Ferntown

Date: 27 Jun 2000

By: Ferguson, Bruce Archibald, 1917-2010; Dawber, Carol, 1951-

Reference: OHColl-0489/1

Description: Bruce Ferguson was born in Nelson in 1917. Gives details of the early history of Ferntown including his family's settlement at Pakawau. Describes his childhood there. Talks about the Mt Burnett coalmine, Puponga shipping and coalminers, the Pakawau timber mill and the Dry Road project. Describes working at Kaihoka and building a house there. Talks about local personalities including Edmund Davidson, James Mackay and Joe Taylor. Describes deer, pigs, godwits, ducks, kaka and other wildlife. Recalls travelling to Nelson on the `Wairoa' and the sinking of the 'Kotiti'. Talks about gold prospecting. Interviewer(s) - Carol Dawber Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-1843.

Date: 1888, 1910s, [ca 1920s, 1940s]

By: Walker, Clara Ruth, 1893-; Tyree Brothers (Firm); Tebbs, Martha, active 2009

Reference: PAColl-9634

Description: Comprises relating to Clara Ruth Walker's schooling, including: Class photographs, including pupils of Ferntown Day School, 1888, South Belt School, 1913, and Ouruhia School, 1916 Photographs of the opening of Clarice Johnstone House, Nelson College for Girls Photograph of a train on Waimakariri Gorge Bridge during a Christchurch East School picnic Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 13 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Photographic prints Provenance: Donated by Mrs Martha Tebbs, Hamilton, 2009. Donor is niece of Clara Ruth Walker.

From: Tyree Studio: Negatives of Nelson and Marlborough districts

By: Tyree Brothers (Firm)

Reference: PA7-25-05

Description: Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 14 Aug 1985

From: Nelson and Golden Bay Oral History Project

By: Iorns, Effie Elizabeth Britt, 1906-1997

Reference: OHInt-0053/08

Description: Effie Iorns was born at Rockville on 20 January 1906. Gives details of her family history, childhood in Ferntown and Ferntown School. Describes the social life within the close Ferntown community including details of sports day (at school), the A and P show, baby shows, picnics and birthdays. Recalls domestic detail including food preservation and bottling, childrens clothing and `boys' jobs' and `girls' jobs'. Talks about work on a dairy farm, Collingwood shops, dances, women's work and her marriage and honeymoon in 1922. Describes married life at Westhaven and the move to a farm (Nuiawa) at Collingwood. Venue - Collingwood : 1985 Interviewer(s) - Rosie Little Venue - Mrs Iorns' home at Collingwood Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-002968; OHC-002969; OHC-002970 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 574.

Date: 24 Apr 1987

From: Nelson and Golden Bay Oral History Project

By: Climo, Mary Matilda, 1895-1988

Reference: OHInt-0053/01

Description: Mary Climo was born in Upper Moutere in 1895. This interview was uncompleted at the time of her death. Recalls her early childhood in the Upper Moutere, Nelson, Takaka and Ferntown areas. Describes the Brunning family, their emigration from Germany and her mother's family to a lesser extent. Recalls her father's work in flax mills at Westhaven and Pakawau wharves and coal mine. Decribes life in Nelson in the 1900s including details of some shops and prices. Venue - Collingwood : 1987 Interviewer(s) - Rosie Little Venue - Joan Whiting Memorial Hospital, Collingwood Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-002942; OHC-002943 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 568.

Date: January 1986 - 01 Jan 1986

From: Nelson and Golden Bay Oral History Project

By: Richards, Gilbert Henry, 1902-1995

Reference: OHInt-0053/21

Description: Gilbert Richards was born in Ferntown on 15 January 1902. Talks about his father John Henry Richards, a pioneer of the Paturau area, and gives details of his family background. Notes that John Bramley (Jack) Nicholls, Heather Bonsell and Joyce Parkinson, also interviewed in this project, are also members of his family. Describes his upbringing in Ferntown including childhood jobs and pastimes and the Ferntown School. Talks about milking on the farm, beekeeping, the vegetable garden and home orchard and clearing of land. Recalls Paturau in an almost virgin state in 1912. Describes moving to Paturau to join his brothers who had taken up land from the Taitapu Estate, and living there for sixty years before retiring to Ferntown with his eldest son Billy. Talks about building the Paturau house and working for other people to make money for farm development. Talks about Collingwood hotels and dances, rugby in Golden Bay and the associated social life, the northwest Nelson earthquake, Depression hardships incuding the sale of stock, coastal shipping, various timber mills including Bassett's, Westhaven Inlet and Parkeston, the Prouse and Saunders flaxmill, goldmining on the Taitapu Estate and roads, including the Westhaven Dry Road. Venue - Collingwood : 1986 Interviewer(s) - Rosie Little Venue - Mr Richards' home south of Paturau Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-003035; OHC-003056; OHC-003057; OHC-003058; OHC-003059; OHC-003060; OHC-003061; OHC-003062 Quantity: 8 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 8 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 587.

Date: 9 Oct 1985-19 Mar 1986

From: Nelson and Golden Bay Oral History Project

By: Scrimgeour, Arthur Gordon, 1902-1992

Reference: OHInt-0053/26

Description: Gives details of his family background and the employment of his grandfather and father in cheese factories, flaxmills, on goldfields and cutting timber. Describes his parents settling in Pakawau and conditions in the home. Recalls visiting Collingwood and going to W.C. Riley's shop. Talks about making butter, fruit and meat preservation and children's jobs. Describes family attiudes to religion, discipline and manners. Talks about Ferntown and their neighbours there, the Prouse and Saunders timber and flaxmill, the Lunar flaxmill at Kaihoka, the Benara Mill and the Westhaven timber mill. Describes contract work with horse teams and blacksmithing. Talks about getting married, living in Christchurch, looking for work and discontent among the unemployed. Recalls the northwest Nelson earthquake, tramping the Heaphy Track in 1928, wild flowers and the state of the native bush early in the century. Describes mustering at Haupiri Station, bullock teams and goldmining at Diamonds Flat for the Auckland Company during the Depression. Talks about fighting in the Middle East during World War II and the difficulties of returning to civilian life. Describes being a grader driver for the Collingwood County Council and talks about road making. Venue - Nelson : 1986 Interviewer(s) - Rosie Little Venue - Mr Scrimgeour's home in Richmond Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-003091; OHC-003092; OHC-003093; OHC-003094; OHC-003095; OHC-003096; OHC-003097; OHC-003098; OHC-003099; OHC-003100; OHC-003101; OHC-003092; OHC-003093 Quantity: 13 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 12.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 591. Search dates: 1985 - 1986

Date: [189-?]

From: Tyree Studio: Negatives of Nelson and Marlborough districts

Reference: 10x8-0657-G

Description: Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative

Date: ca 1890s

From: Tyree Studio: Negatives of Nelson and Marlborough districts

Reference: 1/1-000989-G

Description: Ferntown bridge under construction, circa 1890s. Photograph taken by the Tyree Studio. Inscriptions: Photographer's title on negative - bottom right - Collingwood Ferntown Bridge Tyree Photo 10133 Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negative Finding Aids: Dated using information from card index in Turnbull Library Pictures, Alexander Turnbull Library.