Beth Bokser

Interviewer: Jenny Campbell

Abstracter: Laura Davies

Interview: 28 June 2013

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview Identification

00:38 BETH BOKSER born 28 December 1933.

00:50 Interview agreement

01:30 Born TUATAPERE

01:35 Twin BROTHER named ROSS. Ross and his wife and their young son died in a ROAD ACCIDENT when he was 45.

01:50 FATHER’s name was GEORGE STODDARD.

02:05 The family FARMED in PUKEMAORI and then the farm was sold and they moved ‘up this way’ [NIGHTCAPS?]

02:13 MOTHER’s name was ALMA MARY MACINTOSH from TAIERI MOUTH

02:22 Attended NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGHSCHOOL

02:35 BROTHERS – TREVOR, famer - MACK ?, farmer - RODGER HEATH, owns Saw-miller, use to worked for S AND J MCRAE

03:32 SISTER – HELEN married BRYDON MCIVOR?, lived at OHAI – BARBARA married a LAIDLAW?, farmed at TISBURY – Mentions RODGER’S marriage to a LAIDLAW?

04:35 Family lived between OHAI and NIGHTCAPS – FARM at WAIRIO, purchased more land at AVONDALE, SOUTHLAND

05:10 Left HIGH SCHOOL at 16 - aided at the NIGHTCAPS MATERNITY HOME - DR WARDS - NURSES - Details

06:10 Recalls MATERNITY care and WOMEN’S WORK, compares to contemporary practices. 06:50 NIGHTCAPS when she was a child – BUS to SCHOOL, returned by MINER’S PIE CART? – TRAIN between OHAI and NIGHTCAPS - Explains

08:15 TEACHERS and PUPILS at school – Describes

09:23 EMPLOYEMENT after school, WAGES – Describes

9:55 Worked at MOUNT LINTON, NURSEMAID to ALISTAIR and VIRGINIA? MCGREGOR, WAGES – Describes

11:50 Spending WAGES and COST of items – Describes

12:45 Worked at local (for OHAI and NIGHTCAPS) BAKERY BUSTER RUSTON? – Details

13:50 MARRIED at 23 - Mentions

14:40 NETBALL – games around SOUTHLAND DISTRICT - sister BARBARA made SOUTHLAND COUNTY – travel to games – Describes

15:00 END OF TRACK 1

TRACK 2

00:00 NETBALL – continued

00:11 Recalls social activities – Mentions PICTURES – DANCES – Explains QUADRILLE – local bands – MABEL and SNITCH KENNEDY

01:42 NICKNAMES of OHAI and NIGHTCAPS residents – Husband’s nickname was MONTY

03:08 Recalls how she met her husband RAY / RAE? at DANCE – Describes getting TAXIS in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS

04:22 Married HUSBAND at the PREBYTERIAN CHURCH, HIGH STREET – MONTY (RAY?) was the last one to be buried at that church – MONTY DIED September 2009

05:00 Describes her WEDDING – Reception in the NIGHTCAPS HOTEL – MONTY worked for Freight Haulage, the drivers were at the wedding – sister was a dressmaker – wedding menu – MONTY’S brother served as bestman

07:18 Recalls MONTY’S brother (LOU?) – died in the MINES at 43 – had a wife (MARGE), two sons and a girl – MINERS COMPENSATION – LOU worked in the FIREBRIGADE

08:50 MINING

10:08 – Recalls MONTY BOKSER’s occupations – TRANSPORT – MINING – Describes MONTY’S health – worked as a trucker in the mines

12:12 – Recalls story on the radio she heard recently – TAKITIMU mines – man who backed his truck and trailer from NIGHTCAP to WAIRIO – CHAD? CURTAIN

13:28 – Recalls husband working in the MINES – she did not like him working in the mines after the death of LOU?

14:30 – Had three SONS – TREVOR? RAYMOND BOKSER, lives in WAIROA – NEVILLE…

15:00 END OF TRACK 2

TRACK 3

00:00 continues from Track 2 – NEVILLE BOKSER, ditch digger – GREG BOKSER, farm manager at GORE

00:25 Origin of the last name BOKSER - MONTY’s father was from FRANCE, was a miner – mentions the number of people and ages in her family and MONTY’s family

2:05 JOBS Beth’s MOTHER had to do: sewing, washing, cooking - Recalls

02:55 Recalls CHILDHOOD: washing the washhouse - winter – riding ponies to school

04:25 FARMING – income

05:00 MOTHER (ALMA MARY STODDARD) lived to 82 – FATHER (GEORGE STODDARD) lived to 71

05:30 Recalls men from the district going to WAR (WORLD WAR II?)

06:25 Recalls POLIO EPIDEMIC – neighbouring deaths of children

07:37 Local FUNERAL DIRECTOR – MR SINCLAIR, also worked as a joiner

08:05 Recalls her mother ALMA MARY STODDARD

08:30 Recalls kind NEIGHBOUR (unnamed) -famers

09:05 TRANSPORT for WOMEN – no cars, or trucks – walking to get groceries

09:40 FOOD from FARM – bought flour and sugar – mother made soap

10:05 Differences in entertainment and life for BETH BOKSER and ALMA MARY STODDARD

10:50 No FRIDGES – FOOD produced locally – Vegetable garden – farming SWEDES

11:52 POCKET MONEY

12:08 CELEBRATIONS: BIRTHDAYS, CHRISTMAS – tea – fruit salad

12:39 Lived in LAMONT TERRACE in NIGHTCAPS after marriage – Describes HOUSE – COAL RANGE – MINERS got a special rate on coal

15:00 END OF TRACK 3

TRACK 4

00:00 MONTY BOKSER job at the MINES – retired at 65 – worked for 40 years at the MINES – HEALTH - RUGBY – coached local school children

01:44 Left the house after her husband died – Recall jobs they did around the house – MONTY BOKSER died in 2009

03:10 Looked after ROSS STODDARD’s children after his death: CRAIG, aged 10 – PATRINA?, aged 12 – MEGAN, just school aged - moved to APARIMA while they looked after the children – Recalls the how the children dealt with the loss of their parents [edited section] – lived in a farm in MARAROA – PATRINA married, lives in the NORTH ISLAND as is MEGAN – CRAIG is in MEXICO with a RANCH

06:35 WOMEN relationship with their MINING HUSBANDS

07:03 HOTEL in NIGHTCAPS – 600 people at the MINES – HOTEL at OHAI

07:40 WOMEN not being able to leave due to finances – FAMILY BENEFIT – Recalls her father on the PENSION

9:23 END OF TRACK 4