyrenia.
The housing was very bare, just a long room- makrinary- the ceiling was Amiantos and the floor had not yet been concreted and it was just the bare earth with uneven patches and weeds growing in some parts.
The school had not yet finished so we were put in a temporary one room annexe that catered for all classes of children. This was in 1955, just before the start of the Liberation struggle.I was happy to be back with my friends and settled in quickly but always remembered the Pedigi Stegi with proper floors, bedrooms and the wonderful scenery right opposite the sea, where I first learned to swim. This area is now very well developed and very attractive, with benches, carefully laid out grass, a clean sandy beach and the Apovathra that I always visit on my regular trips to Cyprus, its from this apovathra that I watch the magnificent sun rises and the local boys fishing.
Back at the village, the people begun to settle in their new houses, however some stayed at the old village repairing their homes and creating village life in the Pano Stroumbi as it was called, and soon the old village had its own community and was recognized as a proper village, subsequently the two villages became one, hence Stroumbi the Great !!
Periodically we would receive news of my older brother whom I missed a great deal, he was a boisterous character and very different from my quite subdued and shy self. The news in the latter part of 1955 were not received well by my father, my uncle wrote to say that my 16 year old brother had joined the struggle causing many problems for uncle Takis, Ayios Loukas was 80% communist and opposed to EOKA.
My brother also caused other problems, one was his involvement with the fiance of a famous Anorthosis player, they were found in bed!!! My brother barely 16 and she in her early 20s.
My uncle wrote that he was coming to see us in the village and one Sunday in mid-summer 1956 the same gleaming Limousine showed up in the square of the village, I was playing with friends in the Church yard and saw the car, I instantly recognized the car and my uncle who stopped and asked for directions to our house. I run across calling him, thie ego ime,
I was so happy to see him again and very proud that he was my uncle, telling all present en o thios mou toutos.
He drove to our house, me proudly sitting at the front seat next to him and feeling deliriously happy, I had come to love this man and listened intensely to every word he spoke.
We had lunch at home, my uncle and father talked about my older brother's "savory" activities and they came to decision that my brother would return home and instead, uncle Takis said, I will take Akis !
My excitement was indescribable, I felt so so happy, the village was good, but going to Famagusta was something else.
My uncle said that he would collect me the following Sunday, time to allow my brothers return.I was 11 years old then and I would be going to EHTI TAXI in Ayios Loukas. Boy was I happy, never slept that night, kept thinking about my forthcoming trip the following Sunday. I counted the days hours and minutes my excitement and sheer anticipation was unrivaled to anything I experienced before.
On the Monday I begun gathering my meager belongings and putting them in a used Tsimento bag , told all my friends of my impending trip, the other side of the world as far as I was concerned.
Day by day I would become more and more excited and happier at the prospect of moving to Famagusta.
My uncle said he would collect me mid day and to be...ready!!
My father, being a tailor, had by this time made me a bag and discarded the tsimento one, my sister shouting to me that I had dirtied my cloths and she would have to wash them again. She was 15 years old and had assumed the role of a mother to us old, a wonderful woman, may she rest RIP.
Sunday came, a bright and a hot July day, I hadnt slept all night, rising early in the morning and waiting for 12 mid day to come. All ready and excited I was, and I waited , and waited and waited....
Will continue later.
Thanks for reading..