Joseph Paul Wanko

Joseph Paul Wanko arrived in Canada at the age of 4 in December 1928. His father, Max, immigrated to Canada first in 1926. He hoped for more freedom and opportunity since his business had been taken away and some of his land confiscated by the new "regime" in Hungary (now Yugoslavia) after WWI. After 2 years working on farm equipment in Regina and at a shipyard in Ojibway he settled in Windsor, ON working at the engine plant of the Ford Motor Co. He then sent for his wife, Mary Drobina, and his two sons, Alex and Joseph. Their journey involved taking a train from Hungary to Luxembourg, a boat from Luxembourg to England, a train across England to Liverpool and finally a boat from the Cunard White Star Line, the SS Calgaric from Liverpool to Halifax. After arriving in Halifax they took a train to Windsor where they started their new life in Canada.