(Please note that this is not a formal abstract but notes made by the interviewer during the interview)

Mary Jane Cathcart

Interview: 13 & 16 December 2019

Interviewer: Judith Thomas

Track 1

Early memories – Makarewa School – Miss Beer – dad at Underwood Dairy factory – Cows, calves – Bull-went to the works. Dad hernias – Dad in bed with him – radio requests – 1956 Vauxhall Velox. Mum and Dad meeting at Oreti / (Dad from Ireland) – Shifting to Makarewa – live stock in sacks (sp?)

Track 2

Lice in hens – Children – house shifted – ‘Chips’ Lee, carpenter – Kitchen Floor – Dad died.

Track 3

Nieces – stock cars – falling out of car – meals – Poker/Irish accent- Mum night shift at Lorne Hospital – Dolly – Mary – lost farthing – first boots – ‘The Diggings’ in Otago – children – miners fed – 3 husbands – ‘Runaway Blue Jacket’ – Brass Boy – tattoos – at sea – rats – names craved in tree – kitty – 14 children Herbert Mann – (Chinaman – ‘Chinky’ – rituals when died)

Track 4

Granny – Brewery (12 Children) girls helping at home – Mondays off – the strap – ‘Smart Granny Stumping’ – new clothes – fire – spark in feather mattress – working hard – Hops to pigs – drunk! – Washing to the river/fire - tub – rinse in river – wringing out – drying – play, - fold washing

Track 5

Picnic – washing soda – Granny 14 years working on a farm. Hannings – ‘Hoosey’ (horse) – swedes. Beer – Threshing Mill – Mother & children to town – holiday – Neighbours – a fright – The Show – split skirt & Bun – Billy of tea – burning Hoosey

Track 6

Grandfather – Lorne farm – (Hospital) – Orphanage (Coopers Corner) – Mounted men – some elderly + unmarried mothers & babies – farm – Heffer killed – Older boys – Roll of Remembrance – buildings – Mum worked there 1960’s, 1970’s night shifts – nurse aiding – wards 4,5,6, Scar hand confused elderly – Grandparents meeting – Grandad a “Cooper” – barrels Track 7 Australia – NZ – Riverton – fishing – Tuatapere – sawmill – sawdust – Rosary beads – Truck “Thomacroft” – grandad’s thumb injury – Dr Trotter – Riverton (Shingle – Name) Dr Crawford – 2 brothers doctors – stiff thumb – good friends

Track 8

Mary’s mother when young – tonsils removed – sterislised equipment – recovered. Clever at maths and spelling – Grandad – back at Makarewa from Riverton – tallow – sent to England – pilfering – drilled a hole – kerosene – black market. (Tallow – dripping) on bread instead of butter. Coopers corner – Sale yards – the Whitehouse – ‘whistleman’. Granny giving her food to her husband. Grandad’s parents coming out from England – bored – making a rocking chair for his wife by hand – ‘Sipherings’

Track 9

Whitewashed wall – bird eggs – sparrows – live sparrow shoot – names – Gortons, Tairoa, Rocard (sp?), Woods, McKenzie, Brown, …?… Makarewa Hall Lornville – shifted there – Salvation Army services – school, 3 classes – 2 warm – 1 cold – GHB store at Makarewa, Mr Boniface shop owner, D.S.M – medal – little cottage on Main Road ––- flag at school. Underwood dairy factory Dad working there. Taking the transistor radio to Dad. Condensed milk tins in boxes. Milo – (Ends)