Interview with Percy Hammond

Percy Hammond recorded this tape himself.

Recalls early days of his life in Rotorua. Describes how travellers caught the steamer to Tauranga and the all-day coach to Rotorua. Mentions there was a rail terminus at Tirau (Oxford). Describes a private hotel, Arawa House, run by his grandparents in Rotorua with the help of his parents. Mentions his parents moved to a section near Whakarewarewa and his father worked as a printer on the `Chronicle'. Recalls anti Catholic and anti German (during World War I) feeling as a child. Describes his play and activities as a child.

Describes his family's move from Rotorua to his grandfather's farm at Tauranga. Recalls that the family lived in a tent for two or three years and comments on the difficulty of this for his mother. Talks about the many trees, killing pigs and making bacon, wine making, the maize crop and vegetable gardening. Describes his work on the farm, including milking cows, while still attending school. Mentions he attended high school for six months only. Recalls the town of Tauranga. Describes his wife Molly and her attitude to animals.

Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford

Accompanying material - Information (five pages) about Percy Hammond's grandparents, David and Martha Griffiths, who arrived in New Zealand in 1881 and about their descendants

Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s).

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2861.

Alternative form available: Listening copy availalbe at OHLCD-2239