Winds - New Zealand - Canterbury Region

Date: 21 Feb 2008

From: Methven Heritage Project - RSA and Arable oral history project

By: Letham, John Gavan, 1928-

Reference: OHInt-0920-09

Description: Interview with Gavin Letham. Born in 1928 at Ashburton. Backgrounds his grandfather Andrew Letham who emigrated from Scotland in 1862 on the 'Indian Empire' ship, farmed at Elgin, then bought Sherwood farm, Rakaia, in 1897. Says father John Letham was born in Scotland, returned there and met his cousin Janet Letham who he later married in 1925 after he bought Milburn farm, Highbank. Refers to father being corporal in army during World War One and returning with injuries. Refers to being only child. Talks about chores at Milburn farm, vegetable garden, orchard, wood chopping, milking cows, feeding pigs, sending milk to Midland Dairy Company, Ashburton, horse ploughing, growing oats. Discusses going to Methven Church every Sunday, playing the gramophone and games, trips to Caroline Bay, Timaru, in summer. Says he rode a bicycle to Highbank School and took bus to Methven High School. Discusses electricity coming, his parent getting a car after he was born and having a party line telephone. Details cars and trucks he has owned. Says after his father died in 1945, he took over farm with his mother and help of neighbours, George Currie and uncle Charles Woolley. Recalls crop farming wheat, oats, rye grass, on sandy loam soil of Highbank. Talks about controlling twitch by skim ploughing and cross ploughing. Details use of reaper binder, threshing mill and traction engine and change to use of header harvester. Refers to getting help from soliders for harvesting during World War Two. Discusses growing turnips, lucerne, lupins for sheep feed, selling lambs and Methven ewe fairs. Mentions black diamond moth and yarr (spurrey). Refers to selling trees to buy a tractor in 1942. Refers to Cochrane Sawmills cutting pine trees, planting Oregon pine trees and gorse hedges for shelter. Discusses changes in weather, harsh frosts in past, nor'wester, sou'wester and easterly winds. Remembers 1945 snowstorm. Refers to water supply to house being race water and raintank water. Says he married Audrey Elizabeth Letham (nee Giles) in 1958, and had one son Ian Gavin Letham. States sold Milburn farm in 1964 and bought Innesown farm nearby. Talks about buying bigger farm machinery, dealing with twitch, brown top, onion twitch, planting trees. Mentions Noel Witchman who lived in farm cottage with his family being an asset. Refers to wind of 1973 blowing 148 trees over, and easterly wind bringing drought. Mentions built new house with milled trees. Says 1980s were lean time, and sold macropcarpa firewood in Ashburton. Talks about forming partnership with son Ian to farm Innesown for several years. Says he retired to Methven 20 years ago, does voluntary work for St Johns Presbyterian church, Red Cross and helps out on farm. Refers to overseas trips to Britain, Fiji, Australia and Tasmania, and travel in New Zealand. Interviewer(s) - Jackie Hunter-Letham Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Electronic document(s). 1 interview(s). 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Physical Description: Textural files - Adobe PDF Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-6031, OHDL-001826. Search dates: 1928 - 2008

Date: 1939 - 1940

From: McLintock, Alexander Hare, 1903-1968 :[Making New Zealand ; originals for illustrations / A H McLintock and Paul Pascoe]. - [1939?]

Reference: A-258-034

Description: Ink drawing shows a ground floor plan of a cob house, with kitchen, oantry, living room, dining room and one bedroom. There were fireplaces in the kitchen and living room (back to back). Original artwork prepared for "Making New Zealand", vol. 2, no. 20, page 8 Other Titles - Storeys; North-west Quantity: 1 drawing(s). Physical Description: Ink drawing on draughting paper, 172 x 147 mm.

Date: 1950 - 1969

From: Mayne, William Thomas, 1910-1988 :490 original cartoons published in the Christchurch Star Sun and the Christchurch Star Sun Sports between 1954 and 1962.

Reference: A-388-040

Description: Shows a couple sitting on a beach during a strong nor'wester wind. Sand is blowing everywhere, and the couple are scowling Quantity: 1 original cartoon(s). Physical Description: Ink on card, 280 x 255 mm

Date: 1887 - 1973

By: Gibb, John, 1831-1909; Capper Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: C-085-045

Description: Two schooners and other larger ships in a rough sea in Lyttelton Harbour. A stone pier is on the left. Close by are five men in a rowboat Original oil in private collection measures 520 x 890 mm Quantity: 1 colour photo-mechanical print(s). Physical Description: Coloured photolithograph 315 x 533 mm

Date: 1887 - 1973

By: Gibb, John, 1831-1909; Capper Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: C-085-045-a

Description: Two schooners and other larger ships in a rough sea in Lyttelton Harbour. A stone pier is on the left. Close by are five men in a rowboat Original oil in private collection measures 520 x 890 mm Quantity: 1 colour photo-mechanical print(s). Physical Description: Coloured photolithograph 315 x 533 mm

Date: 2005

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0005224

Description: Shows four high rise buildings bending over in the wind. On the ground people are struggling to walk in the street. One of the person comments about the bending buildings that "with the Easterly they 'aint gonna get beyond three storeys anyhow!". Refers to the possibility of high rise buildings in the Christchurch suburb of Brighton. Published in The Press, 29 March 2005 Quantity: 1 digital image(s). Processing information: This cartoon file was donated to the library with no file extension. On recommendation of the Digital Archivist and with the consent of the donor, a ".jpg" file extension was added to this file in order to ensure it was readable and accessible.

Date: 2005

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0005890

Description: Shows an easterly wind, with a 'No.1' prize pin, blowing into Cathedral Square, in Christchurch. A couple are walking along and comment on the extreme wind. Published in The Press Quantity: 1 digital image(s). Processing information: This cartoon file was donated to the library with no file extension. On recommendation of the Digital Archivist and with the consent of the donor, a ".jpg" file extension was added to this file in order to ensure it was readable and accessible.

Date: 2005

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0005963

Description: Shows a man walking along Armagh Street, Christchurch, in strong winds. Published in The Press Quantity: 1 digital image(s). Processing information: This cartoon file was donated to the library with no file extension. On recommendation of the Digital Archivist and with the consent of the donor, a ".jpg" file extension was added to this file in order to ensure it was readable and accessible.

Date: 22 Mar 1964

From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers

Reference: EP-Municipal-Towns, Canterbury-01

Description: Glasnevin Railway Station, Canterbury, overturned in a north-westerly gale. Shows an unidentified man stepping through the door of the building. Photograph taken 22 March 1964, by an unidentified photographer. Other - Published in the Evening Post newspaper 23 March 1964 Arrangement: Print held in the Turnbull Library Pictures Evening Post illustrations file at cabinet 13, drawer 1, at Municipal-Towns-Canterbury Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Gelatin silver print, 16.4 x 16.9 cm

Date: 2013

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DCDL-0026176

Description: In gale a farmer grabs hold of fence to avoid being blown away. A cow holds onto his legs. Beside them a sheep who is also holding on the fence finds that the wind is blowing off its fleece. It remarks 'Woohoooo! Instant shearing! In September 2013, the traditional sheep shearing month, there were strong gales in the Canterbury region with considerable damage, mainly from fallen trees and power lines. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).