MARGARET TROTTER

Interviewer: Janice Templeton

Abstracter: W. Brent Coats

DISC 1: TRACK 1

00:00 Interview introduction

00:48 MARGARET TROTTER (nee) COWIE - Born 16 December 1922 in INVERCARGILL Father HENRY COWIE - Details

2.14 Lived at EAST LIMEHILLS - Mother MCRAE – Lived at HOKONUI - Details [Additional family information documented in The McRaes of Baintra and The Cowie Family written by Margaret Trotter, and Arthur’s Story by Arthur Trotter]

3.32 SCHOOLING - EAST LIMEHILLS SCHOOL - Walked and rode pony First teacher PEGGY GALT - Boarded with Cowie family - Father CHAIRMAN of SCHOOL COMMITTEE - Only one teacher with 10 or 12 pupils - Describes 5.59 SIBLINGS – IAN oldest – ANDREW – BOB – Youngest CATHERINE MERDINA (sp?) - Details

6:59 BOB and Self biked to school – PONY paddock - PEARCE family friends - Describes 8:02 SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE on DIPTON bus Boarded with elderly lady Monday to Friday No SCHOOL UNIFORM – Gym frocks in Winter

10:00 SUBJECTS – “Domestic” - cooking, sewing, maths – Two years then MATRICULATION – Learned French language – Describes

11:42 Went to COLUMBA COLLEGE final year – Full time boarding – Did not enjoy in same room with others SCHOOL was successful – Favourite subject English – Explains

13:42 Returned home to farm for year – MOTHER died with CANCER – Describes

14:43 Holiday at RIVERTON after every CHRISTMAS

15:00 End of Track 1



DISC 1: TRACK 2

00:00 ... EXTENDED FAMILY joined holiday – Describes

00:36 Explains beginnings of FAMILY CHRISTMAS’ – MCRAE family – 30-50 people – Santa Clause – Describes

01:49 Parents lived in OTAPIRI – Built present house 1933-1934 – Describes

03:00 SELF IN CHARGE of household – Mother not at home with cancer – Did not know about illness – Explains

04:09 FARMED sheep – Had own MILL – Explains

05:04 Brother IAN farmed at HEDGEHOPE – Mentions Father paid children WAGES

06:10 WORLD WAR TWO - ANDREW served in AIR FORCE – BOB in MOUNTED RIFLES - ANDREW sent to Islands – BOB had “top place” farm – Married IRIS MINCHER – ANDREW farmed parents property – Married - Describes

08:41 Parents built new house 1930s – Andrew lived in cottage

09:02 FATHER remarried – BEATRICE CUNNINGHAM - Adult children accepted – GOOD COMPANY for father - Remained on farm for while – Built in WINTON – Describes

10:55 Met ARTHUR TROTTER at cousin’s wedding – Describes

11:42 ENTERTAINMENT as teenager – Dances – Joined WOMENS DIVISION FEDERATED FARMERS (WDFF) – OTAPIRI hall had dances for soldiers – Describes

13:48 IAN remained at home for war - Mentions

15:00 End of Track 2

DISC 2: TRACK 3

00:00 At COLUMBA when WAR declared

01:03 Brother “made decision” for WAR service - Describes

01:49 RATIONING – Shortages of food – SHOPPED WINTON and INVERCARGILL – Two GROCERS – Killed own meat and bread – MCRAE cousins cooked wholemeal bread – Describes

04:07 Self and ARTHUR dated for year – Engagement – Marriage in 1947 – ARTHUR not at war – WEDDING at CENTRE BUSH CHURCH – RECEPTION at WINTON Tea Rooms – Lived at TROTTER house “ROSLIN” – Describes

06:24 [Asked about proposal – did not want to describe] Married 5 March 1947 – 3 week Honeymoon - QUEENSTOWN, CENTRAL OTAGO – Details

07:00 Sister Cathy took over ROLE at HOME – In LAND ARMY – Worked at home and neighbour’s – Describes

08:06 Self and ARTHUR lived at TROTTER homestead called ROSLIN – Many family in house – Big house – ISABEL TROTTER did most work – Describes

09:28 TROTTER mother “aging” – Father “real gentleman” – Had to make ADJUSTMENTS – ISABEL left after year – Never married – Hard at times “but worth it” – Describes

11:02 Self and ARTHUR had own area of house – Build c.1870 – Large GARDEN – ARTHUR mowed lawn and vegetable garden – Added ORCHARD – Describes

12:43 Had 5 children – ANN, RUTH, JUNE, LYNNE, JOHN – Lived at ROSLIN

13:21 TROTTER mother died – FATHER and ISABEL moved to INVERGILL – Self and ARTHUR left on property – Got help with chores – Describes

15:00 End of Track 3

DISC 1: TRACK 4

00:00 Added new KITCHEN – Describes MCCLARY electric range – Ate in living room – Describes

03:03 Describes PLAN of new and old kitchen – Slow running water – Laundry – Washing Machine – Fridge and food safe – ARTHUR killed meat - STORE at WOODLANDS - Describes

06:02 FARM off main road – TROTTER ROAD – Describes

06:49 Self involved in WOMEN’S DIVISION and CHURCH – Mentions

07:12 Began WRITING “little bits to start with” – CHILDREN at WOODLANDS SCHOOL – Girls went to HIGH SCHOOL – JOHN at JOHN MCGLASHAN HIGH SCHOOL – Details

08:42 First BOOK THE MCRAES OF BAINTRA [1984] – MCRAE get-togethers – “MCRAE days” – 1963 CENTENNIAL – Describes

10:36 Next books - EARLY WOODLANDS [1973] – About District – THE COWIE FAMILY – FORGOTTEN FLAXFIELDS – Details

12:08 Gathering information – LIBRARY and family ASSISTANCE – Most willing to give information – Mentions

13:52 MCRAE day began her writing – [Interviewer attempting to order date of books]

14:57 A TRIBUTE TO CATHIE [2000] – Small book about sister CATHERINE 15:00 End of Track 4

DISC 1: TRACK 5

00:00 …TRIBUTE given only to family

00:29 FLAXMILLS OF THE SOUTH – “People willing to share” information – Sold well – Sold by SOUTHLAND MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY and FLAXMILL – Mentions

End of Track 5

DISC 2: TRACK 1

00:06 Stepmother BEATRICE CUNNINGHAM

00:30 FLAXMILLS OF THE SOUTH – Remains of mills LINEN FLAX grew for WAR effort - Mentions [Interviewer will talk to ARTHUR TROTTER]

02:20 Interviewee SELF-PUBLISHED books – Own expense – Mentions [Interviewer explains additional material to be published about MARGARET]

03:55 WOMEN’S DIVISION [now Rural Women] – Daughter ANN Mid-Southland Chairwoman Meeting People – events – Self has ENJOYED ORGANISATION – Meetings involve DEMONSTRATIONS – Describes

06:52 CHURCH – Involvement after marriage – ARTHUR involved in Session committee [Interviewee does not remember details] ORIGINAL church on main road – FUNDRAISING effort - Mentions 08:26 ASSOCIATION OF PRESBYTRIAN WOMEN – “Family came first” – Fitted in activities - Mentions

09:26 Children biked to SCHOOL

10:02 Daughter ANN – Married twice – Lives at WAIMATUA Daughter RUTH attended UNIVERSITY – KILLED during climbing ACCIDENT – “Heartbreaking” – Aged 19 years – Recalls

12:28 Daughter JUNE “great help” – Trained as NURSE – Part-time TEACHER – Describes

13:31 Daughter LYNNE [Interviewee does not remember details]

13:53 Son JOHN attended JOHN MCGLASHAN HIGH SCHOOL Lived on farm – Moved into ROSLIN house after marriage - Bought extra land at WAIMATE (?)

15:00 End of Track 1

DISC 1: TRACK 2

00:06 [Interviewer mentions JOHN has had an accident]

00:23 New HOUSE at WOODLANDS - [Interviewee and Interviewer looking for additional information]

01:33 DRESSMAKING classes – Organised by WOMEN’S DIVISION FEDERATED FARMERS – Enjoyed COMPANY of ladies – Describes

02:28 SINGING at OTAPIRI – Teacher Mr. SIMPSON – Enjoyed – Played for singing brother – Describes

03:05 Self learned PIANO – TECHNICAL COLLEGE and COLUMBA - Describes Sang in MESSIAH - Mentions

04:23 EXHIBITION with parents in WELLINGTON – TRAVELLED by train and boat – Weeklong tour – Uncle JIM TROTTER in MASTERTON – Medical professional – Died of heart failure – WIFE doctor as well – Describes

06:53 DANCES in ROSLIN stable – Band played – Men “crowded around door” – Describes

08:51 Daughter ANN’s BIRTH – Nurse PERKINS – Mistook labour time – STAFF RUSHED to help Self giving birth – Describes

10:26 ROSLIN - Self planted ORCHARD – Mentions

11:22 Learned PAINTING – WORKERS EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION – Mentions

12:23 Old ROSLIN house bulldozed – “Dilapidated” - NOT WORTH restoration – “Heartbreaking” – Much BORER in wood – Describes

14:11 Awarded QUEEN’S SERVICE MEDAL 1998

15:00 End of Track 2

DISC 1: TRACK 3

00:00 …Received in WELLINGTON – Presented by GOVERNOR-GENERAL – Self and husband present – Maybe other family – Mentions

01:43 REWARDS from writing – COMPLIMENTS appreciated People willing to talk – Took notes – Self wrote, edited and published – Often ACCOMPANIED by ARTHUR – Describes

03:45 [Interviewer acknowledges help from daughter June]

04:47 End of Track 3