Andrew Robert Baker was born in Salford in 1948 to a mother who was undoubtedly an English rose of Irish decent, and a father who was a gentleman of the Fenland's, without question one the hardest working men to walk any street. Both parents had taken an active part in the Second World War and returned safely to take up residence in one of the terraced streets of Salford. By the time Andrew and his sister Susan were ten years old, Bob Baker had come to the decision that as a family they would be better of in a warmer climate, and a country that offered more opportunity. He arrived at this decision because England was recovering after its many trials and tribulations endured as a result of its ordeals associated with World War 11. Food was still being rationed and although Dad was earning, he was not progressing in the way that he had anticipated. He took the decision to make a move to Australia, as indeed several of his workmates had already done. As a family we applied for the ten pound passage scheme to Australia. The family were accepted and requested to go to Sydney.

Regrettably, this was denied, as this city was already very popular. We were asked to divert to Adelaide, Western Australia or the Northern Territories. After much deliberation it was decided that we would travel to South Australia, then reassess the situation. We were informed that should we desire to visit other states then this would be quite acceptable. The Baker family left the shores of England on 6 January 1959 from Tilbury dock and headed on the S.S. Orion to eventually arrive at outer harbour a few miles from the city of Adelaide in South Australia.