Abstract of Christine HENDERSON, 2007
Item — Box: 10
Identifier: H01270002
Abstract
CHRISTINE HENDERSON
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstracter: Jean Hawkes
TRACK 1
00:14 Lived in town – Mother from farming family, BLONDELL, of WAIMATUA.
00:23 When parents married lived in INVERCARGILL – Father served overseas.
00:32 Move to WAIMATUA – Help grandfather and uncle on farm – Father never been on a farm. Farmland – Described. Homestead – Described.
01:14 Self fascinated by conditions, including dunny – Described
01:28 Equipment used to clear land – Described.
01:48 Grandfather's draught horse – Children's efforts to ride – Described. MARIE (sister of self) – Mentioned
02:08 DAVID BROWN tractor – Father learned to become a farmer..
02:23 Lots of schools, districts – People helping on farms
02:32 Help at harvest time – Described. Haymaking – Use of horses – Described. Mr HAWKE with hay grab – Mentioned UNCLE BEN thatching hay stack – Described.
03:27 Help need when mill came for oats. Harvesting and threshing oats – Described.
04:15 Billy tea & scones – Mother's job. Children helped where they could.
04:26 Evolution of farming Changes apparent when self moved to LUMSDEN
04:50 Co-operation between farmers – Including retired farmers help with silage.
05:01 During childhood number of people involved in farming meant schools flourished.
05:09 Gradual move to mechanisation – Composition of families changed – Changes to rural lifestyle – Explained
05:31 Move to LUMSDEN – No dairy farms – All sheep or crop
06:14 Effects of influx of dairying on farming district – Explained. Loss of volunteer groups – ST JOHN (ambulance) – RURAL WOMEN – FEDERATED FARMERS – LIONS
06:40 Dairy farmers not so intertwined with population at large as were sheep and wool and cropping farmers.
07:03 People's view of district changed – Availability of women to help out at local events. Mobility of 50 to 70 age group – Mentioned.
08:00 Present ownership of farms – Described. Major changes to demographics and cohesion of district – Effects on self.
08:45 Grandfather – BILL BLONDELL – His son WILL and daughters MARGARET (mother of self) and ESTER (married BEN BRAND) Cousin BARRY – Mentioned.
09:40 BLONDELL – Early settlers at WAIMATUA. Lots of mills (timber) in the area – Places with 'bush' in name would have had a mill.
10:08 Grandfather one of large family of boys – Had 3 children, UNCLE WILL, AUNTY ESTER and mum.
10:21 Mother married JOHN St CLAIR DANIEL of INVERCARGILL. He worked at TISBURY DAIRY FACTORY. Some dairying on land (at WAIMATUA)
10:45 UNCLE WILL married VERA (from CANADA) late in life. AUNTY ESTER married BEN BRAND – farmed in the area
11:09 UNCLE BOB BLONDELL (cousin) also farmed in area.
11:37 Children milked cows before going to school regardless of weather. Walk to WAIMATUA SCHOOL. Mother wore shoes out jitterbugging on road – had to wear boots Remembered skating down creeks in winter.
12:26 [WAR] – Mother into WAAF – Father overseas with 23rd Battalion
12:41 When self and sister born father working in BROWN OWL CAFE, INVERCARGILL – to GRAND HOTEL – to SOUTHLAND HOTEL as Manager. Family lived on hotel premises – Fun for children but not a life for them
13:15 Move to farm – Mother helped, had raised steers, fully involved. Father worked with UNCLE WILL and grandfather. Grandfather died aged 82years – Event prior to death – Described.
13:56 Self wanted to be a farmer – Father would not allow it. LINCOLN (COLLEGE) – Mentioned.
14:13 Self went to Training College – Married a farmer.
14:26 Expectation to help on farm as had done with own father – MARIE (sister) had helped with 'womanly' things – Explained.
14:38 Self had to learn 'womanly' skills after marriage. Drove tractors – Before KRISTIN (?) born it was 'First up, Best tractor' 14:58 Self no talents for book-keeping...
15:00 End of Track 1
TRACK 2
00:01 Husband did 'the books' – Self drove tractors – Put in long hours Not allowed to do some things – Explained.
00:34 Differences between place of mother and women of this age on farm – Described. Self first drove tractor when about 7 years old – Described.
01:38 Self now able to drive most vehicles including ancient 1960 BEDFORD. 01:56 Satisfying skills – Few accidents – Mother probably be impressed. Limited memories of women driving vehicles in earlier days.
02:31 [WAR TIME]: Land Army – Mentioned.
02:46 Place of women on farms today – Described and comparisons made. Probable effects if women disappeared from from farms – Explained.
03:47 Harvest – Contrast made with past and present time from a woman's angle. Grandmother – mother – self. Self's reaction to preserved eggs – Described.
05:19 Self's wish is that skills never be lost – Crucial to next generation. Era that self has lived through has been cushy – No involvement with war such as WW2 – Need to keep skills alive as best we can.
05:55 Revival of handcrafts – Mentioned Future availability of ready-made garments may not be as plentiful. Self sufficiency important – Survival skills vital.
06:25 Interviewer describing timing of tapes.
07:02 End of Track 2
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstracter: Jean Hawkes
TRACK 1
00:14 Lived in town – Mother from farming family, BLONDELL, of WAIMATUA.
00:23 When parents married lived in INVERCARGILL – Father served overseas.
00:32 Move to WAIMATUA – Help grandfather and uncle on farm – Father never been on a farm. Farmland – Described. Homestead – Described.
01:14 Self fascinated by conditions, including dunny – Described
01:28 Equipment used to clear land – Described.
01:48 Grandfather's draught horse – Children's efforts to ride – Described. MARIE (sister of self) – Mentioned
02:08 DAVID BROWN tractor – Father learned to become a farmer..
02:23 Lots of schools, districts – People helping on farms
02:32 Help at harvest time – Described. Haymaking – Use of horses – Described. Mr HAWKE with hay grab – Mentioned UNCLE BEN thatching hay stack – Described.
03:27 Help need when mill came for oats. Harvesting and threshing oats – Described.
04:15 Billy tea & scones – Mother's job. Children helped where they could.
04:26 Evolution of farming Changes apparent when self moved to LUMSDEN
04:50 Co-operation between farmers – Including retired farmers help with silage.
05:01 During childhood number of people involved in farming meant schools flourished.
05:09 Gradual move to mechanisation – Composition of families changed – Changes to rural lifestyle – Explained
05:31 Move to LUMSDEN – No dairy farms – All sheep or crop
06:14 Effects of influx of dairying on farming district – Explained. Loss of volunteer groups – ST JOHN (ambulance) – RURAL WOMEN – FEDERATED FARMERS – LIONS
06:40 Dairy farmers not so intertwined with population at large as were sheep and wool and cropping farmers.
07:03 People's view of district changed – Availability of women to help out at local events. Mobility of 50 to 70 age group – Mentioned.
08:00 Present ownership of farms – Described. Major changes to demographics and cohesion of district – Effects on self.
08:45 Grandfather – BILL BLONDELL – His son WILL and daughters MARGARET (mother of self) and ESTER (married BEN BRAND) Cousin BARRY – Mentioned.
09:40 BLONDELL – Early settlers at WAIMATUA. Lots of mills (timber) in the area – Places with 'bush' in name would have had a mill.
10:08 Grandfather one of large family of boys – Had 3 children, UNCLE WILL, AUNTY ESTER and mum.
10:21 Mother married JOHN St CLAIR DANIEL of INVERCARGILL. He worked at TISBURY DAIRY FACTORY. Some dairying on land (at WAIMATUA)
10:45 UNCLE WILL married VERA (from CANADA) late in life. AUNTY ESTER married BEN BRAND – farmed in the area
11:09 UNCLE BOB BLONDELL (cousin) also farmed in area.
11:37 Children milked cows before going to school regardless of weather. Walk to WAIMATUA SCHOOL. Mother wore shoes out jitterbugging on road – had to wear boots Remembered skating down creeks in winter.
12:26 [WAR] – Mother into WAAF – Father overseas with 23rd Battalion
12:41 When self and sister born father working in BROWN OWL CAFE, INVERCARGILL – to GRAND HOTEL – to SOUTHLAND HOTEL as Manager. Family lived on hotel premises – Fun for children but not a life for them
13:15 Move to farm – Mother helped, had raised steers, fully involved. Father worked with UNCLE WILL and grandfather. Grandfather died aged 82years – Event prior to death – Described.
13:56 Self wanted to be a farmer – Father would not allow it. LINCOLN (COLLEGE) – Mentioned.
14:13 Self went to Training College – Married a farmer.
14:26 Expectation to help on farm as had done with own father – MARIE (sister) had helped with 'womanly' things – Explained.
14:38 Self had to learn 'womanly' skills after marriage. Drove tractors – Before KRISTIN (?) born it was 'First up, Best tractor' 14:58 Self no talents for book-keeping...
15:00 End of Track 1
TRACK 2
00:01 Husband did 'the books' – Self drove tractors – Put in long hours Not allowed to do some things – Explained.
00:34 Differences between place of mother and women of this age on farm – Described. Self first drove tractor when about 7 years old – Described.
01:38 Self now able to drive most vehicles including ancient 1960 BEDFORD. 01:56 Satisfying skills – Few accidents – Mother probably be impressed. Limited memories of women driving vehicles in earlier days.
02:31 [WAR TIME]: Land Army – Mentioned.
02:46 Place of women on farms today – Described and comparisons made. Probable effects if women disappeared from from farms – Explained.
03:47 Harvest – Contrast made with past and present time from a woman's angle. Grandmother – mother – self. Self's reaction to preserved eggs – Described.
05:19 Self's wish is that skills never be lost – Crucial to next generation. Era that self has lived through has been cushy – No involvement with war such as WW2 – Need to keep skills alive as best we can.
05:55 Revival of handcrafts – Mentioned Future availability of ready-made garments may not be as plentiful. Self sufficiency important – Survival skills vital.
06:25 Interviewer describing timing of tapes.
07:02 End of Track 2
Dates
- 2007
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Conditions Governing Use
This material is copyright of the Invercargill City Libraries and Archives. In accordance with agreements held with interviewees, it is strictly prohibited to reproduce (copy) oral history recordings, abstracts, audio extracts or photographs without prior written consent. Applications for the reproduction of these recordings and associated materials, in whole or part, must be made in writing to the Southland Oral History Project Co-ordinator, c/o Invercargill City Libraries and Archives.
Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Campbell, Jenny (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
