Web Cards April 2016 - Person Sheet
NameElsie HANSEN 
Birth1880, Newport, Vic
Death30 Dec 1967, Thornbury
FatherChrist* HANSEN (~1850-)
MotherEmily SMITH (~1850-)
Spouses
Birth5 May 1882, Rashyia Syria
Deathbef Dec 1967
FatherChristy Essa SALEEBA (1848-1923)
MotherThekla (Tukla) BOSAID (1850-1927)
Marriage1911, C Of E, East Melb
ChildrenAlma (1912-1935)
Gladys Norma (1914-)
Eric Lindsay (~1916-2006)
Elsie Muriel (Bubs) (1918-<1968)
Raymond Essa (1922-2005)
Notes for George (Spouse 1)
1936 elec roll at 59 harold St Northcote with Elsie and Norma Gladys.
Photo in SLV .
1925 Living at 59 Harold St Thornbury, aged 43 when he applied for citizenship. height 5’9” dark hair and brown eyes. Arrived Victoria 1892.
GEORGE SALEEBA - THORNBURY George Saleeba was a unique figure amongst the first wave Lebanese who settled in Melbourne from the late 1800s to the 1920s. This derived from the fact that his was the first Lebanese family to settle in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Hence his name ‘George Saleeba, Thornbury’ to distinguish him from another George Saleeba who lived in Kew. George Saleeba was born in Rashaya, Lebanon in 1882 and came to Australia with his father Essa at the age of 10 years in 1892. George did not attend school in Melbourne but was thrust into earning a living at an early age to enable the rest of the family in Lebanon to join them. In common with all other first wave immigrants, Essa and George became hawkers of clothing and softgoods in country areas outside of Melbourne. Until his marriage at the age of 29 years, George travelled by horse and cart selling his goods in the country areas of Whittlesea, Epping and surrounding parts. Every few weeks he would return to Melbourne to stock up at one of the Lebanese or Jewish owned warehouses. It was on these journeys through the main roads of High Street and St Georges Road that George must have noticed large blocks of land in Harold Street, Thornbury.
AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP & MARRIAGE During the First World War George like others born in Lebanon, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire, were branded enemy aliens and had to report regularly at police stations for surveillance. Although George originally applied for citizenship as early as 1916, in common with other Lebanese, he had to wait until 1925 to become an Australian citizen. It is little wonder that in this environment almost all Lebanese men chose wives from within their own community. George broke the mould, marrying in 1911 the beautiful Elsie Hansen, who was born in Australia of German, English and Danish descent. Interestingly, although George and Elsie were married at St Peter’s Church, Melbourne, they were married by an Orthodox preist according to the rites of the Orthodox Church. They were to have seven children, three girls and four boys.
Photo in SLV .
1925 Living at 59 Harold St Thornbury, aged 43 when he applied for citizenship. height 5’9” dark hair and brown eyes. Arrived Victoria 1892.
GEORGE SALEEBA - THORNBURY George Saleeba was a unique figure amongst the first wave Lebanese who settled in Melbourne from the late 1800s to the 1920s. This derived from the fact that his was the first Lebanese family to settle in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Hence his name ‘George Saleeba, Thornbury’ to distinguish him from another George Saleeba who lived in Kew. George Saleeba was born in Rashaya, Lebanon in 1882 and came to Australia with his father Essa at the age of 10 years in 1892. George did not attend school in Melbourne but was thrust into earning a living at an early age to enable the rest of the family in Lebanon to join them. In common with all other first wave immigrants, Essa and George became hawkers of clothing and softgoods in country areas outside of Melbourne. Until his marriage at the age of 29 years, George travelled by horse and cart selling his goods in the country areas of Whittlesea, Epping and surrounding parts. Every few weeks he would return to Melbourne to stock up at one of the Lebanese or Jewish owned warehouses. It was on these journeys through the main roads of High Street and St Georges Road that George must have noticed large blocks of land in Harold Street, Thornbury.
AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP & MARRIAGE During the First World War George like others born in Lebanon, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire, were branded enemy aliens and had to report regularly at police stations for surveillance. Although George originally applied for citizenship as early as 1916, in common with other Lebanese, he had to wait until 1925 to become an Australian citizen. It is little wonder that in this environment almost all Lebanese men chose wives from within their own community. George broke the mould, marrying in 1911 the beautiful Elsie Hansen, who was born in Australia of German, English and Danish descent. Interestingly, although George and Elsie were married at St Peter’s Church, Melbourne, they were married by an Orthodox preist according to the rites of the Orthodox Church. They were to have seven children, three girls and four boys.