The history of the Michelides family, one of the most remarkable stories of early Greek migration to Australia, is published this weekend and will be launched by Dr Ken Michael AM, former Governor of Western Australia.
The book The Tobacco Pioneers: Michelides celebrates the business skills, energy and determination of brothers Peter and Michael Michelides, not only in their pioneering of the tobacco and cigarette manufacturing industry in WA, but also their historic role in leading the development of the Greek community in Perth.
Richly illustrated with photographs and documents from family archives and other sources, the book charts the brothers’ arduous journey from Kastellorizo via Egypt to Western Australia over a hundred years, and the rise and fall of the extraordinary tobacco empire they created, which in its heyday was producing one million cigarettes a day.
The 450-page book, which details the struggles and triumphs of early Greek migration to Australia, will be launched at a public event at 2.00 pm on Sunday 23 August at Castellorizian House, 160 Anzac Road, Mt Hawthorn.
The Tobacco Pioneers: Michelides is available online from www.vividpublishing.com.au/michelides ($50 plus postage).