Abstract of Eileen Ellen and Donald Keith McARA, 2019
Item — Box: 23
Identifier: H03210002
Overview
EILEEN ELLEN MCARA and DONALD KEITH MCARA
Interviewer: Nancy Burnett
Abstracter: W. Brent Coats
First Interview: 22 May 2017
DISC 1: TRACK 1
00:00 Interview introduction
01:07 EILEEN ELLEN MCARA born 9 September 1929 - details
01:19 DONALD KEITH MCARA born 24 August 1924 - details
01:37 Interview agreement
02:34 [EILEEN] – Grandfather and Grandfather from IRELAND – Father born in FOLLY FARM, GORGE ROAD, SOUTHLAND Self born INVERCARGILL - details
03:42 [Interview paused]
04:13 [EILEEN] – Birth – Mother rode to from GORGE ROAD to INVERCARGILL – Father could not use phone – Sister as midwife – Describes
04:37 Father butcher – Mother embarrassed to ring local JIMMY LEWIS – Rode to INVERCARGILL – Describes
05:33 SIBLINGS – Brothers FRANK – BOB – Sisters FOLLY – ROSEMARY – Details
06:18 FARM – Scrappy – Bush – House on hill – Many floods – 3 lagoons on land – Lots of BIRCH TREES – Big FIRES – Lived on STEEP HILL – No ELECTRICITY – Petrol motor MILKING MACHINES – Self and siblings MILKED WITH MOTHER – Pushed children in PRAMS up hill to milking shed – Details
08:42 Father bought BUSH 1938 from PINE COMPANY – BULLDOZED bush – Describes
09:42 Concrete HOUSE – High ceilings – Dark big KITCHEN – Black coal RANGE – Large windows – Details
10:30 HEATED WATER – Water jacket on RANGE – Filled with water – Heated – Describes
11:08 BATHROOM not used often – WASHED in kitchen SINK – Describes
11:48 HOUSE belonged to GRANDMOTHER – PARENTS moved in after marriage – Also with brothers and grandmother – Describes
12:30 Mixed FARM – Four draught HORSES – Machinery – Details
13:21 Farmed 60 to 160 COWS – MILK taken to GORGE ROAD DAIRY FACTORY – Used horse and dray – Bought 1936 CHEV TRUCK – Collected others’ milk during SECOND WORLD WAR – DONNALLYS milk – Describes FACTORY steam and “milky” smells
14:43 [DONALD] – Memory of FACTORY NOISE from cans
15:00 End of Track 1
DISC 1: TRACK 2
00:00 … FACTORY receiving platform for WEIGHING – CLEANED on floor – Loud rattle NOISE - Lived nearby – Could not SLEEP from noise in morning – Describes
01:10 WHEY sent to EDENDALE – Used in sugar and milk plant – Describes
01:56 [EILEEN] – Father had many PIGS on farm – Broke into PADDOCK “rooting it all to bits” - Describes
02:33 Parents FARM corner of HAMILL and SHEPHERDS BUSH road – Describes BUS shelter GORGE ROAD SCHOOL – Teachers – Miss ANDERSON – MCILWRAITH – Mrs MCLEAN – CLEM WALKER – Details
03:38 Enjoyed SCHOOL – Self usually played with brother – Enjoyed chance to PLAY with other girls at SCHOOL – GAMES – “Gathering nuts in May” – Cricket – Netball – Tig
04:40 Describes school LUNCH – Parents enjoyed FRENCH bread –Lunch with friend NORMA SELLERS – Well fed – Describes
06:02 HENS and DUCKS on farm – Use for eggs – CHORES included dishes – Mentions
06:56 [DONALD] – First time saw EILEEN at kitchen sink – Mentions
07:34 [EILEEN] – SPORTS – Netball – Rifle shooting – No SUMMER sports – Too busy on FARM – Details BIKED and drove in truck to Netball – Describes
09:06 School HEATED with “big open fire” – TOASTED bread over fire – Describes
09:43 No BATHROOM at home – Longdrop” TOILET outside SCHOOL toilets – “DRY” lavatories had to be emptied – Caretaker JIMMY SHAND – Describes
11:45 Attended ST CATHERINES CATHOLIC High School INVERCARGILL – Biked to RAILWAY STATION – BOARDED in town throughout week – HOME on weekend Goods TRAIN – Boarded 8 am – Reached INVERCARGILL about 10 am – Dependent on Describes
12:42 [DONALD] – Tuesday LORNVILLE sale day – Left GORGE ROAD earlier Tuesday for STOCK – 2 ½ hours to INVERCARGILL 13:39 BORN in INVERCARGILL - Aunt ELIZABETH WITHINGTON’s (sp?) home – Lived at GORGE ROAD Father SAWMILLER - Press bench – Sizes to cut written on BOARD – Large timber cuts – 8” x 1” – Describes
15:00 End of Track 2
DISC 1: TRACK 3
00:00 [DONALD] …Mill EXTENDED through years – DRESSING timber – White pine made into crates for EDENDALE DAIRY FACTORY cheeses – Describes 02:52 KAMAI wood used at SAWMILL – Lignite pit ASHURST – BOXWOOD drains – Describes
04:40 EXTRACTING timber out of FORESTS – RAILTRACKS in bush – Built from SLABWOOD with STEEL RAILS – Still PLOUGHED occasionally – Explains
07:03 GORGE ROAD “reasonably” flat – TIMBER from yard to TRAINS – Busy RAILWAY – Describes
08:21 [EILEEN] – MOTHER occasionally travelled to INVERCARGILL via TRUCK – Describes
09:15 [DONALD] – WORKED in WYNDHAM SAWMILL with father – First job aged 15 or 16 -CAMPED in hut – Describes
09:53 Grew up in GORGE ROAD - Mill house - “fourth house from the north end” – 9 houses in GORGE ROAD VILLAGE GROCER shop – Delivered to SOUTH KAPUKA – Describes
11:15 [EILEEN] – Family’s groceries all from SHOP – After work “busiest time of day” – First time visiting shop aged 12 - Describes
12:06 [DONALD] – GORGE ROAD village – Details shops BUTCHER shop – SCOTTY YOUNG last owner - JOE and BURT HANANS (sp?) [EILEEN] - STORE owners – JACK RUTLEDGE – RAMSEYS – MUIRS [DONALD and EILEEN] – Local HALL – Weekly film – MURRAY HOBBS – Details
14:34 [EILEEN and DONALD] – “Vaguely” knew DONALD from school
15:00 End of Track 3
DISC 1: TRACK 4
00:00 [EILEEN]…Both participated in “Learn to Dance” QUADRILLES – IVY BATES pianist – Describes Details types of DANCES learned
01:43 GORGE ROAD HALL – Details events – Cards, meetings, Flower show
02:47 MARRIED 1954 at SACRED HEART church WAIKIWI – RECEPTION at ELMWOOD GARDENS – Details
03:27 GORGE ROAD SERVICE STATION – BRIAN MORETON (sp?) – PETROL sold at shop [DONALD] – Petrol extracted using HAND PUMP – Details Details petrol BRANDS sold
05:05 Area TRANSPORT COMPANY - [EILEEN and DONALD] ROD HOFFMAN – MURRAY HOBBS – Stock transported to RAILYARD – Describes BRIAN GORTON – HENRY ANDREWS – Mentions
06:55 GORGE ROAD DAIRY FACTORY owners – BOB GULLIVER – SMITHS – Details
07:33 [EILEEN] – Details ST CATHERINES uniform – Had to be “dressed like ladies” Gym FROCK – “Bloomers” underwear – “Blazer” jacket - Hats – Gloves – Describes
10:27 Life after school – Lived at home - Did housework – Chamber pot – Baking – Learning skills “for life” – Describes
11:39 [DONALD] – Schooling – GORGE ROAD PRIMARY – SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE – Details teachers – WEBB – CHARLEY STEWART principal – First in class After secondary school –HEEGANS sawmill around WYNDHAM – Details
14:16 Siblings – Two sisters and one brother – Mentions
14:48 EMPLOYED by ARCHIE NICHOLSON (sp?) KAPUKA SOUTH Mill
15:00 End of Track 4
DISC 2: TRACK 2
00:00 [DONALD] … RYAL BUSH mill – Holiday pay began – Owner refused and closed mill – Employed by MEARS & CO. – Details Father was SAWYER – Received PRIZES - Sharpening saws and gulletting – Describes 03:26 Left mills and began at NEDERERS FLAX MILL – “Scutching”, “Paddocking” and Bleaching – Explains
06:54 “Scutching” flax – Explains
08:51 [Mimics noise from flax mill stripper]
09:49 Flax sent to DONAGHY ROPE COMPANY - DUNEDIN – RIVERTON – Self learned to make BALE ROPE – Explains
12:22 [Interview paused]
12:46 [DONALD and EILEEN] - NAMES of WORKERS at flax mill – SONNY HAMILL – BURT and STAN and ERIC SWAIN – BILL THOMPSON (sp?) – Details FREDDIE BOWDEN – Humourous recollection of toilet fire
15:00 End of Track 1
DISC 2: TRACK 2
00:00 ... Fire story
00:34 MILL ORIGINS and closure - Details
02:01 [EILEEN] – Recreation - FISHING - Lake WAITUNA – MATAURA river – Duck shooting BLACK LAGOON – Details Cooking duck – Details stuffing and meal SALMON fishing at GLENAVY – Mentions
05:13 BLACK LAGOON – Changes in farming – Describes
06:21 [EILEEN and DONALD] - GORGE ROAD RAILWAY STATION – Location – Description of station – Details Train and carriages – Description INCIDENTS - Window breakages – Derailment after hitting HELLERS bull – Describes Sidings – Details
09:46 [EILEEN] – CRAFT SKILLS - Dressmaking lessons – HOLLYWOOD SCHOOL OF DRESSMAKING – Made own clothes – Knitting – Embroidery – Describes Home not powered – Mentions
13:02 End of Track 2
Interviewer: Nancy Burnett
Abstracter: W. Brent Coats
First Interview: 22 May 2017
DISC 1: TRACK 1
00:00 Interview introduction
01:07 EILEEN ELLEN MCARA born 9 September 1929 - details
01:19 DONALD KEITH MCARA born 24 August 1924 - details
01:37 Interview agreement
02:34 [EILEEN] – Grandfather and Grandfather from IRELAND – Father born in FOLLY FARM, GORGE ROAD, SOUTHLAND Self born INVERCARGILL - details
03:42 [Interview paused]
04:13 [EILEEN] – Birth – Mother rode to from GORGE ROAD to INVERCARGILL – Father could not use phone – Sister as midwife – Describes
04:37 Father butcher – Mother embarrassed to ring local JIMMY LEWIS – Rode to INVERCARGILL – Describes
05:33 SIBLINGS – Brothers FRANK – BOB – Sisters FOLLY – ROSEMARY – Details
06:18 FARM – Scrappy – Bush – House on hill – Many floods – 3 lagoons on land – Lots of BIRCH TREES – Big FIRES – Lived on STEEP HILL – No ELECTRICITY – Petrol motor MILKING MACHINES – Self and siblings MILKED WITH MOTHER – Pushed children in PRAMS up hill to milking shed – Details
08:42 Father bought BUSH 1938 from PINE COMPANY – BULLDOZED bush – Describes
09:42 Concrete HOUSE – High ceilings – Dark big KITCHEN – Black coal RANGE – Large windows – Details
10:30 HEATED WATER – Water jacket on RANGE – Filled with water – Heated – Describes
11:08 BATHROOM not used often – WASHED in kitchen SINK – Describes
11:48 HOUSE belonged to GRANDMOTHER – PARENTS moved in after marriage – Also with brothers and grandmother – Describes
12:30 Mixed FARM – Four draught HORSES – Machinery – Details
13:21 Farmed 60 to 160 COWS – MILK taken to GORGE ROAD DAIRY FACTORY – Used horse and dray – Bought 1936 CHEV TRUCK – Collected others’ milk during SECOND WORLD WAR – DONNALLYS milk – Describes FACTORY steam and “milky” smells
14:43 [DONALD] – Memory of FACTORY NOISE from cans
15:00 End of Track 1
DISC 1: TRACK 2
00:00 … FACTORY receiving platform for WEIGHING – CLEANED on floor – Loud rattle NOISE - Lived nearby – Could not SLEEP from noise in morning – Describes
01:10 WHEY sent to EDENDALE – Used in sugar and milk plant – Describes
01:56 [EILEEN] – Father had many PIGS on farm – Broke into PADDOCK “rooting it all to bits” - Describes
02:33 Parents FARM corner of HAMILL and SHEPHERDS BUSH road – Describes BUS shelter GORGE ROAD SCHOOL – Teachers – Miss ANDERSON – MCILWRAITH – Mrs MCLEAN – CLEM WALKER – Details
03:38 Enjoyed SCHOOL – Self usually played with brother – Enjoyed chance to PLAY with other girls at SCHOOL – GAMES – “Gathering nuts in May” – Cricket – Netball – Tig
04:40 Describes school LUNCH – Parents enjoyed FRENCH bread –Lunch with friend NORMA SELLERS – Well fed – Describes
06:02 HENS and DUCKS on farm – Use for eggs – CHORES included dishes – Mentions
06:56 [DONALD] – First time saw EILEEN at kitchen sink – Mentions
07:34 [EILEEN] – SPORTS – Netball – Rifle shooting – No SUMMER sports – Too busy on FARM – Details BIKED and drove in truck to Netball – Describes
09:06 School HEATED with “big open fire” – TOASTED bread over fire – Describes
09:43 No BATHROOM at home – Longdrop” TOILET outside SCHOOL toilets – “DRY” lavatories had to be emptied – Caretaker JIMMY SHAND – Describes
11:45 Attended ST CATHERINES CATHOLIC High School INVERCARGILL – Biked to RAILWAY STATION – BOARDED in town throughout week – HOME on weekend Goods TRAIN – Boarded 8 am – Reached INVERCARGILL about 10 am – Dependent on Describes
12:42 [DONALD] – Tuesday LORNVILLE sale day – Left GORGE ROAD earlier Tuesday for STOCK – 2 ½ hours to INVERCARGILL 13:39 BORN in INVERCARGILL - Aunt ELIZABETH WITHINGTON’s (sp?) home – Lived at GORGE ROAD Father SAWMILLER - Press bench – Sizes to cut written on BOARD – Large timber cuts – 8” x 1” – Describes
15:00 End of Track 2
DISC 1: TRACK 3
00:00 [DONALD] …Mill EXTENDED through years – DRESSING timber – White pine made into crates for EDENDALE DAIRY FACTORY cheeses – Describes 02:52 KAMAI wood used at SAWMILL – Lignite pit ASHURST – BOXWOOD drains – Describes
04:40 EXTRACTING timber out of FORESTS – RAILTRACKS in bush – Built from SLABWOOD with STEEL RAILS – Still PLOUGHED occasionally – Explains
07:03 GORGE ROAD “reasonably” flat – TIMBER from yard to TRAINS – Busy RAILWAY – Describes
08:21 [EILEEN] – MOTHER occasionally travelled to INVERCARGILL via TRUCK – Describes
09:15 [DONALD] – WORKED in WYNDHAM SAWMILL with father – First job aged 15 or 16 -CAMPED in hut – Describes
09:53 Grew up in GORGE ROAD - Mill house - “fourth house from the north end” – 9 houses in GORGE ROAD VILLAGE GROCER shop – Delivered to SOUTH KAPUKA – Describes
11:15 [EILEEN] – Family’s groceries all from SHOP – After work “busiest time of day” – First time visiting shop aged 12 - Describes
12:06 [DONALD] – GORGE ROAD village – Details shops BUTCHER shop – SCOTTY YOUNG last owner - JOE and BURT HANANS (sp?) [EILEEN] - STORE owners – JACK RUTLEDGE – RAMSEYS – MUIRS [DONALD and EILEEN] – Local HALL – Weekly film – MURRAY HOBBS – Details
14:34 [EILEEN and DONALD] – “Vaguely” knew DONALD from school
15:00 End of Track 3
DISC 1: TRACK 4
00:00 [EILEEN]…Both participated in “Learn to Dance” QUADRILLES – IVY BATES pianist – Describes Details types of DANCES learned
01:43 GORGE ROAD HALL – Details events – Cards, meetings, Flower show
02:47 MARRIED 1954 at SACRED HEART church WAIKIWI – RECEPTION at ELMWOOD GARDENS – Details
03:27 GORGE ROAD SERVICE STATION – BRIAN MORETON (sp?) – PETROL sold at shop [DONALD] – Petrol extracted using HAND PUMP – Details Details petrol BRANDS sold
05:05 Area TRANSPORT COMPANY - [EILEEN and DONALD] ROD HOFFMAN – MURRAY HOBBS – Stock transported to RAILYARD – Describes BRIAN GORTON – HENRY ANDREWS – Mentions
06:55 GORGE ROAD DAIRY FACTORY owners – BOB GULLIVER – SMITHS – Details
07:33 [EILEEN] – Details ST CATHERINES uniform – Had to be “dressed like ladies” Gym FROCK – “Bloomers” underwear – “Blazer” jacket - Hats – Gloves – Describes
10:27 Life after school – Lived at home - Did housework – Chamber pot – Baking – Learning skills “for life” – Describes
11:39 [DONALD] – Schooling – GORGE ROAD PRIMARY – SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE – Details teachers – WEBB – CHARLEY STEWART principal – First in class After secondary school –HEEGANS sawmill around WYNDHAM – Details
14:16 Siblings – Two sisters and one brother – Mentions
14:48 EMPLOYED by ARCHIE NICHOLSON (sp?) KAPUKA SOUTH Mill
15:00 End of Track 4
DISC 2: TRACK 2
00:00 [DONALD] … RYAL BUSH mill – Holiday pay began – Owner refused and closed mill – Employed by MEARS & CO. – Details Father was SAWYER – Received PRIZES - Sharpening saws and gulletting – Describes 03:26 Left mills and began at NEDERERS FLAX MILL – “Scutching”, “Paddocking” and Bleaching – Explains
06:54 “Scutching” flax – Explains
08:51 [Mimics noise from flax mill stripper]
09:49 Flax sent to DONAGHY ROPE COMPANY - DUNEDIN – RIVERTON – Self learned to make BALE ROPE – Explains
12:22 [Interview paused]
12:46 [DONALD and EILEEN] - NAMES of WORKERS at flax mill – SONNY HAMILL – BURT and STAN and ERIC SWAIN – BILL THOMPSON (sp?) – Details FREDDIE BOWDEN – Humourous recollection of toilet fire
15:00 End of Track 1
DISC 2: TRACK 2
00:00 ... Fire story
00:34 MILL ORIGINS and closure - Details
02:01 [EILEEN] – Recreation - FISHING - Lake WAITUNA – MATAURA river – Duck shooting BLACK LAGOON – Details Cooking duck – Details stuffing and meal SALMON fishing at GLENAVY – Mentions
05:13 BLACK LAGOON – Changes in farming – Describes
06:21 [EILEEN and DONALD] - GORGE ROAD RAILWAY STATION – Location – Description of station – Details Train and carriages – Description INCIDENTS - Window breakages – Derailment after hitting HELLERS bull – Describes Sidings – Details
09:46 [EILEEN] – CRAFT SKILLS - Dressmaking lessons – HOLLYWOOD SCHOOL OF DRESSMAKING – Made own clothes – Knitting – Embroidery – Describes Home not powered – Mentions
13:02 End of Track 2
Dates
- 2019
Conditions Governing Access
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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 Coordinator, c/o Invercargill City Libraries and Archives.
Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Burnett, Nancy (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
