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Dawson, Ailsa Ruth

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1932 - 2021

Interviewer with the Southland Oral History Project

Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:

BROWN, David Morton interviewed by Ailsa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 4
Identifier: H0024
Overview This interview covers David’s family history, his involvement in the Army in the pacific and his shift to Lumsden in 1946 where he went into partnership in the grocery store with Ray Pickering. Later this became Brown Brothers and traded for 40 years. There is a description of how this business operated and the addition of the rural mail to it. David describes his interests which include: his rugby career, driver for St John’s Ambulance, RSA, Senior Citizens, and Lions.
Dates: 2007

CALVERT, John Jabez (Jack) interviewed by Alisa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 46
Identifier: H0484
Overview In this interview, Jack gives details of his family background and schooling. He talks about Invercargill and the Jabez Hay and Company foundry of which his father was a part owner. He describes the family farm at Kennington which had hens and dairy cows. He mentions rabbiting. Jack married Thelma Ayers in 1935 and they had six children. Jack goes on to discuss his love of breeding and showing birds and his long association with the Invercargill Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club. He was a member...
Dates: 1998

DAWSON, Ailsa Ruth interviewed by Jenny Campbell

 Record Group — Box: 11
Identifier: H0265
Overview In this interview Ailsa talks about growing up in Makarewa and then Wyndham. She describes what she remembers of Wyndham growing up and her schooling and past times. Ailsa talks about the impact of WW2. She then talks of moving to Invercargill and meeting her husband through church and her parents in later life.
Dates: 2006

EATON, Thelma Catherine Margaret interviewed by Ailsa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 9
Identifier: H0033
Overview Thelma describes her early life and catching the Kinston Flyer to Balfour School from Lintley near Lumsden. She was man powered onto the family farm during WW2 and discusses these years and the depression years. Thelma talks of her: marriage, purchase of land near Balfour, family, involvement in country activities and interests in golf and gardening.
Dates: 2007

McDONALD, Ruth Lillian interviewed by Ailsa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 44
Identifier: H0450
Overview Ruth McDonald was born in Hawera in 1911. In this interview, Ruth gives details of her father's family, the Dews. She recalls schooling at Ruawai, moving as a result of her father's occupation as cheese factory manager and living at Kakapuku (near Te Awamutu). She married William McDonald in 1930 and drove from the King Country to Southland to live. She lived at Wrights Bush cheese factory and then at Lochiel, managing the Northope dairy factory. She describes the closing of these factories...
Dates: 1998

McMILLAN, Mary Ferguson interviewed by Ailsa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 38
Identifier: H0373
Overview Mary describes growing up and family life on a farm on the Morton Mains Estate, near Waituna. Her parents died when she was 20 years old and she and her 18-year-old sister brought up her younger siblings. She talks about the opening of the Oteramika Hall. Mary describes industries in the area: dairy factories, the sugar of milk factory at Edendale and a tinned rabbit factory and linen flax mill in Woodlands. She married a neighbour, Alexander McMillan and moved to his farm in Waituna where she...
Dates: 1998

THOMPSON, Margaret Evelyn interveiwed by Ailsa Dawson

 Record Group — Box: 8
Identifier: H0168
Overview Margaret talks of early life on the family farm at Five Rivers describing daily life routines of school, working on the farm after school and the need to order groceries from Invercargill. She recalls recreational pursuits e.g. sports, dances and craft work. Margret goes on to tell of her own children and families and their education. She was a member of St John’s Ambulance for almost 50 years, the caretaker of the Lumsden Hall and School for 28 years and involved in fundraising for the...
Dates: 2007