Interview with Jack Sinclair

Jack Sinclair recalls his family background, childhood, influenza epidemic in Te Aroha.

Describes education, joining the Te Aroha Post Office as a message boy in 1923, daily work routine, delivering the telegrams, the uniform, layout of the post office, delivering letters, learning morse, salary, work as a postman at Napier Post Office in 1926, social aspect of being a postman, work as operator at telephone exchange at Napier Post Office in 1926, discipline, female employees, work as exchange clerk at Hastings in 1927, personal service, waiting for toll calls, interest in radio.

Recalls Napier earthquake in 1931, experiencing the earthquake, getting communications going again, digging for bodies, the impact on the post office building. Outlines duties as mechanician at Hastings Telephone Exchange 1928-1945. Mentions privately owned party lines and private linemen, slow promotion, the Creed teleprinter, trade certificates, interest in ham radio. Recalls marriage to Elsie Barclay delayed by Napier earthquake, duties during World War II at telephone exchange, Strowger automatic telephone exchange, work as chief technician at Nelson in 1945, radio telephones in taxis, playing banjo in the Garth Simpson Orchestra, social life, installing the automatic exchange. Mentions introduction of 111 emergency dialling into Masterton in 1958. Discusses duties as Chief Technician in Dunedin in mid 1960s, retirement, Jack Churchill of Post Office Association, retirement work in radio and television servicing.

Access Contact - See oral history librarian

Venue - Nelson

Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson

Venue - At Jack Sinclair's home at Stoke, Nelson

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-000774B - OHC-000777A

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 127.

Black and white photographs as follows:. Jack Sinclair, undated. Installation staff at Hastings' first automatic telephone exchange, 1932. Installation staff at Nelson automatic exchange, 1951. Nelson Post Office Orchestra, 1953. Doug Skelton, Clay Cusdin (?), Jack Sinclair, undated. Jack and Elsie Sinclair on Golden Wedding Anniversary, 1981. Nelson manual exchange in 1950

Search dates: 1907 - 1984

Alternative form available: Listening copies available OHLC-006616 - OHLC-006619