It may be 44 years since Australia’s first women Prime Minister left South Wales with her parents but Julia Gillard is still remembered fondly by former neighbours.
It was partly because of their daughter’s health that John and Moira Gillard joined the exodus of “£10 Poms”, who departed for a new life down under on a subsidised ticket.
Julia had been suffering from a chest condition and doctors advised that her health would be improved by a drier, sunnier climate than damp, drizzly Barry could offer.
The family lived in a modest two-bedroom terraced house in Queen Street. Basil Davies, their former next door neighbour who still lives on the road, said: “She was a lovely young girl. I remember her playing with the local children in the street.
“She was very small when she left here and no one could imagine she would go on to become the most powerful person in Australia.” Julia stayed with Mr Davies and and his late wife, Mabel, when the family returned briefly to South Wales for the first time since emigrating.
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Her father was a familiar face to many Barry residents because he took a job in the train station ticket office and had previously served as a police officer. After emigrating he retrained as a psychiatric nurse.
Although Ms Gillard has no relatives left in Barry, she can expect a warm welcome should she ever return.
Mr Davies, 91, a retired coalman, said: “It was a cold winter and I remember Julia saying it was the first time she had seen snow. Her family came back for a couple of weeks and checked into an hotel on the seafront.
“When they told us where they were staying I made them get their bags and come here.
There was a lot of snow so they couldn’t do all the visiting they planned but it was really nice to have them back.
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“They were wonderful people, lovely neighbours, and we missed them when they went to Australia. But they left Barry to better themselves and it has worked out for them, especially Julia.
“We are very proud of her. The whole town is.” The families have exchanged Christmas cards every year since 1966 and Mr Davies has been kept up to date with Ms Gillard’s political career.
Colin Osborne, the Mayor of Barry, added : “We are extremely excited to learn that Ms Gillard has become the first female Prime Minister of Australia, not just a prominent position in Australian politics but within global politics as well.
“I have read that Ms Gillard is proud of her Welsh roots and has expressed a desire to visit the country again over the next few years. We certainly look forward to giving her a warm welcome if she does.
“Congratulations, or llongyfarchiadau as we would say in Welsh, to Julia from all in Barry — and indeed the whole of Wales.”