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Date: 12 - 25 Jul 1994 - 12 Jul 1994 - 25 Jul 1994

From: Harold Wellman oral history project

By: Wellman, Harold William (Professor), 1909-1999; Manson, Heugh Cecil Drummond, 1941-

Reference: OHInt-0016-01

Description: Harold Wellman outlines family background in England. Recalls early interest in rocks and fossils. Mentions coming out to New Zealand on the 'MS Timui' and first impression of Wellington. Describes work as a surveyor at Ninety Mile Beach; surveying in Napier with Felix Kelly after the 1931 earthquake; explains different land tenure systems. Went gold mining with Eugene O'Reilly; elaborates on life on the West Coast; reference Dr Marsden and his use of geophysics to find gold; reference to Harry Evans, goldmining in Ross. Describes crevassing, blacksanders and sluicing claim; mentions Cameron Creek and learning to use explosives to break up boulders; reference to Rodney Nugget; recalls Darky Whitehead (part Indian), hanged at Reefton; Chinese on goldfields; Maori on Greymouth goldfields; fights, Catholics versus non-Catholics; Jock Thompson; reference to BBC film, 'The Man who moved mountains', based on gold mining experiences. Refers to Alpine Fault; Southern Alps; Dick Willett, Director of Geological Survey. Met Charlie Smith, incidents with telegraph poles; recalls gold mining with people from all over the world including a Lithuanian at Haast Beach. Talks about steel industry and bituminous coal in Greymouth and Westport; reference Horace Fyfe (geologist in charge); first paper published with Horace Fyfe on Blackburn Coalfield. Recalls Dr Marsden: had worked with Rutherford on splitting atom, set up DSIR; describes growth of science in New Zealand; invention of seismograph, explains; reference to book on life of Hayes. Describes surveying in Papua New Guinea; began surveying in Sago Swamp with the help of some indigenous indentured labourers; reference to slavery. Discusses differences between Maori and Aborigines; problem of keeping alive in Papua New Guinea. Describes returning to New Zealand to a permanent job with Geological Survey; going to Lake Whakatipu to look for scheelite (needed for hardening steel for guns for World War II); describes mapping techniques; explains incident of disagreement between McKay and Haast; marriage to Joan Butler; effect of war on career; during war worked finding radio location stations for radar in New Zealand. Recalls looking for sheet mica in Southern Alps with Dick Willett; reference to P G Morgan; Gregory Valley; Big Wanganui River; crucial steps in finding Alpine Fault. Refers to move to Greymouth to find coal; writing paper, 'Open cast coal prospects on the West Coast'; describes 'board and pillar method' of coalmining; compares coalmining methods in England and United States; explains 'long haul method'. Mentions oil geologists; reference Taranaki Basin, explains a basin. Recalls Max Gage; reasons for leaving Geological Survey; origin of Taranaki oil; reference to E O MacPherson; explains weathering rind; conclusions about Maruia River; significance of schist and marble in river; recalls Dr Trechmann's visit to New Zealand; mentions appearance of Monotis Fossil in New Zealand; reference to Bill Munden. Talks about importance of being a Fellow of the Royal Society; mentions Bob Clark and paper, 'The Alpine fault from Lake McKerrow to Milford Sound, 1959'. Recalls reasons for return to Wellington in 1952; Dr Grange, Director of Soil Bureau; discovery of relationship between bush sickness and geology of area; reaction of Department of Agriculture to establishment of Soil Bureau; importance of Soil Bureau to farmers; reasons for personality conflicts in Bureau; soil discoveries; end of Bureau. Recalls reason Alpine Fault important to theory of plate tectonics; importance of plate tectonics to geology; describes process of faulting; effect of faulting on New Zealand; compared to England; theory on origin of loess soil; importance of rate of horizontal displacement in determining age of Wairarapa 'surface'; reaction of Pat Suggate and Gerald Lensen on his own theory on date; Alan Pullar; role of personality in how organisations run; describes possible shape of New Zealand in future; explains why Northland is a 'mess'. Explains about the magnetic belt in the North Island; magnetic bearing of mountains at Lake Rotoroa; disagreement about explanation of magnetic anomalies in North Island; reasons for measurement of level of Southern Lakes; explains reasons for lack of contact with geologists around the world; problems with geological research in New Zealand; feelings about teaching; recalls last student, Jiu Yang; outlines the reasons there are few earthquakes along Alpine Fault in New Zealand. Compares religion in England and New Zealand; discusses people's attitudes to work; reason for lack of general interest in geology. Venue - Wellington Abstracted by - Paula Martin and Megan Hutching Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Harold Wellman's home at 24 Highbury Crescent, Wellington Accompanying material - (AB 1370/2) Typewritten autobiographical notes by Harold Wellman, 2 1/2 pages; biographical entry, unknown source; photocopy of fault lines, single page, unknown source; 'Foreward' and 'Emeritus Professor Harold William Wellman, D.Sc., FRSNZ: a biographical appreciation', P Vella, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 1990, Vol. 33, pp 159-162; Index of unknown material (biographical), 12 pages; 'Short life history'. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-006109 - OHC-006115 Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 6.50 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 1370. Search dates: 1909 - 1994

Date: 1909-1999, [ca 2012]

From: Edward, Jock, fl 2012 :Various papers relating to research interests

Reference: MSDL-1963

Description: Comprises digitised scans of the Baptismal Register of St David's Presbyterian Church (Petone) 1909 to 1999, and electronic documents which support discovery of information within the register. Includes spreadsheets which index family or surname, date of birth and baptismal date, and a 'Welcome' document which gives information on the use of the indexes. Each index entry notes the relevant page number of the register. Arrangement: The 'Welcome' document is linked to three of the spreadsheets. The spreadsheet 'Baptismal Register master' is a stand alone document. Quantity: 5 Electronic document(s). 163 electronic scan(s). Processing information: The access copy of the 'Baptismal Register master' index has been modified to include an 'Image Reference' column which lists the relevant scanned page of the register.