Overview In this interview James gives details of his parents' backgrounds, the village in Galway, Ireland where he was born in 1906 and why he came to New Zealand. James describes leaving Galway in 1929 and his impressions of Invercargill on arriving in 1930. He describes working at the Fortification sawmill before labouring on buildings in Invercargill. He describes working on the Te Anau to Milford highway in very difficult working and living conditions. He notes that three hundred men worked on the...

Abstract H0446 JAMES COLUMBIAN KILLEEN INTERVIEWED: 13/4/99Interviewer: Madeline McGilvrayAbstractor: Madeline McGilvrayTape Identification00.0 Track 1, side 100.10 Father’s name and occupation, and where he lived.00.42 Small holdings, cows and sheep and origin of the Steeplechase.00.82 Mother’s name and story of picture on the wall.01.24 Origin of JAMES’ name.01.87 Village where he...

Abstract H0627 Selwyn Philip FosbenderInterviewer: Cathy MacfieDate: 3 October 2023Abstracter: Maree HaggertyTRACK 100.0 IntroductionTRACK 200.00 Joseph and Elizabeth Fosbender, Selwyn’s GRANDPARENTS, came out from GERMANY and settled on Bay Road. Selwyn’s father reported he was born there. Selwyn does not recall how many children there were, but that ‘there was quite a few of them.’ They then moved to NEW RIVER FERRY...

Overview In this interview, Selwyn talks about his family and his connection to the land in Otatara where he has lived all his life. He talks about his grandparents moving to Invercargill and then to New River Ferry on the Oreti River from Germany. Selwyn's father leased land at Sandy Point to fatten cattle and travelled extensively around Southland. Selwyn talks about his mother and growing up, schooling and work life. He joined the Territorial Army, worked in roading and at the freezing works. He...