Places

Date: 1988 - 01 Jan 1988 - 31 Dec 1988

By: Chilton Saint James (School : Lower Hutt, N.Z.)

Reference: OHColl-0121

Description: Interviews with ex-pupils and teachers of Chilton Saint James School, Lower Hutt undertaken by fifth form pupils as part of their School Certificate history class and internal assessment. The interviews focus on experiences of Chilton St James School dating from 1920s to 1970s. The interviewees are David and Justine Ashe, Jennifer Mawson, Suzanne McPherson, Pamela Heyes, Patricia Ansell, Susan Smart, Rosemary Lesley, Nola Fernandez, Bunty Norman, Nancy Earle, Joy Batten, Philippa Corkill, Jocelyn Kerslake, Pamela Newsome, Mrs E. Walker, Rosemary Thomson, Joanna Philps, Elizabeth Morris, Margaret Barns, Rosalie Preston, Margaret Maynard, Carole Paykel, Denise Berg, and Margaret Haugh. Quantity: 30 C60 cassette(s). 24 printed abstract(s). 26 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete Except for Carole Paykel interview.

Date: 17 Oct 2009 and 7 Nov 2009

From: New New Zealanders oral history project

By: Cottrell, Anna, active 1996-2003; Mahendran, Thurairatnam, 1938-

Reference: OHInt-1039-07

Description: Interviewer(s) - Anna Cottrell Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 1 printed abstract(s) OHA-7659. 1 interview(s). 2.37 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete.

Date: 30 Jan 2008

From: Civilian life in New Zealand during the Second World War oral history project

By: Sharp, Geraldine Mary Palmer, 1924-2013

Reference: OHInt-0980-15

Description: Interview with Geraldine Sharp (nee Brown), born in Te Puke in 1924. Talks about her family background, growing up in Te Puke and Lower Hutt, and her father having lost a hand in a workplace accident. Refers to hard times in the Depression and to one brother living with relations. Comments on her schooling and leaving at 15. Refers to being aware war was coming, using blankets for blackout, and not going out alone at night in the darkness. Discusses her brothers' involvement, Allan leaving in the Third Echelon and George going to Fort Dorset. Refers to Allan dying as a prisoner of war in Italy. Talks about a cousin Raymond Swaysland who was a conscientious objector but was not interred because he worked for the railways. Describes their father getting news from a crystal radio with headphones and reading war news in the paper. Explains it became more scary after the Japanese came into the war. Discusses writing to friends and relations serving overseas. Talks about using a bicycle and later buses to get to work, holidays, Christmas during war time, and food rationing. Recalls VE (or VJ) day and going to the pub with fellow workers for a drink. Discusses working at the Wills cigarette factory, an essential industry during the war. Refers to her hearing being affecred by the noise levels at Wills and later at Gadsdens metal fabricating factory where she worked until her marriage. Mentions making four gallon petrol tins and Army biscuit tins at Gadsdens, where she lost a toe in an accident. Comments on company picnics and parties which servicemen attended. Comments on meeting her first husband Arthur Dalley at Gadsdens and his having lost bits of fingers from work accidents. Recalls her father's death [in the early 1940s] and needing to keep working to help out. Refers to her marriage to Arthur ending, meeting her second husband Ron and marrying him in 1970. States that she does not recall the war having any effect on her life, and that her husband Ron never talked about his experiences. Talks about having a pie cart in Whanganui for a number of years, and Johnny Devlin writing a song about it. Refers to working as a hospital cleaner briefly. Mentions her daughter Bronwyn graduated Ph.D. Abstracted by - Erin Flanigan Interviewer(s) - Alison Parr Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001158 Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.52 Hours and minutes Duration. Physical Description: Sound files - wave files Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7338. Photocopy(?) of a black and white photograph of Geraldine Sharp (early 1940s); printout of two colour photographs of Geraldine (2007) Search dates: 1924 - 2008

Date: Jun-Aug 1998

By: Roorda, Mathea, active 1999

Reference: OHColl-0560

Description: Interviews with women who were either involved when the Lower Hutt Women's Centre was established in 1987 or who are currently associated with the Centre. Interviewees are Julie (Jules) Hunt, Vera Ellen, Stephanie Drake-Brockman, Allison (Ally) Andersun and Sylvia Bagnall. Interviewer(s) - Mathea Roorda Another oral history proejct was done to mark the 30th anniversary of the Lower Hutt Women's Centre. See Library reference OHColl-0563. Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 5 printed abstract(s). 5 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete. Search dates: 1998

Date: 07 10 00 - 07 Oct 2000

From: YWCA of Wellington and Hutt Valley oral history project

By: Gill, Jennifer Mary, 1951-

Reference: OHInt-0590-5

Description: Jennifer Mary Gill was born in Lower Hutt in 1951. Talks about her parents, their marriage, and strong belief in education. Mentions relationship with brother, grandparents, and talks about school, Victoria University Wellington, and issues of the early seventies such as the Vietnam War, the Springboks rugby controversy and abortion. Mentions attending the founding meeting of Victoria's Women's Liberation Front. Talks about campus life, politics, flower power, hippiedom and the sense of freedom. Mentions her marriage in 1972, teaching, work for the Council of Organisations for Relief Services Overseas (CORSO), opening a Trade Aid shop, overseas travel and visiting CORSO projects in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Talks about working for Wellington's YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) before and after it was influenced by feminism. Mentions the Willis St building, the shopper's creche, management style, and remaining a board member after the birth of her son. Talks about the contrasting views between older and younger board members, such as police use of YWCA building during the Springbok Tour 1981. Discusses YWCA board meetings and committees, concerns about the Nydia Bay camps, and minimal contact with the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). Compares YWCA with CORSO and the Roy McKenzie Foundation which she later worked for. Talks about Roy McKenzie's preparedness to address hard issues. Mentions Marion Wood's ability as national Director of YWCA. Talks about current position as Executive Director of Fulbright New Zealand, mentions the Wellington Regional Community Foundation. Talks about her life, children, feminism, and women's organisations that no longer exist. Interviewer(s) - Jill Abigail Accompanying material - Project release form, biographical information, CV. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-9081, 9082 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2872. 2 photocopies of photos, (one 1970's aged early twenties, one 1990's)

Date: 2002 - 01 Jan 2002

By: Capital Video Productions

Reference: OHColl-0867-01

Description: When the Laings Road Methodist Church, Lower Hutt, was demolished in 2002, a VHS video was made by Capital Video Productions, Paraparaumu, which has been transferred to a DVD and donated to the Library as an addition to the Laings Road Methodist Church (Lower Hutt) records. Relationship complexity - Laings Road Methodist Church (Lower Hutt) records are deposited in Manuscripts and Archives at Ms-Group-0360. Arrangement: DVD optical disc: OHDVD-0001 Quantity: 1 digital video disc(s). 1 event(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - no abstract(s) available.

Date: 26 Jun 2006 - 4 Jul 2006 - 29 Mar 2007

From: Alliance Francaise Centenary oral history project

By: Mortelier, Christiane Amelie Michelle, 1933-

Reference: OHInt-0881-05

Description: Interview with Christiane Mortelier, born in Paris in 1933. Talks about her grandfather Gerard Laurichesse, her father Paul Foiret who was wounded in World War I, and her mother who was a dressmaker. Comments that the women in her family always worked. Recalls the liberation of Paris in 1944. Mentions learning English at School. Talks about her parents' health problems and their deaths in 1951 and 1954, which interrupted her university studies. Refers to teaching at Wakefield Girls' High School, Yorkshire as a French assistante, then returned to Paris to teach in a boys' school. Described how she came to New Zealand on a government fellowship in 1956, spending time at the four university colleges. Comments that the students could not speak French and the university resources were very limited. Mentions frequenting the English Departments to improve her knowledge of English literature. Describes how she was taken up by the French community in Wellington, which included her future husband Robert Mortelier, and by French clubs in Christchurch and Dunedin. Mentions that she was astounded by the obsolete French culture in the Cercle Francais in Wellington. Refers to returning to France in 1958 to complete her teaching examinations and then teaching until she returned and married Robert. Talks about having grown up Catholic but lapsing after the way she was treated by the church when she married a divorced man. Refers to missing intellectual stimulus after she married, going back to work at Victoria University when her children were young, and the difficulties getting home help. Reflects on their social contact with the French Club and French neighbours in Lower Hutt, the embassy and the wool-buying community, and the impact of wool buyers being away from home for prolonged periods. Mentions producing plays for the French club, taking students to the club, and work with schools. Comments that she was not involved when the Wellington Cercle Litteraire Francais became the Alliance Francaise as she was president of the Lower Hutt Cercle at the time. Reminisces on biennial trips to France, putting the children into French schools when they were young. Comments on buying clothes in Europe, and having trouble with customs when she tried to bring back food. Refers to being sad about French nuclear testing in the Pacific, not believing that the French government could be "so silly". Considers she remains a classical French person but has also become a New Zealand person. Reflects that the French club is much less important to her now than in the past. Contents: Accompanied by: Information on Christiane Mortelier provided by Anne Tohill (1 p); timeline relevant to Christiane Mortelier (5 p); photocopies of newspaper articles about a performance "Early New Zealand through French Eyes" (3 p); copies of Cercle Francaise de Wellington programmes (3 p); photocopy from an exercise book compiled by CM's daughter for her part in a Cercle soiree at the Dowse (9 p); order of performance for the soiree at the Dowse (2 p.); list of CM's talks for Alliance Francaise de Wellington and other Alliances (3 p) Interviewer(s) - Pip Oldham Recorded by - Pip Oldham Venue - Recorded in an apartment on the top floor of a commercial building in Wakefield Street, Wellington Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-000194 - OHDL-000196 Quantity: 3 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 3 interview(s). 5.52 Hours and minutes Duration. Physical Description: Digital sound recordings - wave audio Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete for 26 June, 4 July 2006 interviews Abstract Available - no abstract(s) available for 29 Mar 2007 interview. Black and white photographs of: Christiane Mortelier (1956); CM in performance of "Mon Homme" (Oct 1956); Choeur Sur le pont de Paris (Oct 1956); Noelle Mortelier at school in France in Egriselle-le-Bocage (1964); members of the French club in costume for "Humulus le Muet" (1962); CM and Robert Mortelier (1960); areial view of the Mortelier's property at Wairere Road, Belmont. Colour photographs of: CM and Jacqueline Ferry at ceremony for Des Palmes Academiques (1997); CM in Beaglehole Room, Victoria University (2005). Search dates: 1933 - 2007

Date: 29 Apr 2003

From: We call it home; State Housing history project

By: Bowman, Joan Umphelby, 1915-2008

Reference: OHInt-0872-01

Description: Interview with Joan Bowman, born Joan Baker in Lower Hutt in 1915. Talks about getting married in 1937, living in a sleepout, and applying for a state house in 1940 after their first son was born. Describes getting a house in Ngaio and living there for 11 years before applying for an exchange to go back to Strathmore. Comments on getting a house in Fife Lane, Miramar, and being allowed to do renovations on it. Describes the changes they made over time. Discusses buying their house as soon as the opportunity arose. Talks about the friendly neighbourhoods in Ngaio and Miramar, and being in communities with children of a similar age. Refers to sports and other community activities and facilities. Comments that attitudes to, and the role of, state housing have changed over time. Talks about the difficulty of getting houses in the 1940s and 1950s, the low wages, the low rents for state houses and feeling lucky to have one. Interviewer(s) - Ben Schrader Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015628 - OHC-015629 Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 1.21 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5608. Search dates: 1915 - 2003

Date: 8 Dec 2006 - 08 Dec 2006

From: Alliance Francaise Centenary oral history project

By: Salmon, Joyce Beatrice, 1916-2010

Reference: OHInt-0881-06

Description: Interview with Joyce Salmon, born in Paris in 1916. Talks about her mother Adelina growing up in a wealthy London family with property in France and Italy, and her father Walter, a Cockney salesman who rose rapidly to be manager of a British firm in Paris. Mentions that her parents met in Paris, and she grew up speaking French with her mother and English with her father. Refers to attending school in France, and being sent to a private school in England for two years. Comments on having had Spanish flu as a child and consequent health problems later. Talks about beginning training as a nurse at the British Hospital in Paris but marrying and emigrating to New Zealand with her husband John before she completed training. Talks about her homesickness here, culture shock, and feeling depressed until she met French people. Mentions her husband was not called up for military service in World War II as he was in an essential industry building and running the Exide battery factory. Refers to not knowing if her parents had escaped France at a time when she was pregnant. Recalls the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake and damage caused in their home. Talks about their excitement with news of the Normandy landings and the liberation of France. Discusses her involvemement with the Wellington Cerle Francaise, and the Lower Hutt Cercle being started to keep up French culture when people could not get to meetings in Wellington. Talks about the teachers and wool-buyers' wives involved, and about socialising with the Vivequin and Mortelier families. Comments that she prefers to read in French and built up the French library in the Lower Hutt Club. Mentions being restricted in attending club activities when her children were young and when she was working. Refers to French club picnics and the French food they ate. Comments on returning to the Wellington Cercle after the war when she could get a ride with a neighbour, the French commercial attache. Mentions attending Bastille Day celebrations at the French ambassador's residence. Reflects that she has always been attracted to French things but never describes herself as French. Contents: Accompanied by: notes (3 p) Interviewer(s) - Pip Oldham Recorded by - Pip Oldham Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-000197 Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.21 Hours and minutes Duration. Physical Description: Digital sound recordings - wave audio Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5946. Colour photograph of Joyce Salmon (2006?) Search dates: 1916 - 2006

Date: 23 Oct 1977

Reference: OHColl-0702/1

Description: Recordings of Holy Communion, Family service and Evening service at Knox Presbyterian Church, Lower Hutt on 23 Oct 1977. Includes the new covenant. Quantity: 2 7" reel(s). 1 event(s).

Date: 3 Aug 2006 - 03 Aug 2006

From: Earthquake Commission oral history project

By: Andrews, Alfred Latham, 1923-2009

Reference: OHInt-0825-02

Description: Interview with Latham Andrews, born Masterton 1923. Describes father J W Andrews, builder and Mayor of Lower Hutt 1932-1946. Talks about mother Margaret Latham, musician and music teacher. Refers to grandfather Alfred Latham, a builder and artist. Discusses effects of the Depression, childhood illness, and his education at Eastern Hutt Primary School and Hutt Valley High School. Mentions teachers, early interest in engineering, Ewen Bridge, Hutt River, Arnold Downer and H Reynolds Bach. Refers to being in the first 18-year-old ballot in World War two, service in New Zealand in transport and munitions; overseas service 1944-1946, mainly in Italy. Comments on an audience with Pope Pius XII. Talks about marriage to Mary Thomson and about her father John Watson Thompson, a naval architect. Discusses their family. Describes studying engineering at Canterbury University College, graduating BE in Fluid Mechanics 1951. Gives details of courses and teachers, including Neil Mobray, Don Bruce Smith and P J Alley. Mentions students George Butcher, Bob Norman and Bill Duncan. Talks about employment by Guy Powell and discusses work of the firm at time of the 1950s postwar building and infrastructure replacement boom, including designing bridges, schools, commercial buildings, and gymnasia. Joined Edwards, Clendon and partners ca 1962. Describes growing awareness of importance of earthquake engineering and behaviour of structures in earthquakes. Discusses forensic work following the DIC department store scaffolding collapse, a bridge collapse, major earthquakes such as Edgcumbe, and the Layton's Building subsidence in Lower Hutt. Details the international development of earthquake engineering, including the third world conference in Auckland in 1962. Outlines the development of the New Zealand Standards Institute building codes and the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering. Mentions Cull Report, Lyall Holmes and Wilf Edwards. Discusses using pre-stressed concrete for the Overseas Passenger Terminal building, Wellington and the ward block for Wairau Hospital. Mentions John Hollings, Bob Park and Tom Paulay. Discusses in detail career high point of working on design for the Maui Platform. Refers to Shell BP, Todd Corporation and Paul Freed. Also mentions Ivan Skinner and Robin Adams. Briefly outlines his work for the Earthquake Commission and the Earthquake Lifelines Committee. Interviewer(s) - Susan Fowke Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015257, OHC-015258, OHC-015256 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.46 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5533. Port. of Latham Andrews, Second World War; recent port. of Latham and Mary Andrews Search dates: 1923 - 1951 - 2006

Date: 9 Aug 1985 - 09 Aug 1985

From: NZOHA Sunlight Centenarians Oral History Project

By: Bentley, William Henry, 1885-1991

Reference: OHInt-0004/02

Description: Talks about his family background in Auckland, where he was born. Describes his parents's emigration from Great Britain, their relationship, his father's employment and his brothers and sisters. Briefly talks about Sunday School, holidays, early transport and the troops going to the Boer War. Describes marrying in 1912. Briefly recalls his education and punishments at school. Talks about doing deliveries for T.S. Morin, moving to Wellington and working for John Duthie, hardware merchant, for 58 years. Describes his job as town traveller for Duthies, John Duthie's Naenae home, John Duthie as a businessman and work parties. Venue - Lower Hutt : 1985 Other - Incomplete life history on account of severe hearing loss Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - 17 Cressey Street, Lower Hutt Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1.15 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 169. Search dates: 1885 - 1985

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