Interview with Jack Morgan

Interview with Reginald John (Jack) Morgan, born in Auckland in 1916. Describes the family background, and his parents, who ran the Hukerenui hotel. Tells of his father's death from influenza after World War I, and his mother's subsequent labours on the rough farm she ran - while raising seven children - after her husband's death. Talks about farming methods, and the transportation of materials and farm produce. Describes horse, rail, barge and railway transport of timber, lime rock, coal and dairy products. Gives details of collecting and marketing kauri gum and other jobs he did while at school. Describes milking cows twice a day, and getting the produce to the Whangarei Dairy Company, on atrocious roads. Discusses his shift from dairy farming to agricultural contracting, in particular to hay baling, which he worked at for 49 years. Explains the progress from manual to automated methods. Talks about his wife, and her supportive role running the family farm while he worked as a contractor.

Describes the local extractive industries: native timber milling, kauri gum, prospecting and mining (for gold, coal, manganese, red ochre, mercury), mineral water, and quarrying. Talks about his interest in the history and the people of the district - Maori, and European settlers and community life

Interviewer(s) - Patricia Cutforth

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001254

Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 2 Electronic document(s) - abstract. 1 printed abstract(s). 3 digital photograph(s). 6 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s). 1 interview(s) over 2 days. 2.06 Hours and minutes Duration.

Physical Description: Sound files - wave files; Textual files - Microsoft word; Image files - Jpeg

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7483, OHDL-001264.

Three digital photographs of Jack Morgan, one in his workshop (2009). Scanned B&W or sepia photographs of: Morgan farmhouse, early 1919; Hukerenui Store, 1920s; Hukerenui School (1923); Hukerenui Hotel 1936 flood; Hukerenui Home Guard; Morgan farmhouse, 1970s

Search dates: 1916 - 2009

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

Alternative form available: Both printed and digital versions of the abstract are available