raylawpc wrote:Its a colloquial term used in Australia to describe British subjects who migrate to Australia.
Ten pounds was the price in the 1960's to migrate from the UK to Australia. If you didn't stay for 2 years you had to pay the Australian government the balance of your fare out plus pay your own fare home.
Barry Michael, Lester Ellis, the Waters brothers and quite a few other "Australian" boxers from the 70's and 80's were members of families who came to Australia under the assisted migration scheme.
Boxing always thrives in immigrant populations in the western world.
"Pom" is an Australian term for British immigrants. It's origin is disputed. Some claim it came from the letters POHM (Prisoner of His / Her Majesty) that was supposedly stenciled on the back of the shirts worn by transported prisoners. Others claim it was because the fairer skinned Brits faces resembled pomegranites after an Australian summer.