Abstract of Geoffrey Lyall (Geoff) GENGE, 2022
Item — Box: 58
Identifier: H05190002
Overview
Interviewee: Geoffrey Lyall Genge
Interviewer: Judith Thomas
Date: 27th July and 8 August 2022
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE THE INTERVIEWERS NOTES NOT AN ABSTRACT
Track 1
Early family from ENGLAND to INVERCARGILL 1874, train, JOHN WALKER, early death. Grandma, TOM GENGE, MARSHWOOD – 1874 Barrodes (sp?) WYNDAM – TOM AND ELIZABETH. Bacon factory at TISBURY SHARMILKERS. WAIRO farm, death Grandparents to farm, “THE OAKS” 250 acres – death of sheep, walked off farm. WAIMOMO. Father to school at WARIO. Brother sister. Frozen OTEPUNI – skating, BOWMONT STREET, very bright children. Home to farm. Young brother. BILL MARTIN. THOMAS and JANE (servants) to WYNDHAM – mud floor share milking at TISBURY (-stamp collector, TIM O’CONNER – shop) MIDDLEMARCH – Fescue Harvesting.
Track 2
Shearing – FATHER BOYLE – Mother and Father met in woolshed 1939 married at ALL SAINTS INVERCARGILL. BIRCHWOOD ROAD. OHAI people. FENTONS. Raffles, SYLVIA – 1st friend – KINGS section – a ride in the sulky – coal shed - GRANDAD dies 1945. Funereal – empty bed – HASTINGS STREET. CAMPBELLS, SPARKS, MCNEILIDGE, BENNETS, CLARE, SULKY, SOYERS-CADS.
Std 2 playing – deer antlers – injury bleeding – fainted – DR. WOODS, NIGHTCAPS DR., gangrene – dressings. BRUCE ALLAN – miner and sportsman. Dad a miner up to 1950’s. BIRCHWOOD explosion – home guard. A good rifle shooter.
Track 3
JIM KITTO took the shift – whiskers growing in – HOME GUARD – BOWMONT STATION. Stretcher. 1950’s Dad farmer (?) – (coal gas = mine explosion) NIGHTCAPS CEMETERY. £400 – crawler tractor – brought “the land in”. catchment board straightened the ORAWIA RIVER – ORAUEA correct spelling. “THE BLUE BOTTLE” origin of name – pub in ENGLAND. 60’s GRANDAD died – sold land for death duties. BOB ALLEN and HAGGATY’S – original GOLF CLUB – finding golf balls – ALLANS old cowshed dragged up to GENGE’S farm for sheep shed. Mum bunch of CHRYSANTHEMUMS – flower competition – 1st price! Corsets – drying washing – VICAR arrives – corsets in oven – boiled the kettle – corsets “had it!!”
Track 4
Father 1971 – 1972 – dug up MĀORI STONE TOOLS – RUSSELL BECK 1500? OTAGO UNIVERSITY OBSIDIAN REDSTONE, ADZE, 1350s, slate, Moa stones, peat soil, cache, MĀORI history. WAIRO GORGE – MĀORI route the lakes – return to the original tribe – MARAE – COLAC BAY. Dad died sold farm to JOHN LEVETT – shifted to town with Mum. Brought BARRETS JEWELLERS off MUNRO MATHESON. MARSHWOOD GARDENS – Met ADAIR – TEACHER at OHAI – married ADAIR POLSON 1977 in OAMARU. Taught at WEST PLAINS SCHOOL – 1981 – 1982 shifted to MARSHWOOD. Visited MARSHWOOD ENGLAND. Bluebells!!
Mothers people – HARDINGS – LILY FIELDSEND – sickly wee girls.
GATESHEAD ENGLAND – MARGARET HILL – MIDWIFE – WILLIAM – FOSTER – FALLOWFIELD north of the RIVER TYNE ENGLAND. Grandad a mine there – lived at AITKEN ENGLAND.
Track 5
1921 twins were born 1 ½ pounds each. GRANDMA WINFRED and EVA POTTS family immigrated to MAKAREWA from HEXHAM came before GRANDAD. 1924 ‘AWARA’ – express to INVERARGILL. GRANDAD – keen gardener- HEIDLEBURUGH turned it down – mines at OHAI – “GEORDIE TOWN” a lot of people came from there. Wairaki School – (McMillans) – Ohai terraces used for shooting. Dad with trophies – Geoffrey 8 years – Bruce Campbell – “smart little sods”. Ohai Fishery – water race wooden sides – BROWN TROUT – MORLEY STREAM. Porcelin clay found foot of hills. 1943 photo on Grandad’s knee. Glass house treated – pipes – grapes, cucumber, tomatoes, peanuts, chinese gooseberries. BOB ALLEN shifted glass house to his place. ARUM LILIES. GRANDMA 1st radio in OHAI – men listening to boxing – father said all GORDIE men gathered – broad accents.
Track 6
BOX BROWNIE CAMERA – opening 2 buildings. MOTHER and SISTER 1st day pupils – OHAI SCHOOL – OHAI = “PLACE OF STONE”WAIRIO – ( rio SPANISH) GRANDMA strict ANGLICAN, MOONIES shop 1st services – 1st house – end of war concert (memories) OHAI WOMENS INSTITUTE 1920? WALTER GUTTARY “IN THE SHADOW OF THE TAKITIMUS”. GRANDFATHER OHAI BOWLING CLUB – collected Pahi weed for the green. GRANDMA music! Banjo! Friday nights in OHAI (no Teddy Boys) very busy. BENNETTS FISH AND CHIPS – MANSON’S BUTCHER SHOP, RIDDELL’S GROCERIES – BAIRD’S DAIRY – Banana splits! Penny ice cream – different shaped ice cream describes- BEATONS DAIRY – NATIONAL BANK – ELECTRICIAN SHOP – BAIRDS – DRAPERY SHHOP – MUNYARDS SHOP. LANFORDS BOOT SHOP IVAN WALSH – m? WATSON farm BIRCH WOOD. GUTTERYS house – DR. WOODS had his surgery there. JIMMY SMEATON – GRANDAD HARDING – TYNDALE HOUSE MANSON – great gardener.
Track 7
CWI ROOMS – MILLS family (maybe the first family there). WARHURST’S – JOHNSTONE’S – SMITHS – LIBRARY – DRUIDS LODGE HALL – MOONIES SHOP – MOVIES – Mens hairdresser . AGNES GRARGS (sp?) – (people). Little hut – TAFFY LOYLD SHOE/BOOT MENDER. WELSH? RUSHTONS BAKERY – fruit loaves- cheesedale cheese – pies mutton – custard squraes. Parons – Gardeners – Groceries – MUNYARDS deleivered by van . DAIRY FACTORY – BIRCHWOOD STATION. Burnt House – Bora ? P.O. PLUNKET ROOMS – Empty section – travelling fun fair. “Herdy Gerdy” side shows – clowns – MINERS RESCUE STATION – NISBETS CARRYING CO., MRS MCLEAN – MR TROTTER – DENTIST Room – PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – PLUNKET Ends
2nd Session
Track 1
Love of gardening – Duram – Grandfather – flower shows – Leeks. KING ST GROCER – SOUTHLAND BOYS HIGH – Popular cuttings = farm trees. LESTER DIACK growing trees – ROYAL HORTICULTURE SOCIETY – ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY – Seed lists, visits, seeds – Maple trees – seeds from ENGLAND – English visitors – DENDROLOGY SOCIETY (trees). LAND WEST PLAINS – 1981 built “MARSHWOOD” trees – flax & Blue Gums – Pines – lawn – fire. Sheep grazing, lambing, describes planting types – MAGGIE BARRY – TV Show 10mts (?sp) – pushmower.
Track 2
ADAIR – HERB SOCIETY – FEDERATION – SALVIAS (250) hardy – 1990 ENGLISH TOURISTS came BBQ – RUSSIAN PRINCE meeting girls – ANDREW cricket – DOWAGER DUCHESS OF BOFORD. GRAHAM HAWKES – food & wine. Nursery – imported seed. OLIVE DUNN – Lavenders ‘name on the map’.1990’s, catalogue, online nursery, orders, hold ups, couriers, articles for the paper, NZ GARDENER & NZ HOUSE & GARDEN – watering & not.
Track 3
HELENIUMS – daisy’s – seeds to overseas – swops, naming them, cuttings – freedom own boss
Track 4
WAIRIO to BIRCHWOOD – the road – Hotel, WAIRIO STREAM, windmill, tanks, NISBETS, RED CROSS, RON PETRIE, valley’s, PRENDAVILLS, TAYLORS, COLLIE RD., BELL RD., WAIRIO GORGE, COLLIES, Railway line, MATHESONS HILL, mint, hut, sheep trials, clay fence – boundry. BIRCHWOOD – JACKSON’S) swamp, SAM MCRAE drained it. DON GENGE 1919 Shepherds, MCKINLAYS
Track 5
BLACKBERRIES, CLAY RD., ‘THE OAKS’. TAYLORS, WALLY HORNETT, MURRAY HARRIS, BILL PURVIS, HILLSIDE FARM, BRAZIERS, ELLIS – horse people, HILDA & HENRY, singing, JACK PAUL, fire, HAIG, ORAWIA RIVER, peat bog, BIRCHWOOD HOMESTEAD, early huts. Subdivided. ROGERS (AW) WAIMOMO. Trinder. 1912 farm accident – discing died. “remittance Man” “TWINLAW” FREEMAN JACKSON planting bluegums (PURVIS family) (MANAPOURI STATION, BLUEGUM paint TE ANAU) MCLEAN – MCDOWELL- MCCASSIES- BROUGHTONS PURVIS RD., - 2 bridges – flooded – became 1 river. Gravel. LEVITTS.
Track 6
BILL IRWIN & NEIL HAGGERTYS, BERT TERRY, SHEPARD – IAN, HOGG BROTHERS. DALEY’S DALY, WILSONS, MCNEILIGE BENNETT, CLARE, BIRCHWOOD houses. Gardeners, BIRCHWOOD HUNT, 100th Anniversary, pylons. “You never really leave a thing behind”
Track 7
GRANDMA, “The old girl is dead” – QUEEN VICTORIA. Ends.
Interviewer: Judith Thomas
Date: 27th July and 8 August 2022
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE THE INTERVIEWERS NOTES NOT AN ABSTRACT
Track 1
Early family from ENGLAND to INVERCARGILL 1874, train, JOHN WALKER, early death. Grandma, TOM GENGE, MARSHWOOD – 1874 Barrodes (sp?) WYNDAM – TOM AND ELIZABETH. Bacon factory at TISBURY SHARMILKERS. WAIRO farm, death Grandparents to farm, “THE OAKS” 250 acres – death of sheep, walked off farm. WAIMOMO. Father to school at WARIO. Brother sister. Frozen OTEPUNI – skating, BOWMONT STREET, very bright children. Home to farm. Young brother. BILL MARTIN. THOMAS and JANE (servants) to WYNDHAM – mud floor share milking at TISBURY (-stamp collector, TIM O’CONNER – shop) MIDDLEMARCH – Fescue Harvesting.
Track 2
Shearing – FATHER BOYLE – Mother and Father met in woolshed 1939 married at ALL SAINTS INVERCARGILL. BIRCHWOOD ROAD. OHAI people. FENTONS. Raffles, SYLVIA – 1st friend – KINGS section – a ride in the sulky – coal shed - GRANDAD dies 1945. Funereal – empty bed – HASTINGS STREET. CAMPBELLS, SPARKS, MCNEILIDGE, BENNETS, CLARE, SULKY, SOYERS-CADS.
Std 2 playing – deer antlers – injury bleeding – fainted – DR. WOODS, NIGHTCAPS DR., gangrene – dressings. BRUCE ALLAN – miner and sportsman. Dad a miner up to 1950’s. BIRCHWOOD explosion – home guard. A good rifle shooter.
Track 3
JIM KITTO took the shift – whiskers growing in – HOME GUARD – BOWMONT STATION. Stretcher. 1950’s Dad farmer (?) – (coal gas = mine explosion) NIGHTCAPS CEMETERY. £400 – crawler tractor – brought “the land in”. catchment board straightened the ORAWIA RIVER – ORAUEA correct spelling. “THE BLUE BOTTLE” origin of name – pub in ENGLAND. 60’s GRANDAD died – sold land for death duties. BOB ALLEN and HAGGATY’S – original GOLF CLUB – finding golf balls – ALLANS old cowshed dragged up to GENGE’S farm for sheep shed. Mum bunch of CHRYSANTHEMUMS – flower competition – 1st price! Corsets – drying washing – VICAR arrives – corsets in oven – boiled the kettle – corsets “had it!!”
Track 4
Father 1971 – 1972 – dug up MĀORI STONE TOOLS – RUSSELL BECK 1500? OTAGO UNIVERSITY OBSIDIAN REDSTONE, ADZE, 1350s, slate, Moa stones, peat soil, cache, MĀORI history. WAIRO GORGE – MĀORI route the lakes – return to the original tribe – MARAE – COLAC BAY. Dad died sold farm to JOHN LEVETT – shifted to town with Mum. Brought BARRETS JEWELLERS off MUNRO MATHESON. MARSHWOOD GARDENS – Met ADAIR – TEACHER at OHAI – married ADAIR POLSON 1977 in OAMARU. Taught at WEST PLAINS SCHOOL – 1981 – 1982 shifted to MARSHWOOD. Visited MARSHWOOD ENGLAND. Bluebells!!
Mothers people – HARDINGS – LILY FIELDSEND – sickly wee girls.
GATESHEAD ENGLAND – MARGARET HILL – MIDWIFE – WILLIAM – FOSTER – FALLOWFIELD north of the RIVER TYNE ENGLAND. Grandad a mine there – lived at AITKEN ENGLAND.
Track 5
1921 twins were born 1 ½ pounds each. GRANDMA WINFRED and EVA POTTS family immigrated to MAKAREWA from HEXHAM came before GRANDAD. 1924 ‘AWARA’ – express to INVERARGILL. GRANDAD – keen gardener- HEIDLEBURUGH turned it down – mines at OHAI – “GEORDIE TOWN” a lot of people came from there. Wairaki School – (McMillans) – Ohai terraces used for shooting. Dad with trophies – Geoffrey 8 years – Bruce Campbell – “smart little sods”. Ohai Fishery – water race wooden sides – BROWN TROUT – MORLEY STREAM. Porcelin clay found foot of hills. 1943 photo on Grandad’s knee. Glass house treated – pipes – grapes, cucumber, tomatoes, peanuts, chinese gooseberries. BOB ALLEN shifted glass house to his place. ARUM LILIES. GRANDMA 1st radio in OHAI – men listening to boxing – father said all GORDIE men gathered – broad accents.
Track 6
BOX BROWNIE CAMERA – opening 2 buildings. MOTHER and SISTER 1st day pupils – OHAI SCHOOL – OHAI = “PLACE OF STONE”WAIRIO – ( rio SPANISH) GRANDMA strict ANGLICAN, MOONIES shop 1st services – 1st house – end of war concert (memories) OHAI WOMENS INSTITUTE 1920? WALTER GUTTARY “IN THE SHADOW OF THE TAKITIMUS”. GRANDFATHER OHAI BOWLING CLUB – collected Pahi weed for the green. GRANDMA music! Banjo! Friday nights in OHAI (no Teddy Boys) very busy. BENNETTS FISH AND CHIPS – MANSON’S BUTCHER SHOP, RIDDELL’S GROCERIES – BAIRD’S DAIRY – Banana splits! Penny ice cream – different shaped ice cream describes- BEATONS DAIRY – NATIONAL BANK – ELECTRICIAN SHOP – BAIRDS – DRAPERY SHHOP – MUNYARDS SHOP. LANFORDS BOOT SHOP IVAN WALSH – m? WATSON farm BIRCH WOOD. GUTTERYS house – DR. WOODS had his surgery there. JIMMY SMEATON – GRANDAD HARDING – TYNDALE HOUSE MANSON – great gardener.
Track 7
CWI ROOMS – MILLS family (maybe the first family there). WARHURST’S – JOHNSTONE’S – SMITHS – LIBRARY – DRUIDS LODGE HALL – MOONIES SHOP – MOVIES – Mens hairdresser . AGNES GRARGS (sp?) – (people). Little hut – TAFFY LOYLD SHOE/BOOT MENDER. WELSH? RUSHTONS BAKERY – fruit loaves- cheesedale cheese – pies mutton – custard squraes. Parons – Gardeners – Groceries – MUNYARDS deleivered by van . DAIRY FACTORY – BIRCHWOOD STATION. Burnt House – Bora ? P.O. PLUNKET ROOMS – Empty section – travelling fun fair. “Herdy Gerdy” side shows – clowns – MINERS RESCUE STATION – NISBETS CARRYING CO., MRS MCLEAN – MR TROTTER – DENTIST Room – PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – PLUNKET Ends
2nd Session
Track 1
Love of gardening – Duram – Grandfather – flower shows – Leeks. KING ST GROCER – SOUTHLAND BOYS HIGH – Popular cuttings = farm trees. LESTER DIACK growing trees – ROYAL HORTICULTURE SOCIETY – ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY – Seed lists, visits, seeds – Maple trees – seeds from ENGLAND – English visitors – DENDROLOGY SOCIETY (trees). LAND WEST PLAINS – 1981 built “MARSHWOOD” trees – flax & Blue Gums – Pines – lawn – fire. Sheep grazing, lambing, describes planting types – MAGGIE BARRY – TV Show 10mts (?sp) – pushmower.
Track 2
ADAIR – HERB SOCIETY – FEDERATION – SALVIAS (250) hardy – 1990 ENGLISH TOURISTS came BBQ – RUSSIAN PRINCE meeting girls – ANDREW cricket – DOWAGER DUCHESS OF BOFORD. GRAHAM HAWKES – food & wine. Nursery – imported seed. OLIVE DUNN – Lavenders ‘name on the map’.1990’s, catalogue, online nursery, orders, hold ups, couriers, articles for the paper, NZ GARDENER & NZ HOUSE & GARDEN – watering & not.
Track 3
HELENIUMS – daisy’s – seeds to overseas – swops, naming them, cuttings – freedom own boss
Track 4
WAIRIO to BIRCHWOOD – the road – Hotel, WAIRIO STREAM, windmill, tanks, NISBETS, RED CROSS, RON PETRIE, valley’s, PRENDAVILLS, TAYLORS, COLLIE RD., BELL RD., WAIRIO GORGE, COLLIES, Railway line, MATHESONS HILL, mint, hut, sheep trials, clay fence – boundry. BIRCHWOOD – JACKSON’S) swamp, SAM MCRAE drained it. DON GENGE 1919 Shepherds, MCKINLAYS
Track 5
BLACKBERRIES, CLAY RD., ‘THE OAKS’. TAYLORS, WALLY HORNETT, MURRAY HARRIS, BILL PURVIS, HILLSIDE FARM, BRAZIERS, ELLIS – horse people, HILDA & HENRY, singing, JACK PAUL, fire, HAIG, ORAWIA RIVER, peat bog, BIRCHWOOD HOMESTEAD, early huts. Subdivided. ROGERS (AW) WAIMOMO. Trinder. 1912 farm accident – discing died. “remittance Man” “TWINLAW” FREEMAN JACKSON planting bluegums (PURVIS family) (MANAPOURI STATION, BLUEGUM paint TE ANAU) MCLEAN – MCDOWELL- MCCASSIES- BROUGHTONS PURVIS RD., - 2 bridges – flooded – became 1 river. Gravel. LEVITTS.
Track 6
BILL IRWIN & NEIL HAGGERTYS, BERT TERRY, SHEPARD – IAN, HOGG BROTHERS. DALEY’S DALY, WILSONS, MCNEILIGE BENNETT, CLARE, BIRCHWOOD houses. Gardeners, BIRCHWOOD HUNT, 100th Anniversary, pylons. “You never really leave a thing behind”
Track 7
GRANDMA, “The old girl is dead” – QUEEN VICTORIA. Ends.
Dates
- 2022
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
From the Record Group: English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Thomas, Judith (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
