Interview with Walter McNamara

Walter McNamara gives details of his family background including his maternal grandfather's work on a bullock team and his father's work in timber mills all his life. Notes that his father was a saw handling champion. Describes how hard his mother worked, particularly during the Depression, her ability as a pianist and how she played piano in a dance band and also as background for silent movies. Recalls his childhood in Owhango. Discusses how his father lost his job during the Depression, relief work, some hunger and hunting for wild food. Recalls his active membership of the Labour Party as a result of the Labour Government's assistance during the Depression. Recalls an incident of corporal punishment, being taught to box, bullying at school and fighting at the mill. Notes that he disliked school as the teaching was poor. Recalls his early employment fencing, becoming a message boy at Raurimu Post Office 1929-1934, salary, personalities Bert Ewing, Ted Mather (postmaster), reasons for going into Line Branch, work hours, the operation of the railway travelling post office, rural mail delivery, remittance men, various duties, Post Office as a local information bureau, the sport of lazy stick, sly grogging, uniform, learning morse, Okutu Pa, social and sporting life.

Describes working as junior lineman at Ohakune Post Office 1934-1938, duties, how telegraph and morse lines jointed, distinction between Post Office workers and linemen, gang sizes, accidents, social life, work as lineman in New Plymouth 1938-1941, describes main line, systems, phantom circuits, subscriber wires, regulated lines, callouts, Wellington / Wairarapa earthquake 1942, manpowered into army and worked in Signals section in Wellington during World War II, work as timber mill manager 1950s.

Talks about returning to Post Office as lineman in 1959, reasons, changes in lines, telephones, insulators as targets, work as lineman New Plymouth Post Office 1959-1973, types of wood used as poles, impressions of Directors-General, retirement.

Venue - New Plymouth

Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson

Venue - At Walter McNamara's home at 9 Baring Terrace, New Plymouth

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001236 - OHC-OO1239

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3.30 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 162.

Search dates: 1914 - 1985

Alternative form available: Digital copies of the recording and abstract are also available in the Library's Reading Room

Listening copies OHLC-002014 - OHLC-002014