Betty Vera SNELL

H0626

Notes from Interview on 11 September 2023

Track 1

Born Longbush, describes family – father died when she was 7 years – 3 siblings (Margaret twin sister) – Uncle helped on farm. Grandparents. Family farm called “Duxmore”, grandparents farm: “Strathmore”. Over the paddocks, baking – describes, jobs – Saturday washing. School, apples, mushrooms to Young’s the Grocer, collecting wool, turnip seed. Pocket money, home help, grandparents.

Track 2

Uncle Frank, Dunedin trips – winter show. Primary school, cross stitch, teachers, twins, basketball, running, Dorothy sister, Mum. Secondary School (Manual) Tech, other friends. Choir, Cello, parades, Smiths, Herbert Haynes – materials, styles, no arguments on clothes. Started not dressing alike when started working. Wanted to work together. Floresta (Olive Dunn’s) – couldn’t take them both. Worked for H & J Smiths. 1954 started. Sportwear and Mantels (now fashions). Got A30 car – drove to work from Longbush. Manager Mr Walker. Couldn’t tell twins apart.

Track 3

Put initials on uniform. (M and B) Peg Gray boss, still sees friends. Black costume worn. “Jigger” up the pipes. Jokes – mouse, tea breaks. Millinery department, fashion department, exclusive areas magazine “Service” about staff. Alterations room, frocks taken up, made curtains. Sick room/nurse. Doreen Metzger. Dinners balls, Scottish Hall, RSA. Food poisoning, boarding, parades. (mum remarried) Netball team, back injury. BBQ’s, car trials, choir and Xmas floundering. Xmas decorations. Got married. Left for a while when had 2 girls. Back – work the lunch hours.

Track 4

Family helped. Buyer for sports department. Pricing – calculator (Invercargill and Gore) Queenstown, Te Anau, Nelson stores, given a budget. Reps came to motels. March and September buying for the next year to Auckland. United Stores conference, “Pick a berry” brand. Christchurch made, big seller, parades, Thursday and Friday lunch hours and at night Friday). Nelson twice a year to see stock sizes, Peg Gray and June Gray – Greece holidays. Buyers to other stores, Keith Douglas, fun man, driver. Car load. Lunch at the Puni, embroidery. Nora Devery friend. Talmi Liddell night school, Estell Shaw Guild, sales, winter and summer, crowds

Track 5

Bought extra for sales. Set sales targets, got bonus if made targets. Sports ware 10 years. Moved to lingerie department as a buyer. Bendon big seller. Dressing gowns “Chevelle” (1990 $15,000 and a bonus income). Bowl of flowers at counter. Arrangements for 90th and 100th celebrations – Frampton’s for flowers. Large and had to be looked after. Asked to be manager at Windsor Branch. Jessie Brown and Eileen Lyons. Dress up the window, flowers, Potatoes – wire work – pine needles. Linen, towels, menswear, children’s wear, women’s wear, buttons etc. Shop alarm, safe, money collected by van. Saturday to 1pm. Street day. Picture framers site. Describes shop layout. Computer. Good friends – things from town shop – 8-10 years there.

Track 6

Reduction in price for staff. Ex staff meet often, 12 of them. Jock Smith. Acton’s daughter’s wedding – did flowers. Ask for extra money to buy goods. Acton and John Green and Jason Smith. 40 years’ service. Serve everyone that came in and say Hello. Church op shop, treated customers the same. Interest (Cancer) Gardening, embroidery, flowers, posies, church, 1973 herb society, Olive Dunne, pot potpourri displays. 2 good teachers at Tech – embroidery guild 40 plus years. Wanaka workshops more modern now. 2 groups. Sharing patterns, shows others. Olive Dunne being kind to people. Church Group. Knits for “my place”.

Track 7

New babies at Kew – “Jubilee”, slippers etc, Red Cross, needs wool, knits at night, supportive husband, very. Cancer Society – volunteer – baking, cooking.