ROLAND THOMAS KENNEDY Interviewer: Nancy Burnett Abstracters: Jean Hawkes/W. Brent Coats

Disc 1: TRACK 1

00:00 Interview introduction

00:37 ROLAND THOMAS KENNEDY – Address given – Born in 1916 - Studley, Bayswater, Southland – Details

01:09 End of Track 1

Disc 1 TRACK 2

00:08 Explains LOCATION of BAYSWATER ESTATE – YELLOW BLUFF to WREYS BUSH – Paralleled APARIMA RIVER – Estate based at HEDDON BUSH – Father had 1000 acres named STUDLEY – Named after stud SHEEP and HORSES – Explains

01:43 Paternal GRANDFATHER from BELFAST NORTHERN IRELAND Father WILLIAM KENNEDY - Born 16 September 1867 – Born at MOUNT PLEASANT, FAIRFAX – Was FARMER - Details

02:37 Father associated with SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION – 1925 for following 10 years – Describes

03:36 Sister was DISTRICT PRINCESS for A & P fundraising – 1929 – INVERCARGILL MAYFAIR CARNIVAL – Details

04:38 Mother Edith BERTHA GIBBON - Born June 1887 at LIMESTONE PLAINS, FAIRFAX – Father relocated to NIGHTCAPS – Details Worked at MATHESON GROCERY, OTAUTAU – Wrapped many PARCELS - Worked with ADAM ADAMSON - Describes Mother was good WRITER - Details

07:52 Siblings – Oldest LILLIAN – Born 11 at STUDLEY - Attended GLADFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL – ARCHERFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, DUNEDIN – Won A & P ASSOCIATION PRINCESS contest – Married 1935 – Wedding at FARM - Lived in WANAKA - Details

09:47 Sibling - JANE – Born 1921 at STUDLEY - Attended GLADFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL – SOUTHLAND GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL – WREN during WAR – Looked after ill parents – Worked POST OFFICE – Married RAY LUMSDEN (sp?) –Husband’s death – Died 2004 - Details

11:41 Siblings – Bill born 1912 at Studley – Farmed – JOHN MCGLASHAN COLLEGE – Returned to FARM – Had STANDARDBRED trotters – Served PACIFIC ISLANDS during WAR – Lived with Self and wife – Remained at STUDLEY – Died 2001 - Details

14:03 Sibing – OWEN – Parents moved to INVERCARGILL 1936 – FARMED at STUDLEY – Married – FARM split among brothers – Details

16:11 MEMORIES of STUDLEY – Teams of HORSES – FARM WORKERS helping – Self drove team age of 11-12 – Number of HORSES in TEAMS – Describes ATTENDED High School – MONEY for BOARDING in town – Helped on farm during DEPRESSION – Bought TRACTOR –Describes

19:36 [Self asks to stop interview]

19:45 [Interview resumes]

19:56 Parents moved to INVERCARGILL 1936 – FARM known as KENNEDY & SONS – Brother BILL and SELF on FARM – Brothers’ jobs – 1944 RENAMED to KENNEDY BROTHERS – OWEN joined – Details

21:38 BILL judged STOCK SHOWS – Self ran farm – SHEEP STOCKS included BORDER LEICESTER, ROMNEY, SOUTHDOWN – Details BILL enjoyed STANDARDBRED horses

23:33 GLADFIELD SCHOOL

Disc 2 TRACK 1

00:00 GIG and GOVERNOR'S CART repeated.

01:04 DRAY used to carry farming produce – heavy duty – Described. Also used in farm paddocks.

01:56 CLYDESDALES (draft horses) compared with 'BINGEN BROOK' (thoroughbred – harness hack) – Explained.

02:32 Father's pride in BINGEN BROOK – show prizes – very quiet. Trap called JINKER – Described.

03:06 Accident in JINKER – Described.

03:21 Accident in GIG – Model T FORD – Described. OTAUTAU – Mentioned.

04:19 16 horses to DRAIN PLOUGH/MOLE DRAIN – Described. Neighbours' horses used to make up numbers. 05:16 SWINGLE TREES (used with teams of horses) – Explained. Accident involving horse – Explained. LYNLEY DAHLENBURG – Mentioned.

06:06 BINGEN BROOK expensed (?) about 1925.

06:20 1929 things at a peak – 1930-31 tough years. Self at High School – boarding in INVERCARGILL – SOUP KITCHENS in INVERCARGILL – People out of work paid about ten shillings ($1.00) per week.

07:20 About 1934-35 some improvement. Cars put on blocks – couldn't afford to run them.

08:16 Newspaper used instead of socks in gumboots during farm tasks – Described. Mother's help to employees – Payment (15 shillings) to employees by farmer. Government supplement.

09:22 DAPHNE – knitting – all family members received knitted socks. Own mother the same.

09:48 [WAR YEARS]: BILL – GODLEY HEADS (Christchurch) – Explained. To WELLINGTON – Home on leave – Shipped to the islands – NEW CALEDONIA –

11:06 Island conditions described. Help from AMERICANS. Pre-packed (canned?) foods.

12:09 Little contact with BILL during war – Reasons and messages – Explained.

13:10 Photograph in paper of (War) Memorials – Mentioned. Families losses mentioned.

13:32 JIM GRANT'S 4 brothers served – 1 killed overseas – 2 shot up – mention of injuries.

14:01 Self and BILL both called up – MANPOWER COMMITTEE selection panel – BILL designated to go – Self man-powered to farm. 15:09 Had to grow linen flax for War Effort – Explained. Flax supplied – farmer responsible for all aspects of cultivation. Transport to RETTING FACTORY. Fibres used for ROPE MAKING.

16:07 Differences between native flax and linen flax – described. Special machines used to pull flax from ground – Described. Sheafs – Stooking – Harvesting. 17:30 Stooking – Described.

18:45 Loading sheaves for transport – Described. OTAUTAU - GLENBURN – Mentioned.

19:24 Processes at RETTING FACTORY – Described. Dried fibres to Rope Factory. BILL MILLER – Mentioned.

19:53 Weighing flax. Self did not witness this. Flax gown until war ended – need diminished quickly.

20:36 Wheat – Oats – Barley – more profitable. Horses needed chaff – Storage and feeding of chaff. Kerosene tins – adapted for other uses. 22:29 Bagging Chaff – Making strings to sew bags – Bags sewn while in paddock. Transport of chaff to barn – Bags thrown into loft – Described.

23:38 Weight chaff bag could be about 100 pounds (45 kilos). Bag of wheat 200 pounds (91 kilos) Bag of oats about 160 pounds (70 kilos)

24:23 Heads of wheat and oats described – Stalks determined amount of chaff. Chaff made from oats.

25:07 [BINDERS]: Three-horse binder – Described Binder and binding – Described

27:11 First binders used wire – twine used later.

27:33 Oats bound into sheaves – continuation of process described.

28:12 [KNOTTERS}: Described.

28:53 Binders cut oats and tied into sheaves Picked up by workers – Sheaf under each arm – Stook formed.

29:50 Problems for inexperienced workers – Described Heavy, hard work – Especially wheat

30:14 Tops of wheat used for wheatmeal – porridge – milled by FLEMING & COMPANY at GORE Oats used for CREAMOTA (porridge) – Wheat milled into flour Some turned into sheep or cattle feed. FLEMING'S FLOUR MILL in TYNE STREET, INVERCARGILL 31:04 Dealt through mercantile firm – Bags of grain on rail at OTAUTAU. NATIONAL MORTGAGE – LOAN COMPANY – WRIGHTSONS – Mentioned

31:31 Normally no set price for produce – relative to demand overseas and internally.

32:02 Judging right time to harvest – Explained Colour and formation assessed – Grain meters used now

33:48 End of Track 1

Disc 2 TRACK 2

00:07 [HOME GUARD]: Parades 2 or 3 nights weekly in DRUMMOND HALL – Described. Training Saturday afternoons – sometimes Sunday.

01:35 Only self and wife on farm of thousand acres – difficulties coping with farm work.

02:28 Uniforms and rifles issued towards end of war. FOREST HILL – practice shoot – no earmuffs etc – 303 rifles.

03:03 Camp at OTAUTAU – shortage of farm labourers – ARMY recruits used. WINTON – Mentioned. Provisions for men – morning tea – dinner – afternoon tea.

04:00 [LABOURERS] : Booked in advance – Rebooking due to weather – Capabilities of ARMY RECRUITS – Described. Unfamiliar with THRESHING MILL – PITCHFORKS.

05:04 THRESHING MILL – Explained. Straw stacking – problems for inexperienced people.

06:34 [THRESHING MILL]: Owner brought machine – wait for helpers – need to be shown what to do.

06:52 Self bought a HEADER in 1944 – 3 people to operate – wife drove tractor. 07:29 ARMY CAMP at OTAUTAU supplying labour to any farmer needing help for farm work – Explained. ARMY RECRUITS already trained and ready to go to war.

08:16 LAND GIRLS – Involved with LINEN FLAX – driving small tractors. 09:22 [THRESHING MILL]: Usually 10 men – needed to be fed – Breakfast about 7am – Contractors. DAPHNE – Mentioned. 10:15 Clarification of function of THRESHING MILL. Straw Stacks.

10:52 Making CHAFF and CHAFF CUTTER – Explained.

11:42 End of Track 2

Disc 2 TRACK 3

00:00 Identification.

00:18 [SHEARING]: Blade shearing – 100 sheep per day Brother BILL, TIM GRANT – Mentioned STUDLEIGH (?) – Mentioned

01:05 By comparison grandson shears 300 to 400 per day

01:22 Self did picking up as a school boy – father baled wool.

01:42 [WAR TIME]: Hard to get shearers – No help locally HEDDON BUSH – DUNEARN – Mentioned

02:15 Shearers started at 6 in morning – Breakfast – till 6 at night – Tea. Food at 9 o'clock – Dinner – Afternoon tea.

02:43 BRANDING of sheep – Lambs drafted off.

03:10 Machine shearing – second-hand machine bought – no one knew how to deal with it.

03:30 [BRANDING]: Each farm had own brand – YK = Young Kennedy – reasons for branding and process – Described

04:44 Branding phased out – effects on wool for overseas market. Marked wool removed by hand

05:09 [DRENCHING and DIPPING]: Reasons for dipping – process – Described. Sheep ticks – lice. Communal sheep dips – most farms had own dips.

06:12 'Swim' dip – Described. Sheep didn't like the smell Actual dipping process – Described

08:04 Start about 10 am to finish about 5 pm – Risk of chill for sheep.

08:15 Ticks and lice – Many varieties – Described. Effects of ticks on animals – Described Cattle and sheep ticks. AFRICA – AUSTRALIA – Mentioned

09:07 Movement of ticks – Effects on sheep – Need for dipping sheep

09:39 Sheep dipped once a year around April – for bad cases repeat in month or two. 10:01 COOPERS SHEEP DIP POWDER – Preparation and use – Described. Very strong smell – sheep reluctant to be dipped.

11:23 Wool discoloured because of ticks and lice.

11:47 Drenching – Reasons to drench – Comparison of past and present methods used Other animals besides sheep drenched. 12:38 Drenches designed to treat different health problems

12:58 Administering drench – improved techniques – Described.

14:50 [HORSES]: Effects of excess oats – Treatment – described.

15:45 Greasy heels on horses – Big problem – Causes and treatment – Described.

16:51 Gripe in horses – twisted bowel – effects on animals.

17:27 Care of horses paramount – needed to be fit to work

17:48 Grooming horses essential – sweating and gathering of dust a problem.

19:04 [DOGS]: Necessary for working with sheep – Needed to be cared for – Properly feed – Used border collies Some had kelpies and small Australian breed.

20:16 Dog man's best friend' – Well trained to work with cattle – sheep – geese – ducks.

20:34 Geese bred for Easter and Christmas.

21:00 Dogs most necessary at lambing time – Conditions explained – Dogs that 'eye' sheep rather than bark a lot

21:30 [RABBITS]: Menace for many farmers – Rabbits would eat all of grain crops HEDDON BUSH – TURI – SOUTH HILLEND – APARIMA – Mentioned

22:14 [FERRETS]: Tame ferrets used to hunt rabbits from their warrens – Described.

23:17 [GREYHOUNDS]: FRANK MALCOLM of HEDDON BUSH – Sunday meets for greyhounds to chase and catch rabbits and hares

24:34 End of Track 3

DISC 3: TRACK 1

00:05 Reference to birth certificate – Spelling of name not as requested or used. Explanation given. OTAUTAU Post Office – Mentioned.

02:00 Spelling of name – Problem completing passport – Described. 'Roland' back to KENNEDY in 11th century.

03:15 Community involvement – School Committee Secretary – 7 years until school closed JIM RYAN – Mentioned

04:24 [H & H MOTORS]: 1924 – GEORGE HEWTON started bus service – Arrival of bus at local school – Message for parents OAMARU – OTAUTAU – INVERCARGILL Mentioned

05:40 Route changed – Most farmers owned motor vehicles RINGWAY RIDGES – Mentioned

06:07 GEORGE HEWTON founder of H & H MOTORS – brother-in-law JIM HEENAN bus service OHAI to INVERCARGILL – Services merged. Another brother-in-law DEAN (?) bus driver. Covered most of WESTERN SOUTHLAND – 20 or 30 buses

07:07 Buses from TUATAPERE – OREPUKI – COLAC BAY – RIVERTON – OTAUTAU – NIGHTCAPS – OHAI – MOSSBURN – Mentioned

07:58 H & H merged with MOUNT COOK to McDERMOTT MOTORS of WINTON. INVERCARGILL PASSENGER SERVICES – Mentioned

08:35 Some services no longer running. Changing times.

09: 10 [THORNBURY VINTAGE MUSEUM]: Harvesting machinery – Back delivery fore-runner of grain binder – Described

10:49 First binders – Wire tied.

11:00 Early machine probably turn of century (ie 1900) – Restored by LES BROWN of RIVERTON

11:54 Bred own horses – Teams of geldings and mares – Clydesdale stallions from other farms served mares – young colts castrated

13:34 Care needed for mares due to foal

14:19 Training of young horses – Explained.

15:45 Clydesdales very quiet – Enjoyed working with them – Good workers

16:32 Most teamsters had favourite horses – Possible jealousy in team avoided All horses named – Responded to name – Names identified

18:03 Dressing of horses – Described

18:26 Exhibits for A & P (Agricultural and Pastural) Shows Preparation of sheep – Described

21:00 Presentation and breeding important for judging Top rams and ewes bought for breeding 21:29 Breeding criteria – Rams for sale AUSTRALIA – SYDNEY ROYAL SHOW – Mentioned

23:09 STUDLEIGH (?) – Father breeder of quality sheep – top horses – Sons followed in footsteps

23:41 Recollections of satisfying times in life – Many recalled – Self worked horses until 1935. Thousand acre farm (about 404.5 hectares) – Described 1939 arrival of excavators – Used for ditching

26:05 Best thing to happen to self – Marriage – Married for 65 years Both had good parents – Good grounding for future – Manners and respect

27:01 Brother BILL to SCOTLAND for Border Leicester rams – Brought one back but did not fit in

27:36 Ninety years a long haul – Good health valuable.

28:27 Self has seen and encouraged progress – Community work – Respect for others – Had 13 neighbours – 13 on Telephone party-line Hard work for women – Described

30:06 Travel on farm compared with present day – Use of electric fencing 31:36 End of Track 1

END OF INTERVIEW