Abstract of Graham HAWKES, 2024
Item — Box: 40
Identifier: H02530002
Overview
H0253 GRAHAM HAWKES
Interviewer: Phil McCarthy
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 1 July 2016
TRACK One
00:00 BORN in the back of a Vanguard car on the way to a PRIVATE HOSPITAL ON HERBERT STREET. Lived on ANNAN STREET as a small child, GRANDPARENTS had a bakery around the corner. Moved to a garage at 83 HARVEY STREET while father built the house. Remembers being rescued from a drain there.
02.50 Self second oldest of NINE CHILDREN, age range over 20 years. Happy early years. Few houses on Harvey Street at the time. Lived near COUSINS on the same street. ROADS UNSEALED. No churches, no bus services, no telephones.
04.15 Started with brother John at WAIKIWI SCHOOL, bused to school in next door neighbour’s RAY POPHAM’S bus. Then attended, SACRED HEART SCHOOL.
05.00 Memories of Harvey Street include walking to BLACKS FARM with a billy to get the MILK. JACK NORTH arrived at the house in a Combi Van selling FRUIT. Vegetables grown in the garden. Owned HENS. GRANDPARENTS in OTATARA had fruit trees and puddings made. Describes making of Mount Cook pudding. MOTHER BAKED every Friday, did not use recipes.
07.10 Grandfather was TED CROSSLAN(?) HEAD BAKER for A C MILLERS after closing down his own BAKERY. Mother inherited his mother-in-law’s cake mixer, later owned a Kenwood cake mixer. Describes
08.20 FATHER owned a BUICK CAR. AMENITIES provided in GRASMERE as self grew up, made their own entertainment in the early days. Next door neighbor THELMA BURKE was a music teacher. She and her husband ballroom dancers.
09.15 Self’s and brother were the older children in the neighbourhood. First day pupils at SACRED HEART SCHOOL – attended in Standards 4, 5 and 6. Younger brother was in COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL for a short time. Mentions CORPORAL PUNISHMENT at Sacred Heart. Was a cheeky child.
10.30 Walked to school via the ABBATOIR, mother did not drive a car. Saw RATS there, and FROGS. Played at MYERS BRICKWORKS where ROWENA JACKSON RETIREMENT COMPLEX is now – caught tadpoles there. Got a BIKE when older. Father cut bar off a brother’s bike so girls could use it.
12.50 Attended SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE describes.
13.30 Father was a BUILDER and did his apprenticeship with RAY HARPUR. Built a house for DAVE BURGESS, and was employed by him to work for Burgess Homes. Father also a DRAUGHTSMAN and designed homes. Describes
End of Track One.
TRACK TWO
00.00 Area of ROSEDALE contained all BURGESS HOMES and an office there. All of self’s sons have at times lived in Burgess homes. All houses in GLENGARRY are also Burgess homes. In the late 1960s father created a system for building homes. 80 houses built a year. Burgess’s son took over business. BURGESS HOMES BUSINESS COLLAPSED which was difficult for self’s father.
02.15 Very SPORTY FAMILY. Played lots of rugby for BANTAMS, and played CRICKET. Father a keen TENNIS player, and he and JACK MCKENZIE built tennis courts at GRASMERE SCHOOL and started GRASMERE TENNIS CLUB. Father COACHED SWIMMING AND DIVING, but kids didn’t participate. Father an avid RUGBY PLAYER and played for COLLEGIATE. Then brothers became keen on SOCCER, and BROTHER JOHN REPRESENTED NEW ZEALAND and BROTHER CHICKY REPRESENTED THE SOUTH ISLAND. Self became involved in HARRIERS for many years.
03.50 Family had a JET BOAT which father built in his garage describes. Father was COMMODORE OF SOUTHLAND JET BOAT CLUB. Family spent lots of time boating, mother made picnics. Father made WATER SKIS out of formica benching left over from construction describes
05.45 Great family holidays in a tent at ARROWTOWN, travelling there in a Plymouth car with a trailer. Describes. Father made bunks for the tents.
07.15 Father was not a cook nor did domestic chores, but when on holiday, made sure that MOTHER had a holiday too. Did all the washing and cooking when on holiday, as well as having a round of GOLF every day. Describes
09.50 As family grew, another tent purchased. Used one tent for sleeping, and one for living in. Describes. Trailer designed to hold all the camping equipment – self and father would travel up to Arrowtown on the Saturday before holiday to set up camp. Describes.
12.00 On holiday everyone knew the family and lots of sport and activities – same people camped there every year. Old TRANSISTOR RADIO to listen to – before that CRYSTAL SETS. Would listen to the cricket.
14.00 Mother’s role in the household was traditional. Concrete tub and washing machine with a wringer attached to the tub.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.12 Kids BATHED in a CONCRETE TUB on a Sunday night.
00.25 GRANDFATHER had retired, but worked as a NIGHT WATCHMAN at the FREEZING WORKS. He and self’s uncle brought home OFFAL.
00.50 LONG DROP TOILET. MR WINTER drove the NIGHTCART – some spillage.
02.00 FOOD SIMPLE. Porridge for breakfast. Sunday was a roast meal with five vegetables. Attended Sacred Heart church for Mass. NEIGHBOURS would come around for Elevenses on a Sunday. Used SALISBURY MEAT PASTE GLASSES to drink from, including FATHER’S HOME BREW. Describes.
04.00 Describes Sunday dinner. Tin used to contain fat from roast, kept in safe for the week to use. Sunday night scones or toastie pies for tea, then listened to the radio. Monday forequarter of mutton, Tuesday Shepherd’s pie, Wednesday chops, Thursday offal, Friday fish and chips (good Catholics). Saturday lunchtime saveloys, Saturday tea pot luck. Father bought a flagon and would share it with friends on Saturday night.
08.00 6.00 pm closing at the WAIKIWI TAVERN. Self sold SOUTHLAND DAILY NEWS outside the Waikiwi Tavern.
08.30 MOTHER did not SEW, but KNITTED everything, including singlets. Big treat to walk into town and go to the MOVIES – went to see grandparents in GEORGE STREET, who helped brothers to taper jeans to be fashionable. Would hide these trousers behind hedge at neighbor MRS KINNESTON’S property. Movie THEATRES EMBASSY, MAJESTIC OR REGENT. BUS STOP AT WACHNER PLACE, but generally walked. John Wayne movies popular, but theme of movies didn’t matter – exciting to attend. Bought K Bars to eat during movies. BURGER BAR in WACHNER PLACE – pinched a packet of Capsten 10s, but purchased plain not filtered and smoked them until they were sick. Cured him of stealing for life.
End of Interview
Interviewer: Phil McCarthy
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 1 July 2016
TRACK One
00:00 BORN in the back of a Vanguard car on the way to a PRIVATE HOSPITAL ON HERBERT STREET. Lived on ANNAN STREET as a small child, GRANDPARENTS had a bakery around the corner. Moved to a garage at 83 HARVEY STREET while father built the house. Remembers being rescued from a drain there.
02.50 Self second oldest of NINE CHILDREN, age range over 20 years. Happy early years. Few houses on Harvey Street at the time. Lived near COUSINS on the same street. ROADS UNSEALED. No churches, no bus services, no telephones.
04.15 Started with brother John at WAIKIWI SCHOOL, bused to school in next door neighbour’s RAY POPHAM’S bus. Then attended, SACRED HEART SCHOOL.
05.00 Memories of Harvey Street include walking to BLACKS FARM with a billy to get the MILK. JACK NORTH arrived at the house in a Combi Van selling FRUIT. Vegetables grown in the garden. Owned HENS. GRANDPARENTS in OTATARA had fruit trees and puddings made. Describes making of Mount Cook pudding. MOTHER BAKED every Friday, did not use recipes.
07.10 Grandfather was TED CROSSLAN(?) HEAD BAKER for A C MILLERS after closing down his own BAKERY. Mother inherited his mother-in-law’s cake mixer, later owned a Kenwood cake mixer. Describes
08.20 FATHER owned a BUICK CAR. AMENITIES provided in GRASMERE as self grew up, made their own entertainment in the early days. Next door neighbor THELMA BURKE was a music teacher. She and her husband ballroom dancers.
09.15 Self’s and brother were the older children in the neighbourhood. First day pupils at SACRED HEART SCHOOL – attended in Standards 4, 5 and 6. Younger brother was in COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL for a short time. Mentions CORPORAL PUNISHMENT at Sacred Heart. Was a cheeky child.
10.30 Walked to school via the ABBATOIR, mother did not drive a car. Saw RATS there, and FROGS. Played at MYERS BRICKWORKS where ROWENA JACKSON RETIREMENT COMPLEX is now – caught tadpoles there. Got a BIKE when older. Father cut bar off a brother’s bike so girls could use it.
12.50 Attended SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE describes.
13.30 Father was a BUILDER and did his apprenticeship with RAY HARPUR. Built a house for DAVE BURGESS, and was employed by him to work for Burgess Homes. Father also a DRAUGHTSMAN and designed homes. Describes
End of Track One.
TRACK TWO
00.00 Area of ROSEDALE contained all BURGESS HOMES and an office there. All of self’s sons have at times lived in Burgess homes. All houses in GLENGARRY are also Burgess homes. In the late 1960s father created a system for building homes. 80 houses built a year. Burgess’s son took over business. BURGESS HOMES BUSINESS COLLAPSED which was difficult for self’s father.
02.15 Very SPORTY FAMILY. Played lots of rugby for BANTAMS, and played CRICKET. Father a keen TENNIS player, and he and JACK MCKENZIE built tennis courts at GRASMERE SCHOOL and started GRASMERE TENNIS CLUB. Father COACHED SWIMMING AND DIVING, but kids didn’t participate. Father an avid RUGBY PLAYER and played for COLLEGIATE. Then brothers became keen on SOCCER, and BROTHER JOHN REPRESENTED NEW ZEALAND and BROTHER CHICKY REPRESENTED THE SOUTH ISLAND. Self became involved in HARRIERS for many years.
03.50 Family had a JET BOAT which father built in his garage describes. Father was COMMODORE OF SOUTHLAND JET BOAT CLUB. Family spent lots of time boating, mother made picnics. Father made WATER SKIS out of formica benching left over from construction describes
05.45 Great family holidays in a tent at ARROWTOWN, travelling there in a Plymouth car with a trailer. Describes. Father made bunks for the tents.
07.15 Father was not a cook nor did domestic chores, but when on holiday, made sure that MOTHER had a holiday too. Did all the washing and cooking when on holiday, as well as having a round of GOLF every day. Describes
09.50 As family grew, another tent purchased. Used one tent for sleeping, and one for living in. Describes. Trailer designed to hold all the camping equipment – self and father would travel up to Arrowtown on the Saturday before holiday to set up camp. Describes.
12.00 On holiday everyone knew the family and lots of sport and activities – same people camped there every year. Old TRANSISTOR RADIO to listen to – before that CRYSTAL SETS. Would listen to the cricket.
14.00 Mother’s role in the household was traditional. Concrete tub and washing machine with a wringer attached to the tub.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.12 Kids BATHED in a CONCRETE TUB on a Sunday night.
00.25 GRANDFATHER had retired, but worked as a NIGHT WATCHMAN at the FREEZING WORKS. He and self’s uncle brought home OFFAL.
00.50 LONG DROP TOILET. MR WINTER drove the NIGHTCART – some spillage.
02.00 FOOD SIMPLE. Porridge for breakfast. Sunday was a roast meal with five vegetables. Attended Sacred Heart church for Mass. NEIGHBOURS would come around for Elevenses on a Sunday. Used SALISBURY MEAT PASTE GLASSES to drink from, including FATHER’S HOME BREW. Describes.
04.00 Describes Sunday dinner. Tin used to contain fat from roast, kept in safe for the week to use. Sunday night scones or toastie pies for tea, then listened to the radio. Monday forequarter of mutton, Tuesday Shepherd’s pie, Wednesday chops, Thursday offal, Friday fish and chips (good Catholics). Saturday lunchtime saveloys, Saturday tea pot luck. Father bought a flagon and would share it with friends on Saturday night.
08.00 6.00 pm closing at the WAIKIWI TAVERN. Self sold SOUTHLAND DAILY NEWS outside the Waikiwi Tavern.
08.30 MOTHER did not SEW, but KNITTED everything, including singlets. Big treat to walk into town and go to the MOVIES – went to see grandparents in GEORGE STREET, who helped brothers to taper jeans to be fashionable. Would hide these trousers behind hedge at neighbor MRS KINNESTON’S property. Movie THEATRES EMBASSY, MAJESTIC OR REGENT. BUS STOP AT WACHNER PLACE, but generally walked. John Wayne movies popular, but theme of movies didn’t matter – exciting to attend. Bought K Bars to eat during movies. BURGER BAR in WACHNER PLACE – pinched a packet of Capsten 10s, but purchased plain not filtered and smoked them until they were sick. Cured him of stealing for life.
End of Interview
Dates
- 2024
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: McCarthy, Phil (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
