THE STORY OF NICHOLAS AND ARGIRO (KOSTAKI) BARTHOLOMIS
Remembered by Marina Campbell (Varthas)
Asia Minor is to the east of Greece where Asia meets Europe. A large mass of land with borders on the Black, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas; Greece, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenia, Georgia, and Bulgaria. In Kato Panayia, situated on the Aegean Coast of the country, not far from Alatsata and the Greek island of Chios lived Nicholas and Argiro (nee Kostaki) Vartholomis. There is no record of when or where their marriage took place, however, it is known that Nicholas had been married before and unfortunately his first wife died, leaving 2 children – a daughter Aphroditi and a son Kostantinos.
With two children to care for, Nicholas, like many men of the era, found it difficult to juggle the responsibilities of providing for his family and being a sole parent. Argiro was a young, strong bride who Nicholas could rely on to care for Aphroditi and Kostantinos and build a new life for them all. Little is known about Argiro and her immediate family. Many years later, we learned of Argiro’s brother – Antoni – who, after the great catastrophe of 1922 and exodus, settled in Killini, Greece.
Nicholas and Argiro were very happy together. They worked hard on their property in Kato Panayia. There was always plenty to eat and to do. Their land was cultivated in such a way that they were quite self sufficient. The climate along the Aegean Coast was most favourable for growing olives – for oil and table; tobacco – for market; fruit and nut trees; and vegetables. Almost every household had chickens for fresh eggs and eventually the pot; goats or sheep for milk and meat.
As time passed, the family grew. Four children – Arthur, James, Maria and Aggela grew up in Kato Panayia. One could say their life was almost idyllic. Everyone seemed happy with “their lot”. Their neighbours and friends were both Greek and Turkish. During the OTTOMAN era, most people were happy to mix together and had a healthy respect for each others culture and traditions and religions.
History tells us that during the unrest of the World War 1, there were problems politically in Asia Minor. The Greek communities who didn’t feel safe in their own homes left the country. Some travelled far and did not return. They were quite happy to settle elsewhere in the world and rebuild their lives. Others returned to their homes only to find them in ruins and they had to rebuild on their land again. Not only did they have to rebuild property, but livelihoods as well. We can only imagine how difficult this would have been. This also shows the great strength of character in the people who succeeded in achieving what they did a second time around.
Nicholas and Argiro left their home and property during the first exodus with their family and some belongings. They settled not far away on the island of Chios in Greece. When the political problems in Asia Minor abated, they all returned to Kato Panayia and continued living as before. By this stage, the older children were encouraged to find work. This would achieve a few things:- it would help the children forge an identity and independence of their own; some of their earnings could go to the family; and it would ease the burden in tough times on the parents.
Aphroditi married and eventually moved to Athens. Kostantinos worked on boats and eventually settled in Australia. Arthur also worked on boats and eventually settled in U.S.A.
Life in Kato Panayia was shortlived. Again, political problems changed so many things. Again, the Greeks of Asia Minor (and many other Christian communities), felt unsafe. Only this time the political scene was a very different animal. The Ottoman regime was in tatters and a new political force was rising to form a new nation. Everyone who could leave their homes before the uprisings did so. Those who couldn’t or wouldn’t leave, suffered badly. The Vartholomis family left again for Chios with whatever they could carry.
Again, people scattered far and wide to rebuild their lives. Some thought things would be like the first time and that they would return to their homes and properties. Those thoughts would be stubbed out forever when, by September 1922, the Ottoman powers were removed and the new regime took over the country. No longer would Christians be able to settle in Asia Minor. No longer would Nicholas and Argiro with their family return to Kato Panayia. Asia Minor would become TURKEY in 1923.
And so their new life began in Chios, Greece. On a small parcel of land in Farkena – not far from Chios town – Nicholas and Argiro settled and rebuilt their tattered lives. There, the family grew with Aristophane (Steve), Arieta, and Irene joining their siblings.
Their house was simple at first and over time an upstairs was added. The staples for their life were grown on their land – citrus, olives, fruit and nut trees and vegetables. There stood a huge mulberry tree on the land and Nicholas felled the tree which was milled to make a waterwheel for the well. Here the family felt safe. There was a church close by (Tis Panayias), the children went to school and would play on the property, swim in the sea, go fishing and generally enjoy life.
It was time for James to “leave the nest”. Because Kostantinos had already settled in Australia, James was directed to join him there. Arthur was still working on boats, so it was not advisable for James to join him. The boys lived mostly in country Queensland working in cafes owned by other Greek migrants. Kostantinos bought into a cafe with Nicholas Inglis about 1925.
Kostantinos had met a young lady who was not of Greek heritage. He felt that this would not meet with the approval of his family and with other issues weighing heavily on his shoulders, died tragically in Lowood in the prime of his life. James had settled into life working in the cafes and soon Aristophane (Steve) joined him in Australia.
In Farkena, life continued on for Nicholas, Argiro and their daughters. The older girls, Maria and Aggela, learned to sew and would make garments for their family and those in the community. There was still plenty of work to do on the property as well with the absence of the boys, so at times things were tough.
Political unrest again struck with the outbreak of World War 2. Although Greece was neutral in its policies in respect to World War 2, it did nothing to stop Greece being “invaded” by Germany. Like most people in Greece, this war took its toll on the Vartholomis family. What little the family had, was taken from them. It seemed no matter how hard they worked for themselves, the majority of it was taken away.
Nicholas’ health was failing and it fell to the females of the family to do the majority of the work. The males from afar would contribute what they could with what they earned. In 1949, Nicholas Vartholomis died with only his wife Argiro and his daughters Maria, Aggela, Arieta and Irene at his side. His was a very hard life – enduring the loss of his first wife, political upheavals and rebuilding shattered dreams and being forced to send his sons (at very young ages) to far off countries to help subsidise the family’s existence. His remains lay in the ossuary of St. Luke’s Church in Farkena, Chios, Greece.
Argiro, Maria, Aggela, Arieta and Irene continued to live on their property. With the daughters’ nimble fingers turning out garments, crocheting items, weaving cloth and rug making and continuing to run the property, life was ok.
Of course Argiro missed her sons deeply. She had not seen them for many years. Then, in 1951, James and Steve sponsored their family’s migration to Brisbane, Australia. They could not leave Chios all together as the property had to be sold. So it was decided that the older girls, Maria and Aggela, should travel first. Eventually the property sold and in 1952 Argiro migrated to Brisbane with Arieta and Irene.
This was a huge step to take for Argiro and one which would be heart wrenching; not so much for leaving Chios, for she had left her country of birth, Asia Minor, thirty years earlier; not because she and her husband endured much together to rebuild their lives in Chios, but because she was leaving behind her beloved Nicholas’ remains.
And so Arigiro began another chapter of her life – in Brisbane, Australia. Initially, the new migrants lived with Steve and his wife Angela (Girdis) and their daughters Sylvia and Christina. Rental accommodation was arranged in Mollison Street, West End. West End had a large community of Greek people and Mollison Street was very close to the Greek Orthodox church of St. George. Here the family could feel comfortable speaking their mother tongue, visiting other Greek families and continue their religious traditions with the church within walking distance of their home.
Once again the nimble fingers of the daughters came to good use and orders were taken for garment making etc. This was a good help to the family as regular work outside the home was difficult without the English language. When the girls felt more at ease with how the system was work wise, and improvement in language, they found paying jobs, mainly in factories.
There was to be another shift for Argiro and the girls, though not on the scale of the previous one. A house came up for sale in Turin Street, West End – a little cottage type so common of the area. So the packing started and Steve, Angela and James shifted the family into their “new home”. One truck load of furniture was ready to go when Steve noticed two items rubbing together. He grabbed a cushion to put between them and off they went. On arrival at Turin Street, Argiro noticed the cushion missing. She asked Steve “What happened to the cushion?” He hadn’t noticed it missing but said he’d look out for it when he went for the next load. On return form the next load, Argrio asked after the cushion again. Steve needed to know the significance of the cushion so asks, “What’s the concern for the cushion?” “There was money in cover”, was the reply. “How much?” asked Steve. “About 200 pounds” says Argiro, to which Steve’s reaction was one of astonishment, anger and frustration all at once. Argiro was unaccustomed to the idea of a bank to hold ones savings and felt the best place to hide it was in the covers of cushions. However, she failed to mention this to anyone close to her, so when Steve picked up that cushion for the furniture move, he was unaware that it was the “special cushion”. After that shift, arrangements were made for Argiro to make her savings “safe” in a bank. Argiro was happy in her new home and settled in knowing all her children had finally settled into their lives too.
Of the 2 children she raised as her own from Nicholas’ first marriage, Aphroditi had now settled in the U.S.A. with her husband and family of four – George, James, Kostantino, and Maria. She was saddened by Kostantino’s death, but like so many parents, continued on with life and its challenges. Her own children now were adults, with full lives of their own and all of whom she was so proud.
After settling in the U.S.A., Arthur married Elizabeth Mikros and had three sons, Nicholas, Kostantinos (Gus) and Stephen. James married Ivy and had three children – Helen, Nicholas and Kostantinos (Con). Steve married Angela (Girdis) and had four daughters – Sylvia, Christina, Marina and Georgina. Maria married Simeon Papadopoulos, Aggela married George Fotinis. Arieta married Michael Boubaris and had five children – Andrea (Andrew), Maria, Sylvia, Nicholas and Antonia (Donna). Irene married Yiannis (John) Geronios and had one son – Nicholas.
Days in the house in Turin Street were filled by gardening, cooking, sewing and always there were family gatherings. Although the cottage stood on a small block, it was all “cultivated” to be productive, a remnant of the past, no doubt, when it was necessary to be self sufficient. This time, however, the set up was slightly different – in theme set through out the Greek house holders of West End. The front gardens were always for flowers – annuals, perennials, climbing vines etc. The back gardens were edible – fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. If there was not enough room in the ground, containers of all descriptions were filled with plants both flowering and edible.
The kitchen was always busy. When the daily meals were prepared and finished, other morsels would be created. Sweets to serve with coffee – “glyko tou koutaliou”, a spoon sweet like conserves. Varieties like grapes (sultana), cherries, figs with almonds, grapefruit or orange peel, quince and baby melintzanes (eggplant). Another favourite was a fondant flavoured with vanilla or mastica served on the spoon in a glass of cold water. Sweets for traditional festive days – Easter Koulourakia (Sesame Biscuits), Christmas - Kourambiethes (Icing Sugar covered Shortbread), Kourkoubinia (Syrup dipped , spice and nut covered Biscuits), New Year – Loukoumathes (Honey and Cinnamon covered Doughnuts).
Argiro would make her own yoghurt which she would set in small glasses. These glasses were placed somewhere warm. A favourite spot was the magazine holder of the day bed in the front of the house. After lining the holder with blankets, the filled glasses were put in and covered, then wrapped with the blankets to keep warm till set, then placed in the refrigerator. Anyone who sat on that day bed while visiting would need to not shake it up too much for fear of curdling the yoghurt. Stuffed zucchini or pumpkin flowers and vine leaves when in season were also favourites as a side dish at meal times.
The sewing machine was always set up and ready to go to create another garment. Crochet cottons and hooks were placed ready to pick up and continue to grow into another wonderous piece. Any scrap fabric was gathered and created into rag rugs of all sizes. Tatting was another skill Argiro had.
Argiro’s hair was always in a knot at the nape of her head. Rarely did anyone see her with her plait loose. She was always well groomed – never overstated – particularly being a widow – and always in black. All sorts of traditions were held fast for probably a number of reasons – to keep the connection with the past, because that was what she knew and the majority of these were religious traditions of the feast days. There were a few superstitions too, which her young grand children constantly questioned and were given replies which needed more detailed explanation other than “because that’s how it is” .
In her later years, Argiro’s health deteriorated; mainly her sight and hearing. Angela, her daughter-in-law, would take her for appointments with eye specialists on Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. Angela had grown up in Brisbane and attended school at West End, so her English and Greek languages helped whenever her migrant in-laws needed professional services. Argiro was not happy about having to apply eye drops regularly to control her Glaucoma, but knew it was going to help her in the long term.
There was yet another shift (of sorts) for Argiro. After many years in Turin Street living with Irene and Yianni, she moved in with Maria and Simeon, who had returned to Brisbane after living for many years in Kyogle, New South Wales, where they had a cafe. Maria and Simeon owned a duplex in Thomas Street, West End. They rented out one of these and lived in the other.
Argiro’s life was by this stage quite slow. Her sight had failed greatly which she couldn’t cope with very well. So often she would mention how much she wanted to see what everyone else was seeing – the garden, the handworks made by her daughters, the day, the night, her children and grand children. Her hearing was, by now, also failing so it was difficult for her to participate in conversation. It was sad for her family to hear her say “What’s the point of living if one can’t see what is around them or hear what is being said?”
Argiro became so frail that it was not possible for Maria to care for her at home. After many hospital stays and home visits from doctors, the decision to have Argiro placed into nursing care was not an easy one to make. And so for the final time Argiro “shifted” to Tri Care at Mt. Gravatt in Brisbane. Her days there were not what one could call happy.
With no energy to move, no sight, no hearing, not speaking, not eating as she should have, life was slowly leaving her body. No longer would she stay as she had been for so long – well groomed, her long plait in a knot at the nape of her head, strong. She was now bed ridden, always in night attire, her hair cut short, she was frail and sad looking.
Her family continued to visit with her, but these were not happy visits. Argiro could no longer interact with anyone. She would lie in her bed or be supported in a chair. Nursing staff or family would have to feed her. If only to know what was in her mind during this time.
To think what her life was and to see how she was in the home, one could not believe it to be the same person. For all she endured – raising her family, enduring exodus twice and surviving, the trials and tribulations of World War 2, migration and resettling – this was her life. Unfortunately, she never saw Arthur or any members of his family before she died which, during her life pained her deeply, knowing he was so far away and that they might never meet again.
She did, however, live to see her first grandchild, Sylvia, marry Peter Aronis, and hold her only great-grandchild while she lived, Socrates.
Argiro passed away in the nursing home in 1973. She was buried at Mt. Gravatt cemetery in Brisbane, so far away from her beloved Nicholas.