Interview with Pat Ferris

Pat Ferris was born in Alexandra in 1926. Talks about her parents Philip and Irene Haydock who moved on to their orchard in Conroy's Gully in 1942 or 1943. Recalls neighbours Mon McGinnis and Geoff Taylor. Mentions they sold the orchard to Geoff Taylor about 1958 or 1959. Recalls a lot of contact between the children and neighbours in the area. Comments on the role of women on orchards - doing a lot of cooking in addition to work in the packing shed. Recalls enjoying delivering fruit to the rail and preferring to do housework to orchard work. Describes biking to Alexandra.

Describes dances in the Earnsleugh and Fruitlands halls, particularly at the end of World War II. Talks about growing cherries, pears, apples and plums. Mentions that Stan Hanning worked for their orchard. Describes irrigation from the Conroys Gully water race, frost pots, picking fruit into a box round the neck and the electric grader for grading fruit.

Interviewer(s) - Elaine Gough

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008554

Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 1 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2661.

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Listening copy OHLC-009239