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Date: 13, 15 Mar 2007 - 11 Apr 2007 - 13 Mar 2007

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

By: Earle, Nancy Maud Manfield, 1915-2010

Reference: OHInt-0980-05

Description: Interview with Nancy Earle (nee Bullen), born in Gisborne in 1915. Refers to her parents being from neighbouring English farming families, her father emigrating in 1901, and her parents marrying in Wellington in 1902. Mentions the family were in Britain when World War I broke out and she was born shortly after their return. Recalls her mother had been a nurse and midwife, got on well with Maori, and was skilled with horses, riding side saddle. Refers to breaking in their farm near Gisborne, Maori shearing gangs, and her mother being post mistress. Discusses their home and life, family camping holidays at a beach, and being sent away to school (Chilton Saint James, Lower Hutt) with a sister at age three. Outlines how they would travel from Gisborne to Lower Hutt and reminisces about the school. Refers to studying at Victoria University College and training as a teacher 1937-1938. Discusses training as a Red Cross VAD nurse while she was teaching at Marlborough College during World War II, the college being taken over as an emergency hospital, and classes being scattered around the town. Talks about social life in Blenheim with military camps nearby and active musical groups. Discusses patriotism at the time. Refers to the fear of invasion after Pearl Harbour and Chiltern school relocating to Featherston. Discusses the American camp at McKays Crossing, their horror at Pakehas mingling with Maori, and relations between Americans and New Zealand girls. Refers to Austrian pianist Paul Schramm who was accused of being a spy. Mentions continuing Red Cross nursing at a hospital in Wellington after the war and gives her opinions on the way soldiers were treated. Comments on joining a training course for a government recreation rehab programme while she was teaching at Hutt Valley High School, working with the Petone Colgate factory netball team, and later with a church youth group in Hastings. Talks about her husband Pat whose mother was housekeeper at Chilton St James and who had attended Training College with her. Explains they had corresponded while he was a prisoner of war in Germany and she sent food parcels to him. Mentions he remained in Poland teaching English for a period after Russians liberated the camp before returning to New Zealand. Refers to Pat visiting her in Hastings as "that's how it all started". Reflects on the impact of the war on Pat and the 'waste' of war. Abstracted by - Erin Flanigan Interviewer(s) - Alison Parr Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-022533 - OHC-022537 Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s) over 3 days. 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7328. Photocopy(?) of a black and white photograph of Nancy Earle in Blenheim (1939); printout of a colour photograph of Nancy (2007). Search dates: 1915 - 2007

Date: 6 October 2005 - 06 Oct 2005

From: Oral history of Chinese women in New Zealand

By: Gee, Dorothy, 1921-2013

Reference: OHInt-0804-03

Description: Oral history interview with Dorothy Gee (nee Bing), born in 1921 in Patea. Talks about her family background. Details schooling in Auckland - mentions Parnell School. Discusses the fruit shop her mother opened in Parnell - decribes their house above the shop. Talks about her family's visit to China - mentions the voyage to Sydney on the 'Wanganella'. Describes her parents village in China - details the length of their stay. Talks about her schooling in China. Discusses their return to New Zealand - talks about settling in Blenheim. Details the family business they started there. Recalls meeting her husband George - discusses their marriage in 1940, the birth of their children, and the shop they managed in Wellington. Talks about George's involvement in municipal affairs - refers to him becoming the first Chinese mayor in New Zealand. Details the various places she has visited around the world. Mentions her meetings with various Governors General, the Queen, Princess Ann, Princess Alexandra, and the Ambassadors of China and America. Talks about starting the Women's Guild at the Chinese Anglican Church - mentions running the Anglican Church bazaar. Mentions her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Talks about the growth in opportunities for Chinese women in New Zealand. Access Contact - See Oral History Librarian Interviewer(s) - Kitty Chang Accompanying material - 1 colour photograph, 9 x 11.5 cm, October 2005, and 1 black and white copy of a photograph, 1940; biographical information relating to Dorothy Gee. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-014736 Quantity: 1 C90 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 0.56 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5333. 1 colour photograph, 9 x 11.5 cm, of Dorothy Gee, October, 2005; 1 black and white copy of of a wedding photograph of Dorothy and George Gee, 1940. Search dates: 1921 - 2005

Date: 18 Dec 1984

From: New Zealand Post Office Oral History Project

By: Scadden, William Leslie, 1898-1995

Reference: OHInt-0070/15

Description: Les Scadden describes family background, childhood in Blenheim, education, joining the Post Office as message boy in 1912 after working on temporary staff over Christmas, details of the Christmas greetings telegram, the Blenheim Post Office in 1912, discipline, duties, hours, gas lamps in streets, transport, telegram delivery, promotion levels, wages, telegraphists held 'in high esteem', Blenheim as an important telegraph station, telegraph sounders, repeaters, information for horse racing, Cook Strait cable, faults, testing, repairs, postmaster at Blenheim - E H Northcroft, system for keeping statistical records, gender and race of employees, electric current produced on wet cell batteries, testing the circuits. Explains becoming a cadet for Engineering Branch, Dunedin in 1915, erecting new telephone lines, the telephone rating system, private lines, cadet qualifications, training overseas as infantryman, machine gunner and Signals Corps member during World War I, influenza epidemic of 1918, duties in Engineers' Office, Wellington in 1919, the new automatic exchanges, underground cables, duties as assistant supervisor at Engineers' Branch in 1929, difficulties in recruiting staff, effect of Depression in 1930s, work as paymaster, Engineering Branch, Wellington in 1920s, details of planning route for pay day, security for pay day delivery, duties as examiner at Accounts Branch, Wellington in 1931, work as accountant at Wellington District Office in the 1930s, the Power Samas machine for financial control and staffing requirements, the foreign mail system, rivalry between postal and engineers' branches, taking over the clerical organisation of the Radio Section during World War II, mention of Post Office workers in coastal watching stations killed on Tarawa by Japanese during war, changes in requirements for employees of Engineering Branches, directors general, first radio broadcast, social life at the Post Office, retirement. Access Contact - see oral history librarian Venue - Wellington Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - At Les Scadden's home at Raumati in Wellington Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-000798 - OHC-000800 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.58 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 126. Black and white photographs as follows:. Les Scadden and Albert Scadden, undated. Les Scadden and two sisters, undated Search dates: 1898 - 1984

Date: 23 Aug 1985

From: NZOHA Sunlight Centenarians Oral History Project

By: Foster, Elizabeth Grace, 1883-1985

Reference: OHInt-0004/10

Description: Talks about the Gibson family relatives, her childhood and details of her home life. Describes her mother's death when she was 14, her funeral and how the family coped. Talks about local identities, contact with Māori and the flooding of the Wairau River. Notes the location of a school at Gipsontown [Gibsontown?], near Kaituna, in the 1890s and describes her education. Recalls Blenheim dances and social and civic life. Describes her enjoyment of politics, politics in the 1930s and the importance of religion. Name of family, and town, recorded on interview documentation as "Gipson" and "Gipsontown". But it seems likely that the correct spelling is "Gibson" and "Gibsontown". Venue - Blenheim : 1985 Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Isabel Bursill Home, Blenheim Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001307; OHC-001308 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 172. Search dates: 1883 - 1985 Processing information: Spelling of name and town ammedned in June 2020 following advice from a researcher.

Date: 25 May 2003

By: Murphy, Nigel Ralph, 1958-

Reference: OHColl-1134-01

Description: Life history interview with Eric Wong Ming (Wong Kam How), born in 1904 in Gwa Leng village, Jung Seng county, Guangdong, China. He arrived in Auckland in 1920 and paid the poll tax. He lived in Wellington, Woodville, Dunedin, Blenheim and Auckland. He worked as a fruiterer, hospital cleaner, factory worker and market gardener. He was married, had five children and died in 2007 Interviewer(s) - Nigel Murphy Accompanying material - Interviewer notes, naturalisation interview notes, personal papers Arrangement: Original recordings: OHC-024360 - OHC-024366 Notes and photographs: OHA-8403 Tape numbers - OHC-024360 - OHC-024366 Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 7 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - no abstract(s) available But background material and photographs at OHA-8493. Three colour photos ca 2003. Two are portraits and one is with Nigel Murphy Search dates: 1904 - 2003