DOROTHY MYRLE SAYERS Interviewer: Avis McDonald

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:58 DOROTHY MYRLE SAYERS born 27 March 1923

01:09 Recording Agreement

01:34 FATHER – HUGH HALLIDAY MOTHER – MOLLY McGREGOR born in PALMERSTON (?)

02:06 Self reared by GRANDPARENTS [known as 'mum' and 'dad'] – Stern Scottish Presbyterian upbringing

02:50 Not taken out until about 2 years old – Relations didn't really know about self

03:19 Marriage of mother MARTHA MARTIN (MOLLY) McGREGOR to RAYMOND FRASER REID SHIRLEY

04:49 Grew up in BALFOUR – First house – Described Age six years moved to old BALFOUR MANSE Minister travelled from LUMSDEN

05:46 BALFOUR MANSE – Described

05:59 Sunday meals – Always roast beef – Vegetables prepared on Saturday Weekday meals – Vegetables from garden – Meat from butcher HARRY MACLEAN – Mentioned

07:26 Father [grandad] was BAKER in BALFOUR Mr ASHER owned the business

07:56 Self wore boots once – Hated them Swapping boots for sandshoes/gym shoes – Described

08:55 DUNCAN brother/uncle 8 years older

09:26 [GAMES]: Hopscotch – Tig – Dolls – Skipping – Cards DOROTHY SCOBIE – Mentioned

10:12 [CHORES]: Clean cutlery and all brass items – Paid six pence (5 cents)

10:37 Pictures shown at BALFOUR HALL – Mr BUTEL from MATAURA

11:16 Silent movies – Talkies – CHARLIE CHAPLIN

11:33 Had money to buy lollies – Bought bread for about one shilling (ten cents)

12:29 O'CONNOR'S SHOP

12:35 Influenced by sister-in-law MARY McGREGOR wife of HEC – Ten children Scones – Sugar buns Husband manager of BALFOUR LIMEWORKS

13:42 Little contact with own mother

14:06 [CHRISTMAS]: Tree – Presents – Christmas Dinner 15:00 End of Track One

TRACK 2

00:00 [BIRTHDAY]: Never had a party – Son arranged one when self about 50 years old

00:21 [DISCIPLINE]: Smacked by mother – Never by father MARGARET (grandmother) – Mentioned

00:57 Very strict with obedience – No answering back – Respect – Until 18 years old

01:22 [SUNDAYS]: Dad never went to church – Had been SALVATION ARMY – Cooked dinner every Sunday

02:15 MARGARET – DUNCAN and self attended church

02:25 Church service at 2 o'clock – Evening prayers at home – Devotion – Grace at meals

02:59 Meaning of religion for self – Explained Situation when in AIR FORCE

03:21 [EDUCATION]: Attended school in BALFOUR School – Described

05:31 Started school at 5 or 6 years old

05:48 SCHOOL REUNION – Did not attend banquet – Lovely time during the afternoon

06:22 [TEACHERS]: Miss EWING – Punishment given by NICOL McDONALD Mother/grandmother took in boarders WRIGHT STEPHENSON & Co – Mentioned

08:04 English favourite subject – Not bright at maths

08:19 School discipline very strict

08:47 [GAMES]: Sandpit at school

09:18 Left school aged about 15 years – Job at Grocer's Shop – Went to Mrs MCLEAN [Butcher's wife] for dressmaking 09:58 Didn't attend high school – Extra tuition from NICOL McDONALD BILL GILLESPIE – Two girls RASMUSSEN – (?) LIDDELL

10:45 Travel arrangements that would have been needed – Described BALFOUR – BERT HORRELL – Mentioned

11:26 Passed PROFICIENCY

11:41 Accepted mother's choice for self to work in Grocer's Shop – Paid fifteen shillings ($1.50) per week Don't remember if paid to do dressmaking Mrs McLEAN – Mentioned

12:11 [CLOTHING] : Smock worn in shop

12:37 Enjoyed meeting people in shop Purchase of wristlet watch (two shillings = twenty cents – half a crown = twenty five cents) – Explained

13:14 Other shop staff – man and wife Lunch time – Described

13:40 Left to work in GORE with FARRY family to look after baby [MALCOLM] EDNA (?) RASMUSSEN – Mentioned 14:40 Outbreak of war – Recruits.... St MARY'S HALL – Mentioned

15:00 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:00 ...Self applied – Did not tell mother

00:08 FARRY family – MERSEY STREET, GORE – Shop in IRK STREET [FARRY CHILDREN]: LEILA – GLORIA – GABRIEL – TONY – JAMELIE ROSE – MALCOLM Gloria married DAVID LA HOOD POSTIE PLUS (shop) – Mentioned

01:10 Signing up for Military Service

01:42 Chores with (FARRY) family – Made own clothing

02:01 Enjoyed being with FARRYS

02:09 How mother learned of signing up – Explained INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

03:00 Self not allowed to serve overseas

03:14 Told father first about signing up – His reaction

04:00 Self being PRESBYTERIAN surprised mother wanted self to work for FARRYS

04:54 Mrs FARRY'S disappointment at self signing up

05:04 [SPORT]: In the AIR FORCE – Cricket – Basketball/Netball – Tennis

05:19 [AIR FORCE]: TAIERI AIR FORCE BASE – Described MOSGIEL – Mentioned

06:48 Given choice of work in AIR FORCE – Chose AIRMEN'S MESS Requirements of MESS DUTIES – No cooking duties

08:07 [SPARE TIME]: Dressmaking – Knitting

08:51 Work hours 6.30am to 2.30pm – Two shifts

09:26 End of shift duties – Described

10:46 Enjoyed AIR FORCE life – Meeting people – Very strict discipline

11:18 Preparation of BED-PACK – Described

11:58 No heating in hut – Hotties (hot water bottles) used

12:36 Served for 4 years – Demobbed Uniform returned except for buttons

13:09 Polishing brass buttons Use of BUCKLEY'S CANADIOL MIXTURE to clean brass

13:48 Dormitories MARG'S MOTHER – Mentioned

14:11 Experiences – Showering – Bathing Culture Shock – Described...

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … Continuation of showering procedure Conditions unchanged

00:51 Hair-washing facilities – Described

01:17 UNIFORM ISSUES – Described 02:09 Underwear own responsibility

02:29 Able to go to DUNEDIN on Wednesday and Friday nights

02:57 Mess shifts worked alternate weeks – Need to feed new intakes late at night

03:23 Few visits to parents – Mother hired car to GORE

04:05 ARMISTICE DAY in DUNEDIN – Described

04:57 Knew some airmen lost overseas

05:18 Self married in January

05:27 Self a child during DEPRESSION – Never hungry

06:09 SWAGGERS – Described They had work for keep on farms

07:19 Partner (JOHN known as JACK) worked in LIMEWORKS – Met before war Self aged about 17

08:19 [WEDDING]: St ANDREW'S HALL – HOLLYWOOD SCHOOL of DRESSMAKING made frock Two bridesmaids – Nieces – MARGARET and OLIVE SHIRLEY (Mother's children) 09:36 Own children – MORRISON – ANGUS – plus three others

09:51 After marriage lived at LORNE STREET, MATAURA – Rented two rooms Accepted conditions – plans to build own home

10:36 Arrangements regarding paying bills – Described

11:16 AIR FORCE pay about seven shillings and six pence (seventy five cents) per week Little personal expense needed

12:00 FARRYS very liberal (employers)

12:23 Did not regret reduced pay on entering AIR FORCE

12:30 Made all own dresses – Handsewn garment

12:48 Parents and aunt very strict

13:12 Would have liked to meet (Princess) DIANA

13:43 Admired WINSTON CHURCHILL

14:07 Feelings when war broke out – Little understanding until joining AIR FORCE

14:38 No experience of actual bombing Trenches and Trial Runs at TAIERI – Described....

15:00 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … Continuation of Practice Runs

00:16 NEW ZEALAND'S involvement had to be

00:33 [Relatives]: LYALL McGREGOR – Killed on first run in ENGLAND DUNCAN [brother] – ARMY – Came home

01:17 Farewell gatherings at BALFOUR

01:34 JOHN (husband) boarded with own friend's mother

01:43 BALFOUR well represented by servicemen

02:01 Self thought war would last 12 months

02:15 Self not man-powered – Explained SEACLIFF – Mentioned

02:43 Letter after leaving AIR FORCE – To be sent to SEACLIFF – Own reaction Went with mother to INVERCARGILL – In uniform Visit – Described

04:11 Views of possible invasion of NEW ZEALAND JAPANESE at GODLEY HEADS (Canterbury)

05:01 Blackouts at TAIERI

05:14 Dancing – Wednesday nights at EARLY SETTLERS – Saturday night at TOWN HALL

06:14 JOHN overseas before self in AIR FORCE He served in EGYPT – CAIRO – TRIPOLI ENGLAND – Mentioned

06:49 Answer by father to son – PETER's question “What did you do in the Army?” 8th ARMY – Mentioned

07:13 Met many AMERICANS – They did not appeal to self

07:35 Knew some Conscientious Objectors – Difficult situation Boys needed on farms – Placement of women on farms

08:47 Never missed ANZAC PARADES – Laid wreaths

09:11 General attitude to wars HIROSHIMA – Mentioned

10:06 Self would have liked to serve overseas – Mother always against it

10:30 AIR FORCE women did serve overseas – Nurses – Signals

10:58 Learned to pack parachutes

11:06 At 22 could have pleased self – Never would disobey parents

11:34 Daughter – ROSEMARY 14 months old when mother/grandmother died about 1957 PETER born in 1952 – JAN MARIE 1954 – ROSEMARY 1956 Both parents buried at BALFOUR Husband buried in Soldiers' Section at MATAURA – JACK killed when married 24 years aged 52 years

13:49 End of Track 5

NOTE: Myrle died in 2011