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Abstract of Robert John CHISHOLM, 2022

 Item — Box: 15
Identifier: H02490002

Abstract

H0249 ROBERT JOHN CHISHOLM

Interviewer: Sandra Earwaker

Abstractor: Robyn Powley

Interview: 13 June 2016

TRACK 1

00:40 Interview introduction – identification ROBERT JOHN CHISHOLM – born 26 July 1929 - known as ‘POP’

02:30 Recalls – shifted to TOKANUI when ‘about TWO’ – all bush – TOKANUI/NIAGARA HIGHWAY – shifted to RAILWAY HOUSE – WHITAKER (sp) and PEARCE’S (sp) – Sawmill – BAYWOOD (sp) – FOUR houses there – DAN McEWAN (sp) 3.41 – TUATAPERE – Sawmill closed in the DEPRESSION – shifted to AYWOOD (?) – good ORCHARD – Apple Cider – bottles exploded – VEGEY GARDEN

05:10 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:19 Recalls – Went EXPLORING instead of going to SCHOOL – TRIG – KEN McEWAN (sp) – School WHISTLE going – LUNCHTIME – ‘took off home’ – 7 YEARS and 2 MONTHS at PRIMARY SCHOOL – ONE YEAR SECONDARY SCHOOL – SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE – TRAIN – left 7.10 am – TUESDAY 6.00am – SUMMER, ‘DOUBLE BANKED’ – sometimes 8:30 pm before arrived home

04:11 Recalls – Went WORKING – felled trees – CROSS-CUT SAW and AXE – DRIVING TRACTORS – DUNEARN – WAIRIO – drove for LANDS and SURVEY – WAR YEARS – everything RATIONED – 4/5 COWS – made BUTTER – MILK SHEEP/COWS while going to SCHOOL – learned to COOK – made SCONES – SHACKLOCK with WOOD BURNER – days off school to do the COOKING – MEAT/SPUDS/VEGES/TURNIPS – feeding ELEVEN – PUDDING included – APPLE SHORTCAKE – no THERMOMETERS on oven – “Part of GROWING UP”

08:27 Recalls – No SWEETS – WAR YEARS – No TOBACCO – ONE Two-ounce packet a MONTH

09:28 Recalls – RHEUMATIC FEVER – kept driving for a FORTNIGHT – DR TOM – SURGERY in the BOARDING HOUSE – KEW (hospital) for a FORTNIGHT – DEE STREET – CONVALESCENT HOME – 7 WEEKS – COLIN (younger brother) also in the HOME – BRIAN (?) NORTH – second time – didn’t survive it – HERBIE’S BROTHER – before DRUGS

11:05 Recalls – After LANDS and SURVEY – worked for WOODSLEA (?) – CARRYING COMPANY in TOWN – MARRIED – shareholder in CHISHOLM BROS – logging – cross-cut saw – axe – loading logs – HALDANE – dozers – D4 then D6 – DROVE 12,000 HOURS – big one 7Es (?) – cleared land – built roads – bulk LIME SOWERS – GENERAL TRANSPORT – CHISOLM BROS was ANDY? – MYSELF (Robert) – COLIN – when KEN died, COLIN left – went to the WEST COAST – LANDS and SURVEY – then TRANSPORT NELSON – SOUTH WEST CONTRACTING bought the TRACTORS – sold out to KAPUKA in the 80s – three FARMERS in the district – FORTROSE to WAIKAWA – 11 TRUCKS – 23 on the PAYROLL

15:00 End of Track 2

Track 3

00:42 Recalls – Broke right ankle – slipped on ice ramp – shattered the bone – wired it – automatic car – drove with foot out the window

03:12 Recalls – RUGBY – TOKANUI v MARIST – last game played when 38 – 1st DIVISION – SOUTHLAND – head kicked – 4/5 hours wait at the doctors – drinking BEER ‘replaces sweat’

05:04 Recalls – WAIMAHAKA – SEAWARD DOWNS – BUSH/CHASLANDS – SOUTHERN STAR – OTERAMIKA – seven or eight SENIOR TEAMS

05:36 Recalls – FOUR or FIVE SAW MILLS – loaded timber onto RAIL ‘couldn’t cart against RAIL’ – POOLES at NIAGARA – TOKANUI – PROGRESS – FORTIFICATION – carted FIREWOOD into town – brought LIME back -TRAMS brought timber to the RAIL – WAIPAPA – NORMAN STRANG and JIM – closed at the finish of THE SLUMP – MICHAEL – COLIN McEWAN – McBRIDE’S – HALDANE – no roads – stables – HORSES on the TRAM – TOKANUI – BUCKINGHAM STREET – BOGIES

09:48 Recalls – STACK (the timber) upright – FRAMES – 3 months to dry – PLANER – GEORGE BEGG – closed and shifted to TOPEKA – FORTIFICATION – RAIL TRACTOR – JESS HALLIDAY (sp) – closed about end of SLUMP

11:02 Recalls – THE SLUMP (the DEPRESSION) – ‘20s AND ‘30s – ‘MICKEY’ SAVAGE – ‘found money AND found work’

11:38 Recalls – the WAR came ’39 – MIDDLE EAST –

12:29 Recalls – BLACK PINE BEER – TOKANUI – RAILWAY WORKERS – ENGINE DRIVERS – firewood for years – McLEOD wouldn’t let them mill BLACK PINE – green when alive – shake them – filled with liquid – ferment – ‘Black Pine Beer’ – clogged the SAW – “made good alcohol”

15:00 End of Track 3

Track 4

0:10 Recalls - ALAN STRANG has entered the conversation- BLACK PINE BEER – AUGER HOLES – SANDY FAVOR (sp) - IKE’S father – “A cracker on it” – the SAW would get clogged

02:12 Interview finishes

Dates

  • 2022

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Conditions Governing Use

This material is copyright of the Invercargill City Libraries and Archives. In accordance with agreements held with interviewees, it is strictly prohibited to reproduce (copy) oral history recordings, abstracts, audio extracts or photographs without prior written consent. Applications for the reproduction of these recordings and associated materials, in whole or part, must be made in writing to the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator, c/o Invercargill City Libraries and Archives.

Extent

From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)

Language of Materials

From the Record Group: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository