Interview with Elsie Harris

Elsie Harris was born in 1901 in Pauatahanui, Wellington. Talks about her grandparents, her grandfather Jones, a whaler who bought land from the New Zealand Company. Recalls Jones farm in Pauatahanui in 1848, the 1855 earthquake, and an interaction with Maori. Mentions her grandfather's reception visiting family in England, family history, allocation of family wills, the Galloways, the Stewart family (from Ireland), the Taylor family (from Scotland) who owned the Johnsonville Hotel, and the Pauatahanui Hotel owned by her grandfather. Mentions first settler child who came ashore at Petone Beach. Mentions houses, orchard and transport by horse and car. Mentions Mr Plimmerton's influence when land was surveyed for the railway line. Mentions people walked to Wellington for work before Cobb's Coach existed. Recalls a child kidnapped from her grandparents by parents, 14 years after being left with them. Mentions work done by children, and recalls death of four year old sent to herd cows. Mentions school, trains, and the building of roads. Recalls grandfathers whiskey distillery, and talks about the naming of Moonshine Valley.

Abstracted by - Linda Bevan Smith

Interviewer(s) - Jennifer Jones

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-011373 ; OHLC-005688

Quantity: 1 C90 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 35 Minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3950.

Provenance: Donor/Lender/Vendor - Jennifer Jones and H Spencer Harris

Search dates: 1840 - 1940

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