Interview with Noel Flyger

Interview with Noel Plummer Flyger, born in Wanganui in 1919. Describes family circumstances when he was born: father was working on a difficult, uneconomic rehab block, two hours drive from Eltham, Taranaki. Refers to hardships, but also the benefits of a self-sufficient, isolated life. Explains family's shift to a farm owned by his paternal grandfather, at Mata, south of Whangarei. Talks about evidence of earlier Maori occupation of the land which had two pa sites on it. Describes challenges of the run-down dairy farm, and outlines the mechanics of milking cows before electricity came to the district. Mentions the importance of the horse - as a means of transport, and for preparing pasture - and also pigs, which consumed the skimmed milk and subsidised the income from the farm. Talks about the acquisition of the first tractor in the village, and the subsequent opportunities for jobs on other farms. Discusses situation in World War II when many of his mates left to serve overseas, while he was manpowered to keep the farm going. Talks about his marriage to Draja Radich, from a Yugoslav family, and their early years living in a cottage on his father's farm. Describes the different rocks of the the Mata area, quarrying for road metal, and also explains the different types of drains, and techniques used to bring clay soils into productive pasture. Discusses the range of contract work he did after he stopped milking cows, and gives details of the families and farms in the Mata community where he lived from 1936 until the mid 1970s.

Interviewer(s) - Patricia Cutforth

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001252

Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s). 2 Electronic document(s) - abstract. 1 printed abstract(s). 3 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s). 1 interview(s) over 2 days. 1.33 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7481, OHDL-001260.

Scanned B&W photographs of: Wedding, Noel and Draga Flyger (1943); Flyfer farm; White quarry, Flyger farm

Search dates: 1919 - 2009

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

Alternative form available: Both printed and digital versions of the abstract are available