Overview This interview is divided into three parts. The first is a joint one in which Bill and Francis Watt tell of their first meeting, social life of the time, marriage and honeymoon. This followed by employment history through to becoming manager of Mount Hamilton and later a field officer based in Invercargill. In Bill’s interview he tells of his family history, early life and memories in Timaru and the shift to Matarua after the death of both his parents. He looks at his life here e.g. education,...

Overview This interview covers Violet's early life at Otaitai Bush. She and her siblings were taught music and singing although Violet preferred and enjoyed singing. Violet tells of meeting her husband, marriage, living at Pourakino Valley and later shifting to town. She describes her ‘Step into the Past’ collection and sourcing the items within this.

Overview In this interview Beryl shares her family history and stories from her life. These start with her early life in Roxburgh and Lumsden. Beryl discusses her family's purchase of their farm at Gropher’s Bush, her education, childhood games, employment and marriage to Graham. When they married, they had hens and a cow and Beryl made her own butter. During WW2 Graham was in the Home Guard and Beryl was involved with the local Patriotic Society and knitted for the soldiers, sent food parcels overseas...

Overview June talks of her education in Dunedin; training and employment as a Dental Nurse; her first clinic in Orepuki and the surrounding areas; there is a description of the dental equipment and her uniform. During the war June drove transporters for soldiers and was seconded to work in the hospital. After marriage June and her family lived in many areas around NZ in relation to her husband’s occupation; June gives an account of each of these areas and life in them. She shares her use of IT to keep...

Overview This interview is a topic based interview about the 1984 flood and was recorded following the 25th anniversary of the flood. In this interview Peter looks at his occupation as a bricklayer i.e. training and employers before coming self-employed. He talks of his involvement with the Fire Brigade, the 1984 flood and contributing factors to this, damage caused and the role he played during this time; and the aftermath clean up. Through these recollections Peter tells many stories and refers to...

Overview In this interview Andrew describes and details his education, joining the Woodlands Rabbit Board, and later working at the Fortification saw mill; describing the workings of the mill and the living conditions. After the war he became a contractor which led him and Jack Scarlet to design an elevator to load fertilizer as well as a winch and crane to shift gear on the back of the truck. In 1952 he brought the family farm, farming dairy and sheep until 1977, when he sold up and went to work at the...

Overview Nan discusses and describes her family history: her father and grandfather settling in NZ and making a life here; her education first at Spar Bush school then at Southland Girls High. She talks of her memories of the depression and farm conditions at this time. When she left school she qualified as a nurse in 1936. Nan recalls and mentions wartime Invercargill e.g. ration books, petrol rationing, Park Hospital and the purchase of her Vauxhall 12 car for £300.00. Nan worked for ten years at Park...

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...