AUDIO

Interview with May Manoy

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Date

14 Dec 1988

By

Manoy, May Marie, 1913-1993

Reference

OHInt-0048/07

Description

May Manoy was born 7 December 1913. Discusses the family business in Motueka, A. Manoy and Son Drapery Store. Talks about her father, a successful merchant, his garden and the home she grew up in in Motueka. Describes her Polish and German heritage on her paternal side. Describes her mother May Newman, her education and death after childbirth. Discusses her memories of the Jewish community in the Motueka and Nelson area and her experience of being Jewish in small town New Zealand. Recalls her own interests as a child and family recreation.

Discusses her father's second marriage to an artist from London, Mina Arndt, who took on the role of mother and also taught May art. Recalls Mina Arndt's death from influenza and their move to Karori. Talks about her education at Samuel Marsden School, her favourite teacher Nell Clere and her sex education. Talks about the birth of brother John and living with Mina's sister and brother-in-law Jenny and Philip Nathan. Discusses her love of music and classical education which included learning to dance with Estelle Beere and studying to be a singer with Mrs Gibb.

Discusses her Karitane nursing training in depth and the Truby King home in Melrose. Discusses Plunket nurses and the types of milk used for babies. Talks about Karitane nursing in 1930-1931, her registered nursing training at Fulham Hospital in Charing Cross in England, nursing in England during the Blitz, serving in the British Liberation Army in the 108 British General Hospital in France and Brussells and being the sister in charge in the Queen Alexandria Nursing Service. Describes blackouts in Paris and London and travel experiences in Europe during the war. Talks about Karitane nursing in France. Describes returning to New Zealand on the troop ship `Athlone Castle' and her subsequent hospitalisation due to injury during the war.

Venue - Wellington : 1988

Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe

Venue - Wellington

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-004129-OHC-004132

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 Electronic document(s). 3 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Transcript(s) available OHA-1631 and OHDL-000570.

Additional description

Alternative form available: Listening copies available at LC-2697 to LC-2700 and LC-3213 to LC-3216

Use/Reproduction

Public use requires the written permission of the donor Copyright: Judith Fyfe

Access restrictions

Restricted - Content cannot be accessed without permission - Access requires written permission of the donor

Part of

The Matriarchs Oral History Project

Format

4 C60 cassette(s), 1 transcript(s), 1 Electronic document(s), 3 Hours Duration, Oral histories, Electronic records (Digital records), Electronic documents

There are 6 items in total.

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