Abstract of Elizabeth Carolyn MILLER, 2023
Item — Box: 33
Identifier: H02710002
Abstract
Elizabeth Carolyn (Liz) Miller
Date: 31 July 2016
Interviewer: Rebecca Amundsen
Abstractor: Judith Christie
TRACK ONE
00.00 Self worked at the GRAND HOTEL. First job was at WHITCOMB & TOMBS, after school and holidays. FATHER (F W G MILLER) on the INVERCARGILL LICENSING TRUST BOARD. Self was to attend TRAINING COLLEGE, so worked waitressing at the Grand Hotel to raise funds, after school, weekends and holidays.
01.30 MR AND MRS DAVIS were managers. Wore smocks. Could take unused food home. Good training on how to listen to people.
02.20 Once dropped food on the manager, who was understanding. When not serving, would clean the venetian blinds.
03.00 1954 ROYAL VISIT. Describes. Was checked by Police. Worked long hours, and walked home in the dark – no overtime. Describes where Queen and Prince Philip slept and stayed – became the FLIGHT DECK BAR. Staff taught how to curtsey. Self made sandwiches for queen’s afternoon tea. Tempted to take linen napkin that the queen used.
10.10 Upbringing meant that commitment and trust important.
10.45 Describes the CROWDS GREETING THE QUEEN.
11.30 Self worked at the Grand Hotel until she attended Training College – for around five years.
12.00 Describes the lounge area and other areas during the time of the queen’s visit. Large entourage.
13.20 Was taught by parents not to touch anything or run around, and good table manners. Horrified that staff checked to see if both beds slept in.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Royalty stayed at the Grand Hotel for two nights. Self was impressed with queen’s attitude to staff.
01.50 Self’s father was elected to the INVERCARGILL LICENSING TRUST for many years – was a well loved person. People loved his POETRY – his daily column paid by MILLERS BAKERY. Describes Also wrote personal poems for people.
04.15 Father also a Court reporter, but did not enjoy writing negative articles.
05.20 SELF’S MOTHER would run the family finances, and upkeep of the house. When father was on the Licensing Trust, every Christmas Miller family would attend Christmas lunch at the Grand Hotel. Had to use good manners. Not allowed to be fussy about food offered. Chicken and cream were both big treats. Describes mother’s method for making trifle.
11.30 Family neighbour called MRS DEURDEN – former teacher. Fed mother whiskey to fix her migraine.
12.50 Grand Hotel erected a CHRISTMAS TREE every year.
13.25 Family also attended annual MASONIC CHRISTMAS PARTY which was very exciting. Also attended AERO CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY, when plane would fly over and drop lollies.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 Describes LAYOUT OF DINING ROOM and DUTIES OF THE WAITRESS.
01.10 Describes LAYOUT OF KITCHEN and the SERVING OF FOOD.
03.10 WINE WAITERS at evening meals. White table cloths and silver service. One group ordered champagne – self sampled it when they left, and didn’t like it.
05.50 Self went TRAMPING IN OLD MAN RANGE with brother, and got a migraine – a farmer guiding them over placed self on horse. At SHINGLE CREEK HOTEL had a lemonade, but had a taste of liquor others were drinking.
07.30 6.00 PM CLOSING, but people were still served alcohol with meals after that time. Women also drank with meals, but seldom went to a pub.
09.30 Lots of different people visited family at home, and self met interesting people at work too.
10.30 Managers were the DAVIS’S, then the MERTZ family. COOKS were both men and women – all lovely people.
12.30 Apart from the Royal visit, didn’t enter into any bedrooms.
13.15 Self worked as a housemaid at the CECIL HOTELduring school holidays.
14.00 GRAND HOTEL RESTAURANT was always busy – self was called in at busy times.
14.30 All WAGES were banked, except ANNE GREEN and self would go to the Peter Pan café every Friday night and have a Sundae.
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.12 Self always gave mother money each week to pay board.
01.00 Mother worked for one year before she was engaged as a governess. Self would bring her mother a payday gift, including a CAMEO BROOCH.
02.25 Self worked at the Grand Hotel for five years from age thirteen. Was age 18 at the time of the Royal Visit and worked there in the Training College holidays. Also did a year of SPEECH THERAPY in Christchurch.
04.00 1944 Invercargill stopped being ‘DRY’. Discussed.
05.00 Father worked night shifts. Lived in MACMASTER STREET. Describes parents’ relationship.
07.50 Staff at The Grand once applepied (short sheeted) a guest’s bed.
09.20 Sometimes the family would go to the Grand for meals. When self left Invercargill, was in Dunedin for two years, and then a year in Christchurch. Worked at the PHILLIPSTOWN SPEECH THERAPY CLINIC. Returned home to look after mother who was unwell, then became a TEACHER.
10.40 Self became ANOREXIC, and found it difficult to eat in company. Never went to a bar to drink or socialise.
12.50 Shouted to meals when a union representative by BASIL KANE – had a Baileys.
13.20 Describes frugality, coming from parents’ experience LIVING IN A CAVE ON THE CLUTHA RIVER.
End of Track Four
TRACK FIVE
00.00 Describes Royal visit briefly – doesn’t remember what the Queen wore, but remembers her personality and how she felt about her.
End of Track Five
Date: 31 July 2016
Interviewer: Rebecca Amundsen
Abstractor: Judith Christie
TRACK ONE
00.00 Self worked at the GRAND HOTEL. First job was at WHITCOMB & TOMBS, after school and holidays. FATHER (F W G MILLER) on the INVERCARGILL LICENSING TRUST BOARD. Self was to attend TRAINING COLLEGE, so worked waitressing at the Grand Hotel to raise funds, after school, weekends and holidays.
01.30 MR AND MRS DAVIS were managers. Wore smocks. Could take unused food home. Good training on how to listen to people.
02.20 Once dropped food on the manager, who was understanding. When not serving, would clean the venetian blinds.
03.00 1954 ROYAL VISIT. Describes. Was checked by Police. Worked long hours, and walked home in the dark – no overtime. Describes where Queen and Prince Philip slept and stayed – became the FLIGHT DECK BAR. Staff taught how to curtsey. Self made sandwiches for queen’s afternoon tea. Tempted to take linen napkin that the queen used.
10.10 Upbringing meant that commitment and trust important.
10.45 Describes the CROWDS GREETING THE QUEEN.
11.30 Self worked at the Grand Hotel until she attended Training College – for around five years.
12.00 Describes the lounge area and other areas during the time of the queen’s visit. Large entourage.
13.20 Was taught by parents not to touch anything or run around, and good table manners. Horrified that staff checked to see if both beds slept in.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Royalty stayed at the Grand Hotel for two nights. Self was impressed with queen’s attitude to staff.
01.50 Self’s father was elected to the INVERCARGILL LICENSING TRUST for many years – was a well loved person. People loved his POETRY – his daily column paid by MILLERS BAKERY. Describes Also wrote personal poems for people.
04.15 Father also a Court reporter, but did not enjoy writing negative articles.
05.20 SELF’S MOTHER would run the family finances, and upkeep of the house. When father was on the Licensing Trust, every Christmas Miller family would attend Christmas lunch at the Grand Hotel. Had to use good manners. Not allowed to be fussy about food offered. Chicken and cream were both big treats. Describes mother’s method for making trifle.
11.30 Family neighbour called MRS DEURDEN – former teacher. Fed mother whiskey to fix her migraine.
12.50 Grand Hotel erected a CHRISTMAS TREE every year.
13.25 Family also attended annual MASONIC CHRISTMAS PARTY which was very exciting. Also attended AERO CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY, when plane would fly over and drop lollies.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 Describes LAYOUT OF DINING ROOM and DUTIES OF THE WAITRESS.
01.10 Describes LAYOUT OF KITCHEN and the SERVING OF FOOD.
03.10 WINE WAITERS at evening meals. White table cloths and silver service. One group ordered champagne – self sampled it when they left, and didn’t like it.
05.50 Self went TRAMPING IN OLD MAN RANGE with brother, and got a migraine – a farmer guiding them over placed self on horse. At SHINGLE CREEK HOTEL had a lemonade, but had a taste of liquor others were drinking.
07.30 6.00 PM CLOSING, but people were still served alcohol with meals after that time. Women also drank with meals, but seldom went to a pub.
09.30 Lots of different people visited family at home, and self met interesting people at work too.
10.30 Managers were the DAVIS’S, then the MERTZ family. COOKS were both men and women – all lovely people.
12.30 Apart from the Royal visit, didn’t enter into any bedrooms.
13.15 Self worked as a housemaid at the CECIL HOTELduring school holidays.
14.00 GRAND HOTEL RESTAURANT was always busy – self was called in at busy times.
14.30 All WAGES were banked, except ANNE GREEN and self would go to the Peter Pan café every Friday night and have a Sundae.
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.12 Self always gave mother money each week to pay board.
01.00 Mother worked for one year before she was engaged as a governess. Self would bring her mother a payday gift, including a CAMEO BROOCH.
02.25 Self worked at the Grand Hotel for five years from age thirteen. Was age 18 at the time of the Royal Visit and worked there in the Training College holidays. Also did a year of SPEECH THERAPY in Christchurch.
04.00 1944 Invercargill stopped being ‘DRY’. Discussed.
05.00 Father worked night shifts. Lived in MACMASTER STREET. Describes parents’ relationship.
07.50 Staff at The Grand once applepied (short sheeted) a guest’s bed.
09.20 Sometimes the family would go to the Grand for meals. When self left Invercargill, was in Dunedin for two years, and then a year in Christchurch. Worked at the PHILLIPSTOWN SPEECH THERAPY CLINIC. Returned home to look after mother who was unwell, then became a TEACHER.
10.40 Self became ANOREXIC, and found it difficult to eat in company. Never went to a bar to drink or socialise.
12.50 Shouted to meals when a union representative by BASIL KANE – had a Baileys.
13.20 Describes frugality, coming from parents’ experience LIVING IN A CAVE ON THE CLUTHA RIVER.
End of Track Four
TRACK FIVE
00.00 Describes Royal visit briefly – doesn’t remember what the Queen wore, but remembers her personality and how she felt about her.
End of Track Five
Dates
- 2023
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Amundsen, Rebecca (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
