Interview with Patricia (Pat) Northey

Interview with Pat (Patricia) Northey, born Auckland in 1941. Talks about growing up at Castor Bay, and going to St Cuthbert's College in Epsom before the Harbour Bridge was built. Refers to working in the laboratory at the Chelsea sugar works, then at the Takapuna Public Library and later at the University of Auckland library. Describes meeting and marrying her Hungarian husband, and the marriage ending after 10 years as he gambled. Refers to applying for a state house because they had little money. Talks about living in a "star" flat in Onehunga, the first time she had lived in close proximity to Maori and Polynesian people, and later finding a semi-detached house. Discusses the layout and amenities of the flat and the house. Comments on doing housework in Remuera to earn some money, and childcare arrangements. Mentions later working in two jobs in order to buy the house. Discusses societal expectations of home ownership, attitudes to working mothers in the 1970s, and the opening hours of supermarkets then. Refers to priorities being paying the rent and buying food, and the hardship when the children were little and she could not go out and work. Comments on leisure activities which were mostly free. Talks about her attitudes to state housing and the domestic purposes benefit. Discusses the lack of responsibility of state housing tenants, and the privilege of having a state house.

Interviewer(s) - Ben Schrader

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015650 - OHC-015651

Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 1.56 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5619.

Search dates: 1941 - 2003

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-009113 - OHLC-009114