George Hovell - 20th century reminiscences

George Hovell was born in 1933 and has lived all his life in Kennedy Bay, Coromandel. Describes his schooling, walking to school, games at school, school picnics and friends Eva Thwaites, Sam Ngapo, Lill Peachy and Freddy Denize. Recalls the marine life when he was a child. Talks about his brother and sister and the art of his brother John.

Talks about native bush, native birds, conservationists, pig hunters and possums. Talks about his old coal range, party line telephone and transporting goods by rowboat. Discusses his crayfishing boat. Describes activities in Kennedy Bay including the flax industry, farming, gold and timber milling.

Recalls war-time acitivities in Kennedy Bay including the Home Guard. Describes development of the Harataunga Marae including fund-raising. Mentions the church. Recalls drought, snow and a major flood in the 1950s. Discusses cannabis locally. Talks about shellfish stocks, the need for conservation and the idea of creating a marine reserve.

Discusses Maori burial caves, Johnny Kanaka and `blackbirders'. Talks about the wreck of the Trial and Brothers ship, a trading ship, and the massacre by William Hovell of local Maori after they attacked his ship. Notes that Trial Bay was an early name for Kennedy Bay.

Interviewer(s) - Sharon Whittle

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s).

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2494.

Coloured photographs of George Hovell, Mary Hovell, inside their house and Kennedy Bay

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.