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Date: 6-7 May 1998 - 06 May 1998 - 07 May 1998

From: Government House oral history project Stage I

By: Hawthorn, Raymond George, 1927-2007

Reference: OHInt-0636/4

Description: Ray Hawthorn was born in Wellington in 1927. Gives details of his family background. Describes spending school holidays with his maternal grandfather, a butcher, at Rongotea. Describes his work routine, killing a pig and making sausages. Recalls difficult times during the Depression and his father's unemployment. Describes time off school for infantile paralysis (polio). Talks about growing up in Owen Street in Newtown, Wellington, being a cub and a boy scout and attending Wellington South School. Describes employment as a telegram boy with Post and Telegraph. Discusses restrictions on telegrams during World War II. Talks about becoming Government House delivery boy then being transferred from the Post Office to the Internal Affairs Department. Mentions Albert Naulls. Describes the Official Secretary at Government House, David Fouhy, and comments on the formality. Mentions the Governor-General was Sir Cyril Louis Norton Newall. Describes how the butler ruled one half of Government House, the Official Secretary the other. Describes lunches, etiquette, forms of address and curtseying. Discusses formalities at staff meals and explains the hierarchy. Discusses military hero Lord Freyberg who was the next Governor-General from 1946-1952. Comments on Lord and Lady Freyberg as a couple. Recalls visits of Eleanor Roosevelt, Lord Mountbatten, Field Marshall Montgomery and Lyndon B Johnson. Comments on politicians Sir Sidney Holland and Peter Fraser. Talks about the gardens at Government House and changes to the building before a royal tour. Discusses the 1953 Royal Tour, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Mentions the Tangiwai disaster. Talks about getting married in 1956 to Shirley Goldfinch who worked at Government House. Describes his daily working routine, with reference to the mail, becoming senior orderly and later Administration Officer. Discusses the etiquette of presenting decorations. Talks about Lord Norrie, Governor-General from 1952-1957, and Lord Cobham. Mentions Lord Cobham's love of cricket. Discusses relationships between Governors-General and Prime Ministers. Mentions Walter Nash. Talks about English aides de camp before the time of Lord Porritt and changes with employment of more New Zealanders as staff. Describes the replacement of David Fouhy by David Williams as Official Secretary. Discusses the relationship between the Official Secretary and the Comptroller. Describes moving Government House to Auckland for three months each year. Talks about Sir Denis Blundell as Governor-General from 1972-1977 and then Sir Keith Holyoake. Comments on Waitangi Day and protest, Dame Whina Cooper and the 1981 Springbok Tour. Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 4.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3398.

Date: 03 Dec 1984

From: New Zealand Post Office Oral History Project

By: Barr, Charles William Mayo, 1893-1988

Reference: OHInt-0070/02

Description: Charles Barr describes in detail family background, father's cartage business, childhood in Christchurch in the 1890s and 1900s, including clothing worn. Recalls education and mentions classmate Sid Holland. Describes first employment at a tobacconist shop, then employment at the Post Office and work as a message boy, wages, conditions, uniforms. Mentions nickname was Sandow. Details work in the Telegraph Operating Room, discusses the importance of telegrams. Recalls the Telegraph Training School at Oamaru, and discusses the personality, stresses, requirements of the ideal telegraphist, social life. Describes his service in World War I in the ANZAC Wireless Troop, serving in India, Iran, and France. Talks about conditions of service. Recalls career after the war in the Telegram Delivery Branch, Christchurch, changes in telegram delivery, growing employment of women in both Post Office and Telegraph Branch, the Post and Telegraph Association (later the Post Office Union), Post Office administration and attitude to staff, his later employment as Rehabilitation Officer for the Post Office. Venue - Christchurch Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Claremont Avenue, Christchurch Accompanying material - Four pages of handwritten biographical notes and a newspaper article obituary on Mr Rupert Thomas Wood of Rotorua attached to the printed abstract Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-000746 - OHC-000749A Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3.09 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB-110. Search dates: 1893 - 1984

Date: 27 Nov 1984

From: New Zealand Post Office Oral History Project

By: Dick, George, 1894-1985

Reference: OHInt-0070/28

Description: George Dick describes family background, father's work as a miner at Denniston and Kaitangata, father's work accident. Details childhood home and life in Kaitangata in the late 1890s and early 1900s, pastimes, food, smoking, education and early jobs. Recalls work as a message boy in rural post offices, uniform and clothing, salary, promotion to postman then a telegraph cadet at Takaka, learning morse and telegraphy techniques. Talks about the press wires, handwriting, confidentiality of telegrams, the Post and Telegraph Association, Post Office Savings Bank methods of balancing interest, post office life pre 1914, women in the post office, morse telegraphy, salaries, working hours, early colleagues - Mr Mahoney. Describes service in World War I at Gallipoli with Canterbury Infantry, Quinn's Post, evacuation because of typhoid fever, Hornchurch Camp and post office, Zeppelin airships over London, the war years and service in London at the Records Office. Recalls returning to New Zealand in 1919, marriage to Gertrude Martin, work as a telegraphist, work in Post Office Savings Bank, salary cuts during the Depression, Post Office building design, lack of training, motor registrations, original ledger offices. Recalls time as Postmaster in Opotiki and Lower Hutt and talks about retirement. Venue - Ngatea Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Held at RD 2 (Pipiroa Road), Ngatea Accompanying material - Copy of a letter from the Director-General of the New Zealand Post Office to George Dick (included in printed abstract) Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-000736 - OHC-000739A Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.27 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 113. Black and white photographs as follows:. George Dick in uniform, World War, 1914-1918. Group photograph including George Dick, Post & Telegraph Guard, 1914. Group photograph including George Dick at Hornchurch, England, 1916. George Dick, 1948. George Dick, 1984. Opotiki Post Office (1940s). Opotiki flood, 1945 Search dates: 1894 - 1984