Farm life - New Zealand - Manawatū-Whanganui Region

Date: [ca 1950?]

By: Lyon, John Holt, 1872-1956

Reference: MS-Papers-2135

Description: Historical articles chiefly concerning central North Island, based on personal pioneer experiences at Utiku [ca 1890-1908]. Also articles on miscellaneous topics of New Zealand interest Farmer at Utiku, Matiere and Inglewood Quantity: 4 folder(s). 0.04 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescripts Processing information: Not yet described to folder level.

Date: 1882-1958

Reference: MS-Papers-2243

Description: Papers include letters to Denmark, a history of the Scandinavian church in New Zealand 1865 - ca 1900 by Mads with a translation and history from 1928 by Ansgar, sermons and diaries of Ansgar Christensen, 1928-1957. Also includes Clem Koch's history of the Lutheran Church in New Zealand Source of title - Supplied Mads Christensen was sent to New Zealand by the Inner Mission Board of Denmark in 1886. He was ordained and inducted to the Mauriceville Parish in 1886; from 1893 he served in Palmerston North. From 1928 to 1958 his son, Ansgar, served in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Palmerston North. In 1928 his son Ansgar took up his father's responsibilities for the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Palmerston North which he served for the next thirty years Quantity: 56 folder(s). 0.50 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss, typescripts, printed matter Finding Aids: Inventory available.

Date: 1990

From: New Zealand Society of Genealogists : 1990 Sesquicentennial Family Biography Competition collection

Reference: MS-Papers-4280-006

Description: Title continues:`...a house at Sunrise, 1910-1930'. Elizabeth and Thomas Kempton junior's youngest son Frank Valentine took over the `Elm Grove' property of approximately 600 acres. He and Minnie had two children, Victor and Maisie. The number of cows milked increased to 90, a large herd for those times. The story concludes by recording Frank's death in 1952 and the progression of `Elm Grove' from 1865-1987. Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1987

By: Stevenson, Margaret Forbes, 1920-

Reference: MS-Papers-5415

Description: Stevenson wrote her account in 1987 and begins by describing her family and their situation from when she was born in Pahiatua in 1920 until the 1950s when her marriage ended. She describes the daily life and routines of the family, the various moves they made - to Wellsford, Hamilton, back to Pahiatua, Ongarue, Makokomiko and Wellington - the work her father did which included selling books for the Seventh-Day Adventists and being a farm manager - and of life at the various schools she and her sisters attended. She describes working in Wellington at the Sanitarium Health Food vegetarian cafe, her marriage to Bob Woods, various events in their family life and their subsequent separation when she began working at the Odeon picture theatre in Auckland. She also discusses the role of religion in a person's upbringing. Stevenson and her husband narrowly missed being on the Tangiwai train and she elaborates on this. Quantity: 1 folder(s) (48 leaves). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescript and printed matter (photocopy) Provenance: Donor/Lender/Vendor - Donated by Mrs M F Stevenson, Pt Chevalier, Auckland, November 1995 Line drawings of the mill at Ongarue where the family lived and the area after a fire, of a camp oven and a diagram of their living quarters; photographs of the family and houses they had lived in and of the Pohangina Post Office and Store

Date: 1882-1887

From: Anderson family : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-10737-1

Description: These are a series of letters from New Zealand by William Forster Mills and Helen Mills (nee Anderson) covering the period 1882-1887 and dealing mainly with the setting up and farming of a block of land in Rangitikei near Marton named Sudbury station by Helen and William Mills Accompanying material - Notes, `The Mills letters - 1991', by donor, accompany the folder Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1864-1919

From: Stewart, Frances E V, fl 2005 : Histories of the Ranby, Withersgill, Burr and McKay families

Reference: MS-Papers-5229-3

Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1903-1921

By: Furniss, John, 1852-1922

Reference: MS-Papers-1552

Description: Comprises letters written by John Furniss and his wife Mary, of Rangiwahia, via Feilding, and Huntly, to George and Elizabeth Pearson of Totley, Sheffield, England, in which he describes breaking in the land, small farming, other rural activities, living conditions and finances at Rangiwahia and after 1907, near Huntly. He also describes the difficulties of travel to Auckland for balloting of land, 1906. Also includes a biographical note compiled by Jack Furniss, and reminiscences of Grace Boshier (nee Furniss). Accompanying material - See backfile for family history research papers relating to Furniss Family, including family tree - 'John Furniss Family' and 'John Furniss Early Sheffield Socialist'. Quantity: 1 folder(s) (12 pieces). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss and typescript

Date: 1989-1995

By: Blanchard, Dorothy Alice, 1915-2013

Reference: MS-Group-0439

Description: Blanchard tells the story of her life, her childhood, school years, training as a teacher and subsequent life living on a farm at Tokirima. Although largely chronological she makes many connections with the past. The autobiography resulted from an oral history interview (prior to deposit in 1989; tapes with Oral History Section) which indicated Mrs Blanchard had a much longer story to tell than could be told on tape. Source of title - Supplied Other Titles - My road to Tokirima Quantity: 7 folder(s). 0.10 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holograph and typescript

Date: 1835-1860

By: Harding, John, 1820-1899

Reference: MS-0929

Description: Letters from John Harding of Waipukarau and other members of the Harding family Source of title - Supplied John and Emma Harding came to Wellington as assisted immigrants on the `Birman' in 1842 Quantity: 1 volume(s) (48 leaves). 0.02 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescript (27 cm, red linen)

Date: 1906-1936

From: Adkin, George Leslie, 1888-1964 :Photographs of New Zealand geology, geography, and the Maori history of Horowhenua

Reference: PA1-q-006

Description: Album related to farming operations, stock and general development at Sonoma (North Block), sections 3E No. 4 & No 2, Blocks VI & VII, Waiopehu S.D., Horowhenua; and Woodside, section 42, Block 11, Waiopehu S.D., Queen Street East, Levin. Photographs dated between 1906 and 1936. Both sections owned by members ot the Adkin family. Scenes in 1914 showing the site of a sawmill owned by P Bartholomew, which was removed when the timber had been cleared. Shows the land from first bush clearance, felling of bush and burn-off, to arable fields and crops, including growing of swedes and potatoes. Also shows construction of a traffic bridge over the Makahika River.

Date: 1822-1891

From: Stewart, Frances E V, fl 2005 : Histories of the Ranby, Withersgill, Burr and McKay families

Reference: MS-Papers-5229-2

Description: History of the Wintersgill family, and in particular of William Wintersgill; includes account the Burr family who lived near the Wintersgills at Foxton Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: ca 1900-ca 1910

From: Main, William :Photographs of the Nelson properties at Pori, north eastern Wairarapa.

Reference: PA1-o-1206

Description: Most of the New Zealand images relate to the Nelson family, their farms, farm houses, and farm buildings in the Pori area, north eastern Wairarapa, and scenic views of the area such as the Makuri River, a waterfall at Tiraumea, Annedale north of Tainui, the Pori Bridge, and native forest. The images of the farm houses include building a stable and buggy house, views of the yard with washing drying, a hen run, and a view of the dining room at "Ruatea". Four images are of Hugh Nelson's whare which was the first building constructed at "Taumata". There are three photographs of local Maori, one of bullock teams at Tiraumea, snow covered landscape at "Nga Mahanga", a picnic group with horses and buggys, and many views of the countryside from the Nelson farms showing cleared, partially cleared and forested land, much of it covered with the gaunt trunks of burnt off bush. There are group photographs of the families and friends. As well as the men these include women (wives?) Lucy, Katie, and Winifred, and children, Robert, Frances, and Dorothea. Other new Zealand houses include two probably located at Annedale with the names "Te Hoe" and "Manawa", and another in Featherston called "Newstead". The English images are of family and friends and various places, houses and churches which include Dover, Tunbridge Wells, Broadstairs, Minehead, Ostend, Clovelly, Lynton, Lymouth, Doon Valley, Meywingen, St Saviours Leeds, and Chester Cathedral Arrangement: Loose prints originally in this album can be found at PAColl-7868-1 Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Date: 1913-1916

By: Ward, Alexander Lee, 1877-1964

Reference: MSX-4552

Description: Letter book kept by Ward. The majority of the letters are related to to the running of Woodcliffe Farm and deal with livestock, farm supplies and finance. Ward possessed one of the earliest shearing machines in New Zealand and correspondence relating to this is included. There are also several letters written by Ward's wife. Woodcliffe Farm, Wimbledon was broken in in the 1870s by Ward's father, Alexander Quantity: 1 volume(s) (107 pages). 0.02 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holograph and mss (carbon copies) Provenance: Donor/Lender/Vendor - Donated by Mrs E Lee, Wellington, 1997

Date: 1882-1887

From: Anderson family : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-4412-1

Description: The letters are written during the period October 1882 to January 1887 by both William Forster and Helen Mills to their parents and family in England. The letters deal mainly with their life at Sudbury, although the earlier ones deal with William Forster's time in Wanganui looking for land. William Forster Mills emigrated to New Zealand in 1880. He married Helen Anderson, whom he met here. They set and farmed a block of land near Marton in Rangitikei, named Sudbury. Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Holographs

Date: 1888-1925

By: Cox, James, 1846-1925

Reference: MS-0621-0655

Description: Day to day record of the life of an itinerant labourer. Most days are recorded, in a pencilled hand on tiny pieces of paper. Entries typically begin with a summary of the weather before recounting his work and movements for the day. Occasionally there is brief comment on social and political events. Navigate to child records to see the digitised copies of each diary Publication - Miles Fairburn `Nearly out of heart and hope. The puzzle of a colonial labourer's diary' (AUP, 1995) discusses Cox's life and diary keeping in depth. See also Fairburn's entry on Cox in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Collection file has copies of correspondence with donor, research notes etc Source of title - Supplied title James Cox arrived from England in 1880. From 1889-1890 he worked in flax mills in Manawatu; In 1890-1891 he spent some months in Christchurch before returning to flax mill work near Levin and Foxton; For much of 1892 and 1893 he could not find work and was reduced to a swagman existence around Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay. Later he based himself in Carterton and did a variety of casual labouring jobs. Old age and ill health made employment diffcult during the later 1910s, but his life improved when he was accepted into the Carter Home of indigent men in Carterton. He lived there from 1918 until three months before his death when he moved to the Buchanan Home, Greytown. Quantity: 35 volume(s). 0.50 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holographs (grey case folders in grey box)

Date: 1868-1887

By: Swainson, William John, 1824-1887

Reference: qMS-1962

Description: Letters written from the Rangitikei dealing mostly with family matters. Includes reference to private farm cadet schemes and Halcombe's involvement in them and references to Sir George Grey Includes one letter from John Williams Marshall, son-in-law of Swainson Quantity: 1 volume(s) (various pagings). Physical Description: Typescript (28 cm; red linen)

Date: 28 Mar 1994 - 14 Apr 1994

From: The Men in Our Lives oral history project

By: Batley, Robert Anthony Leighton, 1923-2004

Reference: OHInt-0406-06

Description: Tony Batley outlines his family history going back to 1863 when his grandfather joined the crew of the `Royal Bride` which sailed to New Zealand and anchored off the coast at Napier (Paytoney) where a local gale blew the vessel over. Local Maori formed a living chain and saved the crew - Grandfather was thirteen years old with no possessions. Was hired for a couple of years by Sir Donald McLean who had a sheep station at Marae Kakako. Evenually in 1882, after several jobs, grandfather returned to Moawhango and opened a store with his brother Thomas Snelling and in 1883 opened a post office. He acted as interpreter for the Maori Land Court held in Moawhango in 1894. Discusses his life in Taihape, apart from 4 years in the Airforce, which included a course in firearms in Levin and Ohakea camp before duty in the Solomon Islands, arriving in Guadacannal on his 21st birthday. Recalls the RNZ Airforce camp called `Bloody Knoll on Ridge' had been a scene of heavy fighting in 1942. Describes the tension. Refers to Ventura bombers, the S Brauning Machine guns and depth charges. Describes the impact of returning to Moawhango and the Taihape district and how it re-awakened his interest in the history of the area and in 1946 he began to abstract his grandfather's diaries and relates extracts from them. Describes many interests. He was on the Council of the Polynesian Society; was a Board Member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust; Chairman of the Kaimanawa Kaueha Forest Park Advisory Committe; President of the New Zealand Archaeological Society and currently on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Regional Committee, Wanganui. Discusses the peopling of inland Patea by Tamtea and his descendants. Notes that Ngati Hotu were the original iwi. Discusses Winiata marae and the Moawhango and Orua Matua carved houses. Tells the story of Ngatarua and land given to Ngati Hinemanu. Abstracted by - Susan Hawes Interviewer(s) - Susan Hawes Recorded by - Susan Hawes Venue - The Homested, Moawhango Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-006749-006755; OHLCD-1295-1300 Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 6.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-1530. 5 photographs

Date: 1915-1946

Reference: MS-Papers-11795

Description: Notebook contains transcripts of poetry and quotations, newspaper clippings and transcriptions of cooking and medicinal recipes, household hints and instructions for various tasks, including waterproofing a boat and tanning hides. Also included: transcription of a news item taken from the New Zealand Truth for 23 June 1917, in which Neils Nikolaison of Ormondville advertises for a farmhand and draws two satirical replies, with one of the writers calling himself 'Jorgen Olesen'. This appears as part of a Truth campaign against war conscription. Brief diary from 16 December 1915 to 7 February 1916 with one-line entries of a voyage from London to Auckland, then to Wellington on an unnamed ship which internal evidence indicates is the New Zealand Shipping Company's vessel Rotorua; Note concerning the cut-off of water heating, dated 'June 17th 1946'. The inside back cover lists names and addresses of friends in England, all of whom are women. Source of title - Supplied by Library The identity of the writer is unknown. However, the emphasis on recipes and housekeeping tips, and the fact that all the listed English contacts in the back of the book are female, suggests that the writer may have been a woman, who came out to New Zealand on the ship Rotorua, landing in Wellington on 7 February 1916. Quantity: 1 volume(s). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holograph, printed matter Provenance: Donated by Sean McMahon, who purchased it from a second-hand bookshop in Carterton Donor/Lender/Vendor - Donation, curator, 2014

Date: [ca 1920s]

From: Buckley, John David, 1901-1983 :Photographs

Reference: PA1-o-1804

Description: Photograph album owned, and probably compiled by, Agnes Buckley containing photographs relating to Agnes Mary Buckley's family and her time working as a nurse at Whanganui Public Hospital, ca 1918-1935. Photographers unidentified. Album contains images from nursing life in Wanganui including Agnes and other nurses working (some identified by nicknames), patients in both the child and adult wards as well as convalescing outside in the garden, and preparations for a celebration at the hospital. Also shows the nurses socialising outside of work; new silk stockings, a picnic at Castlecliff Beach, and the wedding of an unidentified couple are covered. Family photographs include portraits as well as pictures from the farm featuring cows, horse riding, dogs, the family home, and clearance of farmland. Miscellaneous images show the main street of Taihape, Durie Hill and the Wanganui River, cars, rural roads, a tea party, Agnes on a motorbike, and an unidentified brass band. Inscriptions: Center top of front album cover reads 'A Buckley. Public Hospital. Wanganui.' Check PAColl-10087 for missing prints Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Photograph album with brown card cover and string binding

Date: ca 1900-ca 1910

From: Main, William :Photographs of the Nelson properties at Pori, north eastern Wairarapa.

Reference: PA1-o-1205

Description: The two Nelson farms in this album are "Nga Mahanga" (Hugh Nelson's place), and "Taumata" (Jack Nelson's place). Views show the farm houses, and farm buildings, the farm land and landscape of the Pori area partially cleared of bush. One group of images shows the countryside under snow. There are a series of five images recording the building of a stables and buggy house, also a view of the woolshed and sheep at "Taumata". Scenic views of the area include the Makuri River ford, native forest interiors with pongas, and native forest. Four images show the interior of Hugh Nelson's whare which was the first building constructed at "Taumata". There are two photographs of local Maori standing beside tents in a bush clearing, one of army volunteers in uniform standing in front of tents, two of soldiers at an unidentified event, many of horses, some of hens, dogs, cats, and cattle. Two prints show one of the Nelson brothers cutting long grass with a scythe and 4 others are views of an unidentified house and its garden at Tiraumea (a distant view of this house surrounded by pinus radiata shelter belts and its surrounding countryside can be seen in album PA1-o-1206, page 7 captioned "Tiraumea"). There are also some images of "Newstead" the Monckton family home at Featherston. There is only one photograph of a Nelson family group. The rest are individual images of adults and children which include: Frederick Monckton, Lucy Miller (who married Frank Nelson), Winifred, [Lornie?], Dorothea, [Frances?], the brothers and the children. Further information and names provided by researcher. Updated 10 November 2016. Quantity: 1 album(s).