Jean PagetJean Paget was born in Malaya, in 1921 was born in Malaya, in 1921 with her parents and his brother Donald.with her parents and his brother Donald.

Mr Paget was the manager of a large Mr Paget was the manager of a large rubber estate.rubber estate.

Jean and Donald movedto England to go to school.

When she was 13, herfather was killed in a car accident.

Years later, Donald andJean started working inthe rubber estate in Kuala Lumpur. Jean spoke Malay, so that was useful for thecompany.

In 1941, Japan entered theIn 1941, Japan entered thewar on the side of Germany.war on the side of Germany.The Japanese invaded MalayaThe Japanese invaded Malayaon the north-east coast, nearon the north-east coast, neara town called a town called Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur..

In 1939, Germany invadedIn 1939, Germany invadedPoland and the Poland and the Second WarSecond WarWorldWorld began. began.

Jean tried toJean tried toescapeescapewith awith afamily.family.

Eileen

Bill Holand

Jane

Freddie

Robbin

Jean tried toJean tried toescapeescapewith awith afamily…family…

Their car broke down.They joined a groupof people and were taken to Panong.Unfortunately, theJapanese arrived.They expected to findsome British soldiers,but there were no soldiers there. They made the group of people prisionersat once.

Men and womenhad to go to differentcamps, so they said goodbye to Bill Holand.

Women and childrensuffered a lot. Theydid not have muchfood or ointmentto keep off themosquitoes.

At the end of the first week,most of the prisioners gotdysentry.As the monthswent by, manyof them died of fever. Freddie, Jane and Eileen died. Jean took care of the baby.

Women had towalked verylong distances.Japanese didnot want theyanywhere. Therewere not a campfor women.

One day, they werewalking the mainroad which runs fromKuala Lumpur toKuantan, when theysaw two white men repairing a lorry.They were australians.Their names wereJoe Harman and BenLeggatt. They had beencaptured too.

Joe Harman helpedJean to get some food.JOE TOLD JEAN ABOUTA PLACE CALLED ALICE SPRINGS, WHERE HE USED TO WORK.He stole five black chickens to the Japanese.He was discovered andtortured.

Jean thought he had died,so she felt very guilty.

The women had onlyone guard, but he gotill and died. They were in KualaTelang. They liked theplace and they wantedto stay and plant rice.

Jane asked for permission to Mat Amin.

They stayed there for three years till the war was over.They were taken toSingapore where they met the men.

Jean went back to England.Jean went back to England.She found out that her brotherShe found out that her brother

and mother had died. and mother had died. She lived in London and She lived in London and worked for a long time.worked for a long time.

One day, she was told that One day, she was told that she had inherited she had inherited

£53000 £53000 from an uncle.from an uncle.

She decided to use that money to build a well and a washing house in Kuala Telang.

During her stay in Kuala Telang, a man told her that Joe Harman was alive. She felt very happyand decided to find out where he was.

Joe Harman lived in Cairns.In this place, women did not workand they were not taken into account.Jean wanted to staywith Joe, but shedid not like that. Then she had an idea…

Perhaps she could start a workshop inWillstown. She could make shoes outof alligator skins and sell them in England.After four months, Jean was able to send the first box of shoes to London. She also opened a milk-bar and, ahairdressing shop and built a swimming-pool.

The population increased and people startedtalking of building a new road from Cairns andopening a hospital.

Jean´s dream was coming true. Willstown was slowly becoming…

a town like AliceJean lived in great happiness with her husband and her children, in the countryshe grew to love.

Melisa OviedoMelisa Oviedo

Julieta HallJulieta Hall

Victoria CarignanoVictoria Carignano