Interview with Helen Waugh

Interview with Helen Waugh (nee Gordon), born Ashburton, 1940. Describes spending all her school holidays in Wellington with her grandmother and aunt in Wilton after her father died in 1947. Recalls visits to the old Wilton homestead, and roaming the bush with local children. Describes her aunt Ethel's love of the bush and the timelessness of the Wilton bush. Describes training as a secondary school teacher, marrying and having three children, and living in various places until she returned to Wellington in 1990 to care for her aunt.

Discusses researching the Wilton family history and outlines the history from their arrival in Wellington in 1841. Describes how the Wiltons decided to leave the steepest 17 acres of their farm in bush, and how the bush was used for large picnics. Explains that the Wilton farm bush block was sold to Wellington lawyer Martin Chapman. Discusses the history of Wadestown and Wilton and the development of roads and subdivisions in the area. Mentions Job Wilton and local mayors campaigned to make Otari Native Reserve a scenic reserve, and how this happened in 1906. Refers to Wilton's Bush passing to City Council ownership in 1925 after Martin Chapman died, and its being incorporated in the reserve. Discusses the name of the reserve and mentions that it was changed to Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve in 1999.

Interviewer(s) - Jonathan Kennett

Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 1 C60 cassette(s). 58 Minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5574.

Search dates: 1940 - 1840 - 1990 - 2007

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