H0289

CATHERINE MARY DE CLIFFORD (KITTY)

Interview Date: October 25, 2001

Interviewer: Janice Templeton

Abstractor: Ngaire Bartley

00.0 Preamble

00.26 BORN in private house in PALMERSTON STREET, RIVERTON MIDWIFE, MRS. HOPGOOD, Mother of FRANK and MANDY THOMPSON’S Mother.

01.15 Shops in Riverton. Shops started at the corner as you turn towards The Railway Hotel. Lists various shops in Riverton. Fruit shop, dressmaker, material shop, chemist, hairdresser, electrician. Bakery. KITTY grew up at the Bakery and tearooms. Details layout. Several employees. Kitty’s FATHER started the Bakery. GRANDFATHER had a BOOTMAKER’S SHOP.

03.45 Grandparents lived opposite Dr. Trotter’s in the Main Street. Father was apprenticed to a baker to learn his trade. Mother was a McCORKIN from BALFOUR. Father chief baker.

04.30 Bakery a very busy place. Moved to bottom of HAVELOCK STREET. Business was sold but it continued as a bakery and tearooms.

05.43 Mentions MISS HUNT and MISS MCKELLOR

07.20 Memories of shopping in the early days.

09.05 Memories of dances in Riverton. Balls held in EMPIRE THEATRE Bands sometimes from Dunedin. Long frocks and dress suits were worn. At least half a dozen events throughout the year. Patrons queued back two blocks to BANK OF NZ building. Discusses balls in depth. Lists names of dances.

12;50 Farewells to soldiers at the time of the war. Big turnout of people for dancing and speeches at venue FLECK’S HALL. KITTY played PIANO ACCORDIAN along with MRS BRYANT, PIANO, HARRY MORTON, VIOLIN AND KEITH MCNEIL, BANJO.

14.42 Married after the war to WADE DE CLIFFORD. Mentions concerts to welcome homecoming soldiers at the end of the war.

Track two

00.28 Very busy life during war, baking and knitting to send overseas and raising funds for RED CROSS. Worked for MR. DIACK towards the end of the war. Worked in the TELEPHONE EXCHANGE for a long time and at fruit shop and drapery shop.

01.50 Discusses business WADE and KITTY set up after the war.

02.25 Sporting interests. BANNER for the SAILING CLUB made by KITTY at the museum. Rowing and badminton. Mentions sailing in the estuary and Father’s interest in sailing.

04.39 Mentions ‘REDCOATS’ JOHN WILSON and ALLIE WARD representing NEW ZEALAND ROWING. Mentions interest in golf and husband WADE’S interest.

07.08 Worked in the shop for 28 years. Started married life in grandma’s house next door to DOLLY PEMBERTON’S. Later built own home. ‘Ladies meetings’ never appealed.

08.17 Mentions shop routine and tasks undertaken. No help at home.

10.40 Shop sold when KITTY was 50. Wade died on golf course. Ran shop on her own for three months after he died. Daughter GAIL was marvellous (three babies at the time). Talks about organisation needed to continue operating the business. Mentions delivering goods in the area done in the early days with a dray and a horse. Remembers ERNEST SPENCER driving the horse and cart.

14.30 Mentions Boxing Day highlights.

Track three

00.25 RIVERTON REGATTA. Many people came by train. 01.24 Remembers cars parked in OSBORNE STREET and people walking down and over the bridge. People sold boiling water for others to have with their picnic.

02.34 Sports meetings mentioned briefly. Mentions Easter races. Town busy for a week or a fortnight. Loved the races. Owned RACEHORSES.

06.20 KITTY enjoyed meeting the people most while owning the business. Enjoyed Running B & B [bed and breakfast] in PICTON. A friend had a B & B and got very ill and KITTY went up and ran the place after husband WADE died. Stayed on. Discusses chores. Washing clothes discussion.

09.52 Mentions GRANDPARENTS. Grandparents had seven children. Grandma ran the home as a boarding house after her husband died. Mentions Riverton Boarding houses. JOYCE ANGUS ran one and there was another near DOLLY PEMBERTON’S house. Talks about hotels. Lists hotels.

Mentions major fires in Riverton when there was no Fire Station.

End of interview.