Interview with Pat Sharp

Cyril Sharp, known at Pat Sharp, was born in 1907 in Linton. Talks about grandparents who ran a hotel where there was always music. Talks about father who worked for Rangitikei Milk Company in Bulls for 30 years. Mentions schooling at Levin High School. Mentions briefly working at the Post Office, the Otaki ambulance, the Otaki Maori College. Talks about the Sanitorium, which had 80 patients.

Mentions studying to be a plumber at night school in Wellington, but returning to Otaki during the Great Depression. Refers to government housing loans stopping, people doing any work for money, stores having two prices for all goods, sharing jobs. Mentions the importance of the horse stables in early Otaki. Mentions the local Chinese Pakapoo Den and its location. Talks about being a member of fire brigade for 38 years. Talks about being a piano player in a band, and playing at dances, where he met his wife. Mentions playing at the Tobacco Factory Hall during the Second World War. Refers to the Tahiwi sisters who sang. Mentions Inia Te Waiata, the Rikihana family, and Jimmy Sievers the undertaker.

Talks about being in a car accident and hospitalised. Talks about working for Laidlaw Leeds. Talks about Otaki personalities, such as Murray Scott who as mayor introduced a sewerage scheme, and retailers Jim Bill, George Gimblett, the Edhouses and the Bakers. Mentions working in Wellington. Talks about his major interests as the fire brigade, rotary and dance clubs. Refers to his children moving away from Otaki, and talks about the old age pension.

Interviewer(s) - Anne Thorpe

Accompanying material - Photocopy of letter dated 1936 inviting a woman to a dance

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-11064

Quantity: 1 C90 cassette(s). 1.37 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3872.

Search dates: 1900 - 1950

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

Alternative form available: Listening copy OHLC-007297