Interview with Kenneth William Gemmell

Ken Gemmell was born in Oamaru on 17 March 1917. Briefly outlines his family background from the arrival of his grandfather Joe Gemmell from Scotland about 1860 and settlement near the Kakanui River. Notes that this became known as Gemmell's Crossing. Talks about the sale of the family farm and starting work with New Zealand Loan and Mercantile during the Depression. Notes the merger of New Zealand Loan and Mercantile with Dalgety. Outlines his career largely in the tractor and farm machinery department from 1933 to 1974.

Part of this interview is a structured interview and part of it was prepared and narrated by Ken Gemmell on his own initiative.

Comments on farming change in the Lower Waitaki Plains. Talks about the transition from sheep and crops to dairying. Comments on the effect on stock firms. Discusses other factors in the decline of stock firms including the increasing role of vets, banks and Combined Rural Traders in areas which traditionally belonged to stock firms. Talks about climate change, its effect on grain growing and new crops such as sunflowers.

Recalls the stock sales of the 1950s and 1960s. Comments on the role of small service towns and farm hospitality in that era.

Venue - Oamaru : 1992

Interviewer(s) - Joy Green

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-005497; OHC-005498; OHC-005499

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

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 1101.

Photocopies of photographs of Ken Gemmell about 1967; at Government House in 1988; newspaper articles in 1967 and 1973