Interview with Nancy Cross

Nancy Cross was born in Cromwell in 1936. Recalls growing up on a sheep farm in Beaumont sheep farm in a large, close knit Roman Catholic family Describes attending the local primary school and Lawrence High School and leaving school to help at home. Talks about wanting to work with children, being accepted to train as a Karitane nurse and working at the Beaumont Hotel to save money for this training. Describes how she married in 1955 instead of training.

Describes living in Timaru and Otematata where husband Michael Cross worked on hydro construction. Talks about returning to Beaumont to give the children a better lifestyle. Recalls driving the local school bus for a number of years and involvement in a number of community organisations including Parent Teachers ASsociation (PTA) and Women's Aglow Fellowhip.

Talks about opposition to the proposed Tuapeka Dam which would flood their property. Describes their decision not to fight the dam issue, negotiations and sale of their property to ECNZ. Describes living at Crookston and continuing to visit Beaumont where family members still live. Notes she and husband lease an orchard from ECNZ.

Mentions difficulty with her children's high school education in the absence of a bus for secondary school children. Describes division in the district over schooling when a bus was provided and her role as school bus driver for twelve years. Discusses the increasing division in the community with the news of the proposed Tuapeka dam in 1991. Comments on the failure of ECNZ to understand the impact on the community. Discusses the psychological effect of making difficult decisions.

Interviewer(s) - Helen Frizzell

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 4 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete.

Photo of Nancy Cross, debutante, in group of debutantes; Nancy and Michael Cross on their wedding day; Nancy Cross and daughters in 1959; Nancy Cross and granddaughter in 1992 and Nancy Cross in 1996