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Date: 08 Aug 2011

From: Milford oral history project

By: Dunsford, Deborah (Dr), active 2001-2012; Sanders, Elena Raquel, 1919-

Reference: OHInt-1017-07

Description: Interview with Elena Raquel (nee Jeff) Sanders. Born in 1919 in Okahukura (King Country). Her mother was from Chile, and her father, a New Zealander, who was a civil engineer who had worked abroad in Chile. Describes how her parents got married in Chile, and her parents' decision to return to New Zealand. Discusses her family moving around in New Zealand for her father's work with the Public Works Department, and recalls living in Christchurch, Hastings, Taumarunui, and Ohakune. Explains that the family first moved to Dargaville and Whangarei, and then moved to Milford before 1935. Describes their family's house in Milford at 15 Ocean View Road. Recalls shops on Kitchener Road in Milford, and speaking Spanish at home. Describes attending Takapuna Grammar School and Seddon Technical College to take a home science course. Describes sewing lessons at Seddon, and travelling by bus between Milford and Devonport. Discusses joining the Milford Tennis Club with her neighbour who was French. Describes playing tennis and swimming in the ocean. Describes life during the depression, and wearing hand me down clothing. Recalls times when they were short on food, and tells story of brother spending pocket money on day-old cakes. Explains that she had wanted to work, but her mother wouldn't allow it. Eventually her father convinced her mother to let her go work at a milliner. Explains that her brothers grew and sold pumpkins for pocket money, and her sisters cooked and helped at home, but didn't get paid. Describes going to pictures with her brothers on Saturday afternoons. Recounts story of travelling with her brothers and father to get a job near Dargaville, and cutting her ringlets off to look like a boy. Describes time spent at the beach with her mother. Discusses two piece bathing costumes, and making them from patterns. Describes homemade suntan lotion from olive oil and vinegar, and that some at school thought they were Maori. Explains that they taught themselves to swim and swam in the ocean at every opportunity they got. Describes the Milford surf life saving club, and their supervision of swimmers at the beach. Describes the Milford mini golf course, and describes the dances and bands at Ye Olde Pirate Shippe, and her experiences attending dances. Discusses food at Ye Olde Pirate Shippe, and life in Milford during World War Two. Describes working at the Chief Post Office during the war, and flatting in Devonport. Describes how she met her husband, Lloyd Sanders, and her mother's relationship to family back in Chile. Interviewer(s) - Deborah Dunsford Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 2.04 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete.

Date: 20 Sep 2012

From: Milford oral history project

By: Dunsford, Deborah (Dr), active 2001-2012; McGreal, Maurice, 1918-

Reference: OHInt-1017-05

Description: Interview with Maurice Eugene McGreal. Born 1918, Otahuhu, Auckland, and lived on parents' farm at Weymouth. Describes Weymouth village and farm life and chores. Discusses siblings and the house where they grew up. Describes the journey from Weymouth to Milford, and the family's first car, a Ford purchased in 1924/1925. Discusses Irish family connections in Christchurch, and family reunions with O'Connells, Fitzpatricks, and McGreals. Describes an accidental shooting on a boat at a picnic in 1927/1928, where Nicholas Gibbons suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, and lost an arm. The story was covered in the Manukau Courier newspaper. Describes taking a general course at Sacred Heart College in Grey Lynn, and the entrance exam for teacher's college. Describes the commute between Weymouth and Sacred Heart College, and changes to his farm responsibilities. Recalls going to pictures in Manurewa, and social events in Weymouth and Manurewa halls. Describes social events at teachers' college. States that he was uninterested in social offerings in Milford at the time. Interviewer(s) - Deborah Dunsford Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 0.35 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete.

Date: 04 Jul 2012

From: Milford oral history project

By: Dunsford, Deborah (Dr), active 2001-2012; Shaw, Glenn Morris, active 1940-2012; Truscott, Leslie Jeanie, 1923-

Reference: OHInt-1017-09

Description: Interview with sisters Leslie Jeanie Truscott, nee Rogerson, and Glenn Morris Shaw, nee Rogerson. Both were born in Epsom. They describe their grandfather, their grandmother, and the housekeeper, Alice, who was related to their grandmother, who died young. They describe their father's education and work as a lawyer, and their childhood. They also describe the family's six week holidays in Milford during summer and their father taking the ferry to work. Describe shopping for food, a transport to and from Milford. Discuss the beach, bathing suits, and parents' travel to Australia. Describe day trippers to Milford from Auckland and concert parties at the Pirate Shippe. Describe playing miniature golf, boat hire, eating ice blocks, and kiosks in town. Describe the shop and pinball machine at Ye Old Pirate Shippe, as well as time spent at the beach. Discuss surf life saving clubs, the swimming pool, and showering at the boat shed. Describe going to Milford Picturedrome and dances during World War Two. Describe food they ate during holidays at Milford, and Friday night dinners at the Silver Shell restaurant in the 1950s. Describe American soldiers during World War Two, fear of Japanese invasion, and life in Milford during the war generally. Interviewer(s) - Deborah Dunsford Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 2.17 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete.