Interview with Christiane Mortelier

Interview with Christiane Mortelier, born in Paris in 1933. Talks about her grandfather Gerard Laurichesse, her father Paul Foiret who was wounded in World War I, and her mother who was a dressmaker. Comments that the women in her family always worked. Recalls the liberation of Paris in 1944. Mentions learning English at School. Talks about her parents' health problems and their deaths in 1951 and 1954, which interrupted her university studies. Refers to teaching at Wakefield Girls' High School, Yorkshire as a French assistante, then returned to Paris to teach in a boys' school. Described how she came to New Zealand on a government fellowship in 1956, spending time at the four university colleges. Comments that the students could not speak French and the university resources were very limited. Mentions frequenting the English Departments to improve her knowledge of English literature.

Describes how she was taken up by the French community in Wellington, which included her future husband Robert Mortelier, and by French clubs in Christchurch and Dunedin. Mentions that she was astounded by the obsolete French culture in the Cercle Francais in Wellington. Refers to returning to France in 1958 to complete her teaching examinations and then teaching until she returned and married Robert. Talks about having grown up Catholic but lapsing after the way she was treated by the church when she married a divorced man. Refers to missing intellectual stimulus after she married, going back to work at Victoria University when her children were young, and the difficulties getting home help. Reflects on their social contact with the French Club and French neighbours in Lower Hutt, the embassy and the wool-buying community, and the impact of wool buyers being away from home for prolonged periods. Mentions producing plays for the French club, taking students to the club, and work with schools. Comments that she was not involved when the Wellington Cercle Litteraire Francais became the Alliance Francaise as she was president of the Lower Hutt Cercle at the time.

Reminisces on biennial trips to France, putting the children into French schools when they were young. Comments on buying clothes in Europe, and having trouble with customs when she tried to bring back food. Refers to being sad about French nuclear testing in the Pacific, not believing that the French government could be "so silly". Considers she remains a classical French person but has also become a New Zealand person. Reflects that the French club is much less important to her now than in the past.

Contents: Accompanied by: Information on Christiane Mortelier provided by Anne Tohill (1 p); timeline relevant to Christiane Mortelier (5 p); photocopies of newspaper articles about a performance "Early New Zealand through French Eyes" (3 p); copies of Cercle Francaise de Wellington programmes (3 p); photocopy from an exercise book compiled by CM's daughter for her part in a Cercle soiree at the Dowse (9 p); order of performance for the soiree at the Dowse (2 p.); list of CM's talks for Alliance Francaise de Wellington and other Alliances (3 p)

Interviewer(s) - Pip Oldham

Recorded by - Pip Oldham

Venue - Recorded in an apartment on the top floor of a commercial building in Wakefield Street, Wellington

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-000194 - OHDL-000196

Quantity: 3 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 3 interview(s). 5.52 Hours and minutes Duration.

Physical Description: Digital sound recordings - wave audio

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete for 26 June, 4 July 2006 interviews

Abstract Available - no abstract(s) available for 29 Mar 2007 interview.

Black and white photographs of: Christiane Mortelier (1956); CM in performance of "Mon Homme" (Oct 1956); Choeur Sur le pont de Paris (Oct 1956); Noelle Mortelier at school in France in Egriselle-le-Bocage (1964); members of the French club in costume for "Humulus le Muet" (1962); CM and Robert Mortelier (1960); areial view of the Mortelier's property at Wairere Road, Belmont. Colour photographs of: CM and Jacqueline Ferry at ceremony for Des Palmes Academiques (1997); CM in Beaglehole Room, Victoria University (2005).

Search dates: 1933 - 2007