Interview with Philip Rider

Philip Rider was born in London in 1923. Describes family background - father Reginald Rider and mother Nellie Rider, nee Watt. Gives details of family coming to New Zealand in 1927 - father a furrier on contract to Fur Trading Company of New Zealand and mother also worked in fur trade - and buying the house in Kilbirnie that he still lives in at the time of the interview. Describes father and mother. Recalls going fishing with father.

Describes the family home - the layout and the use of rooms, the kitchen, bathroom and dining room, furniture made by father, the use of the dining room for entertaining. Comments on the use of gas, including the gas califont, electricity, open fires for heating and not having a telephone. Mentions telephone box. Comments on house colours and roofs in the area. Describes school lunches. Mentions Mr and Mrs Hoy. Gives details of the development of the airport and land reclamation.

Recalls there were many children in the street and playing in the street and at each other's places. Mentions billiards and cards and describes a kitset radio. Mentions the family cat. Recalls corporal punishment at home and at school. Talks about reading, mother knitting and darning and discussing problems with mother. Briefly describes the garden and talks about neighbours Alex Gowan and the Billman, Scott, Anderson and Wright families.

Discusses older brother Len Rider. Recalls services such as the milkman, the postman delivering twice a day, the drain cleaner and trams. Gives details of the shops and who ran them - the grocery, drapery, butcher and hardware shops. Mother mainly shopped at Self Help - describes Self Help shops. Recalls attitudes to illness and refers to tonsils and olive oil. Talks about the dentist and tooth removal. Discusses education at Lyall Bay Primary School - route walked to school, teachers and subjects. Describes the effect of the Depression. Mentions relief workers shifting sandhills for the airport. Mentions door to door salesmen. Describes going to hear Bob Semple speak before the 1935 Election.

Briefly recalls starting work in the fur trade in 1937. Describes joining the army signal unit in 1941 and serving in New Zealand, life as a signaller, army radios and other equipment. Comments on the effect of war on the street. Mentions the Home Guard. Describes setting up Rider and Company, a manufacturing furrier business, with father after war while brother worked for Quality Furriers in the Hutt Valley, operating the business from home and also living at home, learning skills from father, drafting patterns, taking over business after father retired in 1950s.

Details involvement in Forest and Bird Society, interest in conservation, meeting Ruth Scull and marrying in 1966. Refers to renovating the kitchen after marriage and getting the telephone in the early 1950s - otherwise no major changes to the house. Describes buying first car ca. 1948 and building a garage at the front of the house. Refers to being the only one of his generation still living in the street. Lists reasons for staying in family home. Talks about working for Interlock Ltd in Miramar after retirement and compares working with fur to working with metals. Discusses the Kilbirnie Speedway, the 1940 Centennial Exhibition buildings and the flying boats. Explains his objections to the airport extension plans.

Abstracted by - Susan Fowke

Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson

Venue - 20 Salek Street

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-006618

Tape numbers - OHC-006619

Tape numbers - OHC-006620

Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-1523.

Photocopies of two photos of Philip Rider with abstract

Search dates: 1923 - 1993

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-002395 - OHLC-002397

Copies held at Kilbirnie Public Library