Places

Date: ca1918-1964

By: Taylor, Lewis Francis Paul, 1907-1997; Taylor, Lewis Francis Paul (Mrs), active 1995

Reference: PAColl-4936

Description: Two albums cover Lewis Taylor's school days at Wellington college, his friends and their exploits - swimming, tramping, hunting and boating. There are also a number of photos of people - probably family members. A third album covers Taylor's trip to Britain and the Continent during the late 1920s. The purpose of this was to try and join the RAF. There is another album of much the same period of a trip to the Pacific Islands. The fifth album records the Fourth Informal Meeting of Directors of Civil Aviation in Asia and the South Pacific, Tokyo, 16-20 November 1964 Arrangement: Albums housed at PA1-o-742 to 744, PA1-q-566 and 567 Quantity: 5 album(s).

Date: 01-31 08 2006

From: Methven Heritage Project - RSA and Arable oral history project

By: Lochhead, Arthur William Allan, 1915-2008

Reference: OHInt-0920-11

Description: Lived in Ashburton 1915-2008. Backgrounds parents Arthur Osborn Lochhead and Kathleen Alma Lochhead (nee Ruddenklau) who ran a mixed farm at Mount Somers. Recalls leaving farm at ten years to come to Methven when his father went shearing. After leaving school worked at Hobbs seed cleaning store. Details sewing bags on tin mill and poisoning rabbits while working at Rangaitata Island farm for Frank Ruddenklau, his uncle. Says he then drove tractor and plough at Springfield estate farm for his grandfather Frederick Ruddenklau. Refers to being held back from World war Two service for 12 months because he was head sewer on the header. Says he left in 1941 from Wellington on board the Aquitania after three months training as a driver at Trentham. Refers to his three brothers going to war. Describes voyage via Fremantle, South Africa, the Red Sea to arrive at Port Tewfik, Egypt. Talks about training at Maadi Camp to be in 6 RMT (Reserve Mechanical Transport). Discusses transport of petrol and water and conditions in the desert, food, snakes, flies, clearing mine fields. Refers to taking 26th Battalion to Sidi Rezegh. Mentions brother George Lochhead in battle of Sidi Rezegh, being taken prisoner of war and getting the Victoria Cross medal. Talks about being present at El Alamein battle, everything bursting into fire at night, and being at Tobruk. Brief mention of Battle of Minqar Qaim, and a bullet through his radiator. Describes drinking sprees in Cairo, the Club, sightseeing at Pyramids and Nile River, Aswad Dam, hiring gharries. Talks about Methven and Districts reunion dinner in Cairo. Refers to getting pneumonia and having to go to Alexandria Hospital, then going to Palestine to recuperate. Says the whole DIV (2nd NZEF) went to Aleppo, Syria for six weeks working with refugees and road making. Mentions meeting Bedouins in the desert. Describes returning to Mersa Matruh with 23rd Battalion on board. Discusses mail and food parcels from home. Mentions role of Major Hood, the commander. Talks about driving at night time over the Apennines mountain range in Italy where the 6 RMT broke up. Talks about working in Mobile ambulance company on Italian front during winter. Says took wounded from the field and from the Casualty Clearing station and RAP, and took locals to Italian hospitals. Mentions Methven local nurse Natalie Currie bringing wounded. Talks about being based in Forli, sleeping in his ambulance and mortar bombs hitting it. Recalls General Freyberg visiting the 6 RMT and Winston Churchill coming on parade. Talks about playing cards, rugby, trying Italian wine. Had leave in Florence. Says sent pay home for his family. Talks about going to Trieste and being in Udine when the war ended. Describes hitch hiking via Milan, Genoa, Turin, Lake Como to Bari. Expands on trip on the 'Georgic' to Maadi Camp, Egypt, and on the 'Strathaird' passenger liner home. Says post war he worked at Mid Canterbury transport, Pudding Hill timber mill, Jackson's limeworks, Staveley. Refers to working for Arie Van Dyke and Lofty Chambers, and then becoming partners with Chambers in a potatoe farm. Says he set up own business in the 1960s. Recalls building a brick house in Methven when he married his first wife Jean in 1958 who died in 1972. Talks about remarriage to Alma Rowney. Says bought 84 acre triangle Cambrose Village and sold land for the Methven Motor Services building. Describes land improvements. Says he rented the Methven race course to grow potatoes and wheat on rotation. Refers to growing cocksfoot, white clover, barley, wheat, French oats and ran sheep. Refers to growing grain on contract. Says was first to grow Rua poatatoes in Methven. Refers to Dakota potatoe and keeping potatoes in pits against frost. Describes transition from horse teams to tractors, headers replacing thrashing mills, changing from manpower to a transport hoist for lifting potatoe 70lb bags. Refers to snow storms, impact of droughts, Lyndhurst irrigation Scheme. Talks about using sprays, arsenic, reglone. Mentions topdressing with fertiliser. Says retired in 1988 to garden. Interviewer(s) - Nicola Robertson Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-016760 - OHC-016765 Quantity: 6 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Electronic document(s). 1 interview(s). 6 Hours Duration. Physical Description: Textural files - Adobe PDF Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-6033, OHDL-001828. Search dates: 1915 - 2006

Date: [ca 1915-1979]

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

Reference: PAColl-10087

Description: Contains photographs relating to Buckley's sister, Agnes Buckley, who served as a nurse during World War II. Many are of, or include, her. Images are taken by unidentified photographers (possibly including Agnes Buckley and Ron J Moore) with identified photographers John Buckley and Lieutenant C J Justins, ca 1915 to 1979. Photographs mainly relate to Agnes's service during World War II. These feature the time leading up to her departure (including the Waitomo Caves exhibition at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition and family scenes), tourist sites and street scenes in Egypt (including the Sphinx and the pyramids at Giza), fellow nurses and soldiers, and Agnes's funeral in Italy in 1944. There are a number of formal portraits. Miscellaneous images include a Wellington Bomber aircraft crashed on railway lines in Libya and the troopship 'Aquitania' docked in Wellington. Some images of Egypt are hand coloured. Additionally, Agnes's nursing training and work at Taihape Hospital before the war, and family life, are covered. These images include formal portraits. Images of the Taihape War Memorial, and an unidentified group gathered around her framed portrait in the 1970s, are also included. Contains two original enclosures, both of which are annotated. Some prints contain information on the rear. Other - some of these prints have come loose from albums PA1-o-1804 to PA1-o-1807. Quantity: 83 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Photographic prints

Date: 1904-1914

From: Starke, June, 1923-2006: Photographs

Reference: PA1-q-609

Description: Postcards of Britain, Europe, Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand Quantity: 1 album(s). Provenance: This album belonged to the Jack family. Margaret Laing (ca 1898-1959) who was June Stark's aunt and her Father's sister, married James Wilson Jack (ca 1887-1950s). It was through this marriage that the album came into June's family. James Jack's father was the Harbour Master at Tayport opposite Dundee, Scotland. He and his family came to New Zealand in 1887 for the sake of the health of his children (two daughters died of TB). Jack senior became a merchant in Wellington.

Date: 22 Sept 1987 - 22 Sep 1987

From: NZOHA Electricity Centenary Oral History Project Stages I, II and III

By: Girardin, Jack, 1919-

Reference: OHInt-0003/13

Description: Recalls childhood in Italy, family's move to New Zealand in 1930, cultural differences between the countries and parents' attitude to religion, politics, the arts, alcohol, tobacco and discipline. Mentions his own views on politics, smoking and the arts. Refers to primary schooling and night school at Wellington Technical College and Peter McKensie Marine Engineering Academy, Wellington. Mentions apprenticeship at Evans Bay Patent Slip repairing Union Company ships. Recalls work as Marine Engineer for the Union Steamship Co. in 1940s and 1950s, the discipline, health problems, decision to leave the sea. Mentions briefly the effect of being an enemy alien during World War II. Recalls working as an operator at Evans Bay Power Station, replacing the boiler funnel, reblading turbines, the Superintendent - Don Stewart, the boilers, and the useful life of the station. Backgrounds reasons for applying and gaining job as Assistant Station Superintendent, Wairekei Geothermal Power Scheme in the mid-sixties and describes Wairakei, its uniqueness, problems, efficiency for power production, corrosion problems, load factors, cost of production and reliability. Discusses the pilot hot water system, and a request for heavy water from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Outlines problems in managing the field, problems with well head equipment, valves, difficulties with superiors over experimentation, and problems with autonomy. Promoted to Station Superintendent and describes responsibilities, the relationship between Ministry of Works and New Zealand Electricity Department, and the social features of Wairakei Residential Village. Recalls industrial relations, tactics, confrontations and types of disputes. Mentions the large number of visits to the power station and discusses environmental criticism of the station including pollution of Waikato River and subsidence. Speculates about the future of power generation in New Zealand and outlines the major technical developments in power stations during 1960s and 1980s. Access Contact - See oral history librarian Venue - Taupo Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Mr Girardin's home at 38 Tui Street, Taupo Accompanying material - Copy of brief typewritten biography of Jack Girardin Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001678, 001679, 001680, 001681 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3.17 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 263. Search dates: 1919 - 1987