Abstract of Edith Maud KING, 2019
Item — Box: 23
Identifier: H00470002
Overview
Edith Maud King
Interviewer: Russell King
Abstracter: Courtney Ellison
TRACK 1
00:00 Born 26 March 1915, OTAUTAU, at back of the butchers shop. Baby of the family.
01:20 Father from CORNWALL, Mother from PLYMOUTH. Fathers second marriage. First marriage was in England to lady who was part Indian, and had some children with her. Mother was 45 when she was born.
04:18 FLU EPIDEMIC and flood in area around the time she was born.
05:12 Five in family. Oldest one just got license so took meat out in old Ford around Otautau. Other siblings, George (14yo), Les (12yo), Margie (??) (10yo). Step siblings also lived with them as they came from England too. Tom (step brother) went to war and didn’t come back. Parents married in England. First wife passed away.
09:00 May have settled in WRIGHTS BUSH first, but may have gone straight to Otautau. Went farming at Wrights Bush. Went to old farm house at WEST PLAINS when she was about to start school. Built house for about 600.
12:17 Went to school at West Plains. Left school at 12 or 13 with “proficiency”, then went to TECH for 2 years. Rode fathers bike home from school sometimes. Biked from West Plains to Railway station at WAIKIWI, then trained to tech, then ‘crocodile’ (walk in a column) all the way to tech. Learnt SEWING and COOKING.
14:14 Was difficult to find work after tech, but found job at MCKENZIES. Family had to sell farm cheap during the DEPRESSION. Cows milked by hand up until just before the left the farm, when machines were bought in. Not allowed into the cow shed, wasn’t considered a place for kids.
15:49 Worked at Spar (?) store on Tay Street in the lolly department, which is where she met her husband. Got married 1 October 1936 and shifted into flat in YARROW STREET. Had first child shortly after. Moved out to WAIKIWI with her parents, but father passed away while living there. Five years later had second child, Lisa. 1 year and 10 months later Janice (??) was born, then another 1 year and 10 months later 4th child was born. Then 7 years later Caroline was born.
22:30 Mothers maiden name was HARLEY, born in Plymouth. Her mother’s father was a builder and died at about 45. Her mother’s mother, aunty and uncle came out to NZ. They stayed at Wrights Bush until they got a cottage at COLLINGWOOD (Waikiwi). Uncle (Sid Harley) got a job at news office. Aunty was sister not wife, neither ever married. Aunty would scare any of Sid’s lady friends away.
28:15 When George came back from WAR bought back a red fire truck for interviewer (son of Edith??). He came back with wounded hand from shrapnel.
29:10 During the war there weren’t many cows on the farm. Started a milk run when returned from the war. Then started a mail run.
TRACK 2
00:19 Discussing various family members and where they now live / lived. Peter McCallum, lives up in CHRISTCHURCH, was a drum major, now does this in army band.
03:05 Mira had Rosemary, June, Dorothy Anne, Mary Josephine. In between June and Dorothy was Lesley, who died at about 67 from drinking too much, cancer of the liver.
05:40 Marjorie, 8 years older than her, married Jack from Invercargill. Family was all in the band. Stayed in the same house 30 years. Had children, Brian, Desmond, Glynis, Lois, Susan. Marjorie became Catholic when she married.
08:40 Mary, youngest child (not sure of who) lives on CHATHAM ISLANDS with her partner. Has three children to a previous marriage and two with current partner. He is a fisherman.
10:03 Met husband when he was 21 and was 19. Married at 23 and 21. His family came from England, perhaps Kent. His mother was from New Zealand. Grandad’s father was a guard on the trains when Minnie Dean was travelling with the babies.
13:20 Discusses husbands’ family members and where they now live.
18:41 Husband (??) born in Invercargill, school at WAIHOPAI then (SOUTHLAND) BOYS HIGH SCHOOL. Worked for a furniture store then went into grocery trade. Aged 59 when he died, he had been ill for a while with asthma and emphysema. Sold grocery store just for the plant/equipment. Got harder with WOOLWORTHS and big companies starting up. Sold grocery store to Dutchman, who only lasted a year now it’s a chemist shop.
21:50 Went to Cherry Farm, it was hard to keep in bed in hospital. Crashed the car when he was driving around town.
23:45 Discusses the other side of husbands family, the Douglas’.
TRACK 1
00:00 Born 26 March 1915, OTAUTAU, at back of the butchers shop. Baby of the family.
01:20 Father from CORNWALL, Mother from PLYMOUTH. Fathers second marriage. First marriage was in England to lady who was part Indian, and had some children with her. Mother was 45 when she was born.
04:18 FLU EPIDEMIC and flood in area around the time she was born.
05:12 Five in family. Oldest one just got license so took meat out in old Ford around Otautau. Other siblings, George (14yo), Les (12yo), Margie (??) (10yo). Step siblings also lived with them as they came from England too. Tom (step brother) went to war and didn’t come back. Parents married in England. First wife passed away.
09:00 May have settled in WRIGHTS BUSH first, but may have gone straight to Otautau. Went farming at Wrights Bush. Went to old farm house at WEST PLAINS when she was about to start school. Built house for about 600.
12:17 Went to school at West Plains. Left school at 12 or 13 with “proficiency”, then went to TECH for 2 years. Rode fathers bike home from school sometimes. Biked from West Plains to Railway station at WAIKIWI, then trained to tech, then ‘crocodile’ (walk in a column) all the way to tech. Learnt SEWING and COOKING.
14:14 Was difficult to find work after tech, but found job at MCKENZIES. Family had to sell farm cheap during the DEPRESSION. Cows milked by hand up until just before the left the farm, when machines were bought in. Not allowed into the cow shed, wasn’t considered a place for kids.
15:49 Worked at Spar (?) store on Tay Street in the lolly department, which is where she met her husband. Got married 1 October 1936 and shifted into flat in YARROW STREET. Had first child shortly after. Moved out to WAIKIWI with her parents, but father passed away while living there. Five years later had second child, Lisa. 1 year and 10 months later Janice (??) was born, then another 1 year and 10 months later 4th child was born. Then 7 years later Caroline was born.
22:30 Mothers maiden name was HARLEY, born in Plymouth. Her mother’s father was a builder and died at about 45. Her mother’s mother, aunty and uncle came out to NZ. They stayed at Wrights Bush until they got a cottage at COLLINGWOOD (Waikiwi). Uncle (Sid Harley) got a job at news office. Aunty was sister not wife, neither ever married. Aunty would scare any of Sid’s lady friends away.
28:15 When George came back from WAR bought back a red fire truck for interviewer (son of Edith??). He came back with wounded hand from shrapnel.
29:10 During the war there weren’t many cows on the farm. Started a milk run when returned from the war. Then started a mail run.
TRACK 2
00:19 Discussing various family members and where they now live / lived. Peter McCallum, lives up in CHRISTCHURCH, was a drum major, now does this in army band.
03:05 Mira had Rosemary, June, Dorothy Anne, Mary Josephine. In between June and Dorothy was Lesley, who died at about 67 from drinking too much, cancer of the liver.
05:40 Marjorie, 8 years older than her, married Jack from Invercargill. Family was all in the band. Stayed in the same house 30 years. Had children, Brian, Desmond, Glynis, Lois, Susan. Marjorie became Catholic when she married.
08:40 Mary, youngest child (not sure of who) lives on CHATHAM ISLANDS with her partner. Has three children to a previous marriage and two with current partner. He is a fisherman.
10:03 Met husband when he was 21 and was 19. Married at 23 and 21. His family came from England, perhaps Kent. His mother was from New Zealand. Grandad’s father was a guard on the trains when Minnie Dean was travelling with the babies.
13:20 Discusses husbands’ family members and where they now live.
18:41 Husband (??) born in Invercargill, school at WAIHOPAI then (SOUTHLAND) BOYS HIGH SCHOOL. Worked for a furniture store then went into grocery trade. Aged 59 when he died, he had been ill for a while with asthma and emphysema. Sold grocery store just for the plant/equipment. Got harder with WOOLWORTHS and big companies starting up. Sold grocery store to Dutchman, who only lasted a year now it’s a chemist shop.
21:50 Went to Cherry Farm, it was hard to keep in bed in hospital. Crashed the car when he was driving around town.
23:45 Discusses the other side of husbands family, the Douglas’.
Dates
- 2019
Conditions Governing Access
Access to oral history recordings is via the Archives Research Room only. We are unable to provide access to this material remotely. Where access agreements allow, abstracts, audio extracts and photographs will be accessible online.
Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: King, Russell (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
