Abstract of Lyall McGregor (Greg) SHIRLEY, 2023
Item — Box: 34
Identifier: H02660002
Abstract
LYALL MCGREGOR (GREG) SHIRLEY
Interviewer: Janice Templeton
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Date of interview: 9 October 2016
TRACK ONE
00.00 Introduction. Born 7 April 1942.
01.15 Involvement in RIVERTON HOSPITAL started as a patient as a seven year old boy – appendix removed by DR FOSSIE, nurses MAY BAILEY and ROSIE THOMPSON. Describes. First work at hospital was in 1959, employed by EDDIE MITCHELL, BUILDER.
03.30 CHAPEL built and still stands – rimu panelling and features built by self when second year apprentice. Architects were FORDE, GRAHAM, DERBY. Chapel at the end of the hospital corridor.
06.00 HOSPITAL in those times was in good repair. ARCHITECT would visit, concrete laid on site. Describes
07.20 J K FAUL employed to install HEATING in the chapel. Describes
08.00 Wooden floor, solid concrete walls , veneer. Describes concreting process.
10.30 Describes plastering process. LIN(?) FARQUESON did that job.
11.10 Other workers included COLIN HAZLEMORE, GEORGE WARD.
11.20 CHAPEL WINDOWS were steel framed.
12.00 Hospital had a large GARDEN – two or three gardeners employed. A lot of vegetables went to KEW HOSPITAL. Had a grindstone with an electric motor – self would sharpen tools on it.
13.30 Project a big learning curve for self. Describes one gardener called ‘DEAFY’ MILNE – nailed his shoe to the floor. Another worker had epilepsy – describes incident
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 ELECTRICIANS were JOE BAILEY and DON MCLEAN, and plumbers were CLAIRE BEER and BOB BAILEY. Other names mentioned. PAINTERS MOORE BROTHERS
01.30 MR LOCKER, who lived in Green Lane, was the roustabout man.
02.50 Little COMPLIANCE required – architect driven.
03.00 Number of people in hospital with TUBERCULOSIS, originally used CHILDREN’S WARD for TB ward.
3.50 CHAPEL built 1959. ENTRANCEWAY built 1962? Self started work at age 15.
4.50 ORIGINAL ENTRANCE double door, open to the weather. STAFF ENTRANCE to the rear of the building.
6.00 INTERNAL WALLS of hospital brick – describes work done on them. CURTAIN TRACKS fitted.
07.10 Describes LAYOUT OF HOSPITAL.
08.00 Describes work on the BOILER ROOM and associated STEAM PIPES which had to be replaced.
09.00 Person working on WELDING allocated two bottles of milk a day.
10.00 Work IN LAUNDRY ROOM used a lot of steam. Describes
10.30 Major job some years after was a TB WARD, built 1966. DYER TRUST WING was CHILDREN’S WING.
11.40 Self went out on his own – first jobs were an IMPLEMENT SHED for GORDON STEWART and covered yards for JOHN STEWART, circa 1969.
12.30 Describes TB WING, including building process.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 BOWLING GREEN built for patients.
00.30 Describes LAYOUT OF HOSPITAL.
01.40 DICK RESTALL worked with self on construction of TB wing – he formerly worked for BEER BROTHERS, whose last job was constructing the GOLF PAVILION. Describes LAYOUT OF TB WING.
03.30 Problems with ROOF CONNECTION – needed to contact architect. While constructing roof, could see doctors performing surgery through skylights.
04.45 FROSTS a problem when self first started work.
05.30 All FLOORS were wooden, including the TB wing. RADIATORS for internal heating. BATWING DOORS.
07.00 Self also constructed additions to the MATERNITY HOME.
07.30 Describes PLASTERING of interior, carried out by BILL JOHNSTON SNR and BILL JOHNSTON JNR.
08.10 Self worked with ASBESTOS. When building at DOMINION BREWERIES, construction was asbestos sheeting – worked without a mask. Describes
10.00 Describes construction of MATRON’S FLAT.
11.00 BILL JOHNSTON latterly went into fibreglass industry.
11.30 Internal lining then became Gibralter board. Describes. Original board came from Sweden.
13.00 BRICKS in MATRON’S FLAT matched rest of hospital, brickwork done by LOUIS HARPER and HARRY HODGKINSON, who was an immigrant tradesman.
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.00 No insulation in walls etc. First example of insulation was a house self built for GRAHAM AND GLADYS WOHLERS which used fibreglass. Product came out called SISALATION. Describes
02.00 Self built CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY to the MATERNITY HOME using concrete mixed on site.
02.40 OUTSIDE TOILET to serve men’s home built on the north side.
03.45 COVERED WALKWAYS erected earlier. Information about the NURSES’ HOME.
04.45 Self delivered the MILK before he became a carpenter – can used. Describes activity in HOSPITAL KITCHENS.
07.00 Little contact with patients. TB WARD EXTENSION was erected, then hole knocked into existing building. Same method for CHAPEL.
08.15 Self worked at hospital for ten years. Got to know wonderful tradesmen. Worked on WINE AND SPIRITS – architect ALLAN MOLLISON – he was complementary about self. ALISTAIR HAZLEWOOD was self’s boss.
10.00 HIGHLIGHT of hospital work was ERECTION OF CHAPEL. Describes use of chapel. INNES LINDSAY was chaplaincy representative latterly.
11.15 Riverton Hospital had 90 BEDS – self was horrified when hospital closed. AMBULANCE SERVICE described. Self volunteered as an AMBULANCE DRIVER, but was never needed. Describes sitting ambulance driver exam after a dental appointment.
13.40 Latterly hospital was an OLD PEOPLE’S HOME. Describes PORTERS, including LOU MEARES.
End of Track Four
TRACK FIVE
00.00 Brief conclusion
Interviewer: Janice Templeton
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Date of interview: 9 October 2016
TRACK ONE
00.00 Introduction. Born 7 April 1942.
01.15 Involvement in RIVERTON HOSPITAL started as a patient as a seven year old boy – appendix removed by DR FOSSIE, nurses MAY BAILEY and ROSIE THOMPSON. Describes. First work at hospital was in 1959, employed by EDDIE MITCHELL, BUILDER.
03.30 CHAPEL built and still stands – rimu panelling and features built by self when second year apprentice. Architects were FORDE, GRAHAM, DERBY. Chapel at the end of the hospital corridor.
06.00 HOSPITAL in those times was in good repair. ARCHITECT would visit, concrete laid on site. Describes
07.20 J K FAUL employed to install HEATING in the chapel. Describes
08.00 Wooden floor, solid concrete walls , veneer. Describes concreting process.
10.30 Describes plastering process. LIN(?) FARQUESON did that job.
11.10 Other workers included COLIN HAZLEMORE, GEORGE WARD.
11.20 CHAPEL WINDOWS were steel framed.
12.00 Hospital had a large GARDEN – two or three gardeners employed. A lot of vegetables went to KEW HOSPITAL. Had a grindstone with an electric motor – self would sharpen tools on it.
13.30 Project a big learning curve for self. Describes one gardener called ‘DEAFY’ MILNE – nailed his shoe to the floor. Another worker had epilepsy – describes incident
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 ELECTRICIANS were JOE BAILEY and DON MCLEAN, and plumbers were CLAIRE BEER and BOB BAILEY. Other names mentioned. PAINTERS MOORE BROTHERS
01.30 MR LOCKER, who lived in Green Lane, was the roustabout man.
02.50 Little COMPLIANCE required – architect driven.
03.00 Number of people in hospital with TUBERCULOSIS, originally used CHILDREN’S WARD for TB ward.
3.50 CHAPEL built 1959. ENTRANCEWAY built 1962? Self started work at age 15.
4.50 ORIGINAL ENTRANCE double door, open to the weather. STAFF ENTRANCE to the rear of the building.
6.00 INTERNAL WALLS of hospital brick – describes work done on them. CURTAIN TRACKS fitted.
07.10 Describes LAYOUT OF HOSPITAL.
08.00 Describes work on the BOILER ROOM and associated STEAM PIPES which had to be replaced.
09.00 Person working on WELDING allocated two bottles of milk a day.
10.00 Work IN LAUNDRY ROOM used a lot of steam. Describes
10.30 Major job some years after was a TB WARD, built 1966. DYER TRUST WING was CHILDREN’S WING.
11.40 Self went out on his own – first jobs were an IMPLEMENT SHED for GORDON STEWART and covered yards for JOHN STEWART, circa 1969.
12.30 Describes TB WING, including building process.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 BOWLING GREEN built for patients.
00.30 Describes LAYOUT OF HOSPITAL.
01.40 DICK RESTALL worked with self on construction of TB wing – he formerly worked for BEER BROTHERS, whose last job was constructing the GOLF PAVILION. Describes LAYOUT OF TB WING.
03.30 Problems with ROOF CONNECTION – needed to contact architect. While constructing roof, could see doctors performing surgery through skylights.
04.45 FROSTS a problem when self first started work.
05.30 All FLOORS were wooden, including the TB wing. RADIATORS for internal heating. BATWING DOORS.
07.00 Self also constructed additions to the MATERNITY HOME.
07.30 Describes PLASTERING of interior, carried out by BILL JOHNSTON SNR and BILL JOHNSTON JNR.
08.10 Self worked with ASBESTOS. When building at DOMINION BREWERIES, construction was asbestos sheeting – worked without a mask. Describes
10.00 Describes construction of MATRON’S FLAT.
11.00 BILL JOHNSTON latterly went into fibreglass industry.
11.30 Internal lining then became Gibralter board. Describes. Original board came from Sweden.
13.00 BRICKS in MATRON’S FLAT matched rest of hospital, brickwork done by LOUIS HARPER and HARRY HODGKINSON, who was an immigrant tradesman.
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.00 No insulation in walls etc. First example of insulation was a house self built for GRAHAM AND GLADYS WOHLERS which used fibreglass. Product came out called SISALATION. Describes
02.00 Self built CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY to the MATERNITY HOME using concrete mixed on site.
02.40 OUTSIDE TOILET to serve men’s home built on the north side.
03.45 COVERED WALKWAYS erected earlier. Information about the NURSES’ HOME.
04.45 Self delivered the MILK before he became a carpenter – can used. Describes activity in HOSPITAL KITCHENS.
07.00 Little contact with patients. TB WARD EXTENSION was erected, then hole knocked into existing building. Same method for CHAPEL.
08.15 Self worked at hospital for ten years. Got to know wonderful tradesmen. Worked on WINE AND SPIRITS – architect ALLAN MOLLISON – he was complementary about self. ALISTAIR HAZLEWOOD was self’s boss.
10.00 HIGHLIGHT of hospital work was ERECTION OF CHAPEL. Describes use of chapel. INNES LINDSAY was chaplaincy representative latterly.
11.15 Riverton Hospital had 90 BEDS – self was horrified when hospital closed. AMBULANCE SERVICE described. Self volunteered as an AMBULANCE DRIVER, but was never needed. Describes sitting ambulance driver exam after a dental appointment.
13.40 Latterly hospital was an OLD PEOPLE’S HOME. Describes PORTERS, including LOU MEARES.
End of Track Four
TRACK FIVE
00.00 Brief conclusion
Dates
- 2023
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Templeton, Janice (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
