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Abstract of Donald Blair McKENZIE, 2020

 Item — Box: 1
Identifier: H01040002

Abstract

Donald Blair McKenzie

Interviewer Ann Mckenzie Abstractor: Barbara Gillam

Session 1: 12 March 2012

TRACK 1

-0.50 DOB 27.10.1940.

-1.43 Father DONALD BLAIR MCKENZIE dob 7.12.1900. Farmer.

-2.20 Mother MOANA ANNIE MCKENZIE

TRACK 2

-0.10 Mother's DOB was 4.2.1910. Was a dressmaker before getting married.

-0.50 3 other Children; COLIN dob 6.3.1943, ROSS dob 3.7.1944 and CATHERINE 7.3.1946

-1.50 Great Grandfather, KENNETH GEORGE MCKENZIE and Great Grandmother KATHERINE MCKENZIE arrived in DUNEDIN January 1861

-2.50 Great Grandfather worked for CHARLES BRUNTON as a SHEPHERD in FORTROSE.

-3.25 Went to the goldfields at GABRIELS GULLY

-4.45 Great Grandfather involved in the school, athletics, Gaelic Club and shipping in Fortrose.

-6.50 Donald grew up in Greenbush. His son SCOTT is still farming there.

-9.04 Breakfast was porridge and toast

-13.00 Had Fox Terriers to chase hares.

-14.00 Had Horses.

TRACK 3

-0.10 Had to feed horses before breakfast. He had to ride them to school. The school had a horse paddock.

-3.20 Horses being used on farm until 1950 when they got 1st TRACTOR. Horses were also used to drive stock to the railway station at WAIMAHAKA.

-5.15 Stock would also be sent in trucks.

-8.00 One uncle always had ideas.

-9.30 Family Life: Donald said on Sundays they would go to SUNDAY SCHOOL by car but walk home or go to the Sunday schools teachers house.

-11.30 Sunday afternoon they played.

-12.30 Dressed in Sunday best and had to stay clean.

-13.50 Started school at the end of the war when there was less than 50 in school.

TRACK 4

-0.14 Only had 3 teachers the whole time at the school.

-2.10 Taught to swim in FORTROSE ESTUARY

-4.11 Went to WAITAKI BOYS HIGH SCHOOL. He would catch the train at EDENDALE.

-6.30 The school had 700 boys with 300 boarders.

-10.20 He liked agricultural classes.

-11.00 He had to do sport.

-12.14 He spent 2 years at High School. He left after father became sick so stayed at farm to help out.

-13.00 Went to Shearing school.

-14.30 They had to milk the cows on the farm.

TRACK 5

-0.31 Donald made money going out shearing.

-0.50 He was paid 5 pounds per hundred sheep which was very good money.

-1.00 Within 2 years he was shearing 200 sheep a year.

-2.45 He would shear just a couple months of the year.

-3.48 Father died when he was 22 so took over running the property.

-4.20 Donald eventually ran the farm with his brother Robert as the McKenzie brothers.

-4.30 In leisure time he would go to the yachting club in Fortrose and played RUGBY in winter.

-6.20 Played TENNIS when younger on a court on the farm.

-7.30 Older people in family would play CARDS.

-8.00 Had power cuts frequently.

-9.20 Power cuts happened as not enough water to generate power during the day.

Session 2: 13 March 2013

TRACK 1

-0.24 Great Grandfather arrived in 1861 from ULLAPOOL in Scotland. Landed in PORT CHALMERS and then on to FORTROSE.

-1.25 Great Grandmother was KATHERINE MCCLAIN.

-2.25 By 1900 Great Grandfather had 3 farms in his name . He gave one to each of his sons.

-3.20 Farms were divided: Kenneth (Donald's Grandfather) was given GREENBUSH, Thomas was given OCEANVIEW, John was given the stables in Otara.

-6.06 2nd Generation Kenneth moved to Greenbush after the death of his father in 1901.

-8.00 The original Kenneth started up the CALEDONIA SOCIETY and became involved in other things.

-9.14 There were FLAT HORSE RACES at Greenbush.

-10.00 There were ploughing competitions.

-11.00 Original Kenneth had a large funeral and his widow lived in the house the for 12 years.

-12.24 The 2nd Kenneth had 3 children, including Donald's father. Kenneth married ANNIE CLARK. They had 7 children; Donald, Matty, Kenneth, John, Hector, Colin and Clara.

-14.20 Flora was sporty and represented Southland in HOCKEY.

-14.35 She went on to play hockey in TIMARU. She caught MENINGITIS and died 3 days later.

TRACK 2

-0.10 Hector also stayed/worked at Greenbush.

-0.30 Hector became a PRISONER OF WAR in 1940 and was a POW for 4 years.

-1.00 2nd Kenneth farmed sheep and cattle and a sheep stud.

-2.20 1st Kenneth went back to Scotland. He died not long after he came back.

-2.50 2nd Kenneth farmed Greenbush until he died in 1927. DONALD CLARK MCKENZIE took over.

-3.20 Donald Mckenzie married ANN . Had 5 children , Colin, Robb, Kath, Fiona and Donald.

-5.50 2nd Kenneth bought another block called TEATREE at the turn of the century.

-6.30 He sold this block after the Manuka trees were cleared.

-7.50 Early 50s Hector formed a block next to Greenbush.

-8.30 Changes came in 1951 1st tractor came.

-12.35 Donald lived in Ocean View initially before moving to Greenbush.

-14.20 Donald farmed sheep and cattle beasts.

TRACK 3

-0.10 Railway was 12km away.

-1.20 Had ROMNEY SHEEP which have low fertility.

-2.20 They got new sheep which gave more wool.

-4.50 Leased farm to son Scott. Donald had 4 sons, Hamish ( who died), Ben, Scott and Lauchlon.

-5.50 Scott switched to a DAIRY herd. He bought farm in 2002.

-6.46 He was milking up to 800 cows. Scott married Chris McClough and had 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl.

END OF INTERVIEW

Dates

  • 2020

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Extent

From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)

Language of Materials

English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository