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Date: 29 Aug 1998

From: Owhiro Bay oral history project

By: Hoy, Roberta Ellen, 1911-2000; Hoy, Stanley George, 1908-1999

Reference: OHInt-0429-2

Description: Roberta Ellen Hoy, born 1911 in Thunder Bay, Canada. Talks about her early life in Canada, and her parents Alice Maud Sheppard and Robert Newstead. Describes trans-Atlantic travel, including avoiding the fateful last voyage of the RMS Lusitania. Describes life under the class system in London, subsequent emigration to Owhiro Bay, Wellington, New Zealand in 1950, and talks about the helpfulness of New Zealanders compared to class distinctions in England. Talks about women's fashion in New Zealand in the 1950s, and social life and development in Owhiro Bay. Talks about her artistic work, including oil paintings and watercolours of Owhiro Bay, Maori, and locations around New Zealand. Stanley George Hoy, known as Stan, born 1908 in London. Describes his life in England and his later life in New Zealand. Talks about his parents Florence Ethermay Stanbridge and Henry Thomas James Hoy. Describes childhood, education, trade training and early employment in the gas industry, and military service in World War Two. Describes impressions of low quality of housing in Owhiro Bay and Wellington, and describes renovations to family house in Owhiro Bay. Interviewer(s) - Ann Barrie Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 2 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3969. Search dates: 1908 - 1911 - 1998

Date: 27 Dec 2006

From: Otari Wilton's Bush oral history project

By: Poole, Alick Lindsay, 1908-2008

Reference: OHInt-0830-12

Description: Interview with Lindsay Poole, born Whatatutu 1908. Recalls his schooling which included Whakarewarewa School and Kings College, Auckland. Describes how he began his forestry career at the Rotorua Forestry Conservancy which was headed by H.A. Goudie. Refers to working in the nursery at Whakarewarewa, looking after the seed store, and seed-collecting trips. Recalls jobs in the forestry service disappearing during the Depression. Mentions working for the Botany Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and shifting to Wellington to work for the DSIR, where he met Dr Leonard Cockayne. Recalls the authorities enticed Cockayne to Wellington by buying and setting up Otari. Discusses the death of Cockayne, construction of his grave at Otari, and the erection of a boulder tombstone. Comments on Otari's importance in demonstrating the vegetation available in Wellington and its global ecological importance. Interviewer(s) - Jonathan Kennett Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015381 Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 1 C60 cassette(s). 38 Minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5572. Search dates: 1908 - 2006

Date: 17 Dec 1985

From: New Zealand Post Office Oral History Project

By: Smith, George Henry Alexander Sidney, 1908-1987

Reference: OHInt-0070/22

Description: George Smith recalls his family background, childhood in Petone, effect on the family of the influenza epidemic of 1918, the Post Office Association Welfare Fund, smoking in the Post Office, duties as a lineman and chauffeur in Lower Hutt ca 1926, transferring to Rarimu during the Depression 1930s, work as message boy in Petone Post Office from 1923, interview for job, uniform, salary, deliveries, sorting, Ericsson telegraph equipment and procedures, delivery routes, work as junior lineman Lower Hutt 1926, methods of erecting poles, effects of Hutt River floods, the way the General Division was viewed by others. Describes personalities, feelings about work, Tommy Dale the Wellsford policeman ca 1942, the town of Wellsford ca 1942, the effect of the Depression 1930s, ceremony of automatic cutover in Wellsford in 1964, role of overseer, geographical organisation in Wellsford - fault areas, effect of lineman work on health, faults and on call work, details of the Eureka Line Camp during the Depression 1930s. Access Contact - see oral history librarian Venue - Auckland Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - 72 Port Albert Road, Wellsford Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001233 - OHC-001235 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 164. Search dates: 1908 - 1985

Date: 14 Dec 1985

From: New Zealand Post Office Oral History Project

By: McLaughlin, James, 1908-1994

Reference: OHInt-0070/29

Description: Jim McLaughlin recalls family background, childhood in Westport, education, early work as message boy in Post and Telegraph Department in Westport, the postmaster W T Johnston, details of shifts, duties, salary, uniform and cleanliness, clearing post boxes, discipline, training in morse, layout of Westport Post Office, selling telephones to the farmers, peoples' reaction to telephones initially, operators listening to telephone calls, importance of wrist in sending morse, press telegrams, suicide of telegraphists, mentions work as radio inspector and signals officer in World War II, traits needed for good telegraphy. Describes earthquakes, Murchison earthquake June 1929, damage, conditions in Nelson, effect of earthquake on communications, land and forestry, relieving work at Nelson Post Office as telegraph cadet, acquaintanceship with Keith and Norma Holyoake, Motueka, transfering to Wellington radio in 1931, Depression in 1930s, work as radio operator in Chatham Islands 1930s, describes place, the post office and the radio station, the spark transmitter, death and funeral of Tommy Solomon, the Moriori, the racing club, life of the Chatham Islanders, fishing, background to becoming radio inspector in Nelson from 1936-1943, work as radio inspector at Nelson in World War II, duties, training radio operators for the Hudson bombers, work as Maori interpreter at the Chatham Islands from 1932-1936. Talks about work as senior radio inspector in Hamilton from 1943 to 1965, views on engineers, involvement in several Royal visits, reference to some notible Post Office events from 1930-1962, attitude of Head Office to his work, retirement. Access Contact - See oral history librarian Venue - Hamilton Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - 60 Awatere Avenue, Hamilton Accompanying material - Copies of the following included in printed abstract: Jim McLaughlin's curriculum vitae, typed, two pages; various radiograms to Jim McLaughlin; article from the Waikato times, 24 Mar 1958 entitled 'American satellite heard in Hamilton; 'Powerful signals picked up from Soviet satellite', Waikato times, 14 October 1957; various other articles about the same subject; a letter from Alan Frame from the Old Timers' Club to Jim McLaughlin; editorial by Leo Simpson entitled 'So you think you're an engineer, mate!', Electronics Australia, August 1984. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001240 - OHC-001243 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 161. Search dates: 1908 - 1985

Date: 19-20 June 2013 - 19 Jun 2013 - 20 Jun 2013

By: Goodall, Gladys Mary, 1908-2015; Manson, Heugh Cecil Drummond, 1941-

Reference: OHColl-1078-1

Description: Interview with photographer and centenarian Gladys Mary Goodall, QSM, conducted in Fendalton, Christchurch in four sessions over two days, from 19-20 June 2013. Goodall discusses her family life during the depression, becoming a nurse, taking up photography, and her experiences travelling around New Zealand as a photographer. She discusses her process of taking photographs, working with light, aerial photography, and explains the stories behind some of her iconic images. Sponsored by - Project commisioned by the Alexander Turnbull Library and National Library of New Zealand Public Programmes Abstracted by - Hugo Manson Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 1 Electronic document(s) Microsoft Word file. 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3.19 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete. Search dates: 1908 - 2013

Date: 8 July 1992 - 08 Jul 1992

By: Grenfell, Norman Wilfrid, 1908-2001; Casey, Cathy, 1957-

Reference: OHColl-0075/1

Description: Norman Wilfred (Wilfrid ?) Grenfell born Wellington 1908. Recalls life as a clerk before the outbreak of World War II. Gives reasons for grading because of flat feet. Became 2nd Lieutenant and was attached to 75th Light Brigade and was involved in training men. Mentions threat of Japanese landing. Recalls being transferred to Featherston Camp and journey which took 2 hours and 40 mins by train from Wellington. Reference to Charlie Gardiner. Describes officers mess and recalls barbed wire and first impressions of Featherston. Discusses the Japanese prisoners held at Trentham. Recalls not being there during the riot - arrived months later but was responsible for seeing that blood stained clothing was burned. Recalls hearing reactions of those who were at the camp during riot and the efforts he made to find out what happened to bodies and describes information received. Mentions some Japanese prisoners - Nakiama (no 1 boy), Adachi (a sub Lieutenant) and Oby (Obi). Describes Saturday morning parade when 100 Japanese prisoners marched down Main St, Featherston and type of work done by prisoners. Talks about prisoners escapes. Describes artefacts which he picked up. Reference to canes, card sticks and mahjong set. Mentions Court of Inquiry held into incident at Featherston and keeps a transcript of it. Refers to Keith Robertson who gave evidence at inquiry. Recalls end of war and Japanese marching out with reference to Sandy Ashton (an interrogater). Describes social life at the time and the hospitality received from the Donald family who were in the Wairarapa since 1840 and ran a dairy farm - Reference to Aunt Bessy and import of first butter making machine. Recalls meeting wife and marriage. Other topics covered include: Featherston after departure; building of tunnel; reverting back to civilian life and intervening 50 years. Fred Howell of Heritage Featherston sat in on interview but didn't take part except to comment when Norman was showing artefacts. Access Contact - see oral history librarian Venue - Featherston Abstracted by - Gabrielle McLaughlin Interviewer(s) - Cathy Casey Venue - 112 Fitzherbert St, Featherston Accompanying material - Newspaper clippings from Wairarapa Times Age, of Editorial Features run by Cathy Casey on Featherston Camp prisoners during World War II. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-004986-004987; OHLC-001254-001255 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1. 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB-0963. Search dates: 1908 - 1992