VIOLET FRANCES WELLS-ALLISON

Recorded: 30 July 2008

Interviewer: Janice Templeton

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:29 VIOLET FRANCES WELLS-ALLISON – born DANIEL, married DOUGLAS WELLS then JOHNNY ALLISON – Explained Born at OTAITAI BUSH in 1921

02:02 No midwives – AUNTY VI and AUNTY MILLIE – Mentioned

02:17 Older sister MILLIE born 15 December – no other siblings.

02:37 [FATHER]: EDGAR GEORGE DANIEL – only child – born OTAITAI BUSH. Events surround birth – Described Dr TROTTER – OREPUKI – AUNTY MAY (Mrs DIACK) – Mentioned

04:03 [PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS – DANIEL]: From HASTINGS in ENGLAND 04:17 [GREAT GRANDFATHER]: THEOPHILUS DANIEL – Described

05:14 THEOPHILUS – to AUSTRALIA before NZ – brother there CAPTAIN HOWELL – RIVERTON – Mentioned

05:44 THEOPHILUS married CAPTAIN HOWELL'S half-sister – ELIZABETH STEVENS GRANDMA COLLINS – STEWART ISLAND – CAPTAIN STIRLING – Mentioned

07:40 THEOPHILUS and ELIZABETH lived in small cottage in RIVERTON DOLLY PEMBERTON – COX – Mentioned Built 'WATFORD' (known as Daniel House) – Naming explained.

08:41 Present owner of house – BRETT McFELIN – grandmother a DANIEL MARY DICKSON – previous owner CAPTAIN HOWELL'S home oldest one still standing [KOHIKOHI] TROTTER HOUSE – Mentioned 09:52 Grandfather born in 'Old House' before 'WATFORD' built

10:22 Grandfather farmed at OTAITAI BUSH

10:33 [CHILDHOOD]: AT OTAITAI BUSH – FATHER farming and butchering. MOTHER liked the farm

10:51 Father drove BUTCHER'S BUS – Explained TWEEDIE – THOMSON – Mentioned

11:39 [MOTHER]: HILL from BIRMINGHAM – Large family lived in three houses – Lived at OTAUTAU – Brother NGARITA CALDER – Property in ENGLAND – Mentioned MAX BEER (cousin)

12:59 Grandfather HILL on RAILWAY – farmed at GUMMIES BUSH. Self's mother born at OTAUTAU Site of HILL farm – Described EDDIE HILL – DOROTHY FRASER – 'BURNSIDE' – Mr PRITCHARD – Mentioned

14:19 MOTHER one of 14 children – HARRY (married GUISE) – ALBERT – ROWLEY – ERNIE – MAY (MORE) (? Mabel) – EDE (Mrs JONES) ...

15:00 End of Track 1

Track 2

00:01 (Siblings continued)... Mother – 'DOT' (Mrs BROWN) – MILLIE ( Mrs JACK GRAHAM, married late in life) – GLADYS (NGARITA'S MOTHER) – VIOLET

01:20 No Golden Wedding – GRANDMA had stroke and died

01:41 Self's mother HILL – own parent's settled at OTAITAI BUSH – built wooden house near hospital (RIVERTON) – Changing of land ownerships AUNTY ELLEN & UNCLE JIM PALLETT (?) – ALMA STENTON – Mentioned

03:08 House built in BATH ROAD – Site almost opposite old (RIVERTON) hospital – House on main road into RIVERTON – Described

03:44 Parents at OTAITAI BUSH – 2 girls born. 03:55 [MEMORIES]: Being locked in hen house by sister – Described Time spent in hospital – Described Temperament differences between self and MIL (sister) – Explained BONIFACE – AUNT ELLEN – MRS DIACK (Aunty May) – Mentioned

05:43 Treasures – Mentioned. Venue of Review – Described AUNT MILLIE – Mentioned

07:05 Reminder that interview on behalf of RURAL SOUTHLAND ORAL HISTORY GROUP

07:22 Family home at OTAITAI BUSH – Described

08:21 [SCHOOL]: Travel to RIVERTON SCHOOL – Described BONIFACE – FRANK BICKELY – OTAITAI BUSH – OTAUTAU – THORNBURY – Mentioned

09:24 Chores before school – Described 09:37 Family kept about 18 – Milk to THORNBURY DAIRY FACTORY - GRANDMA (Daniel) died aged 51 – Brights Disease GRANDAD – kidney trouble

10:50 House owned by McIVOR – JAMES STUCK – Mentioned Demolished by ANDREW FALLOW – Tb (Tuberculosis) prevalent in McIVOR family.

11:20 STUCK's Aerated Water Factory

11:42 McIVOR won money in early Art Union naming area ROYAL TERRACE

11:57 Death of Mr McIVOR – Explained Communal help – Mentioned.

12:34 Aerated water was sold. Sneak look at cellar by JEAN and self – Explained

13:14 [SCHOOL] – Train at 8am – School at 9am. Mr LING ('FISHY') – dealing with self when late for school – Described

14:17 First Teacher – MISS BERG for small children – Her gift described...

15:00 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:01 Description of gift continues...

00:11 Next Teacher – PHYLLIS DUNCAN Best friends at school – JEAN STEVENS – MAMAI (?) STIRLING – LORRAINE PATERSON – RAY HELM – ALMA ROBERTSON (nee BONIFACE) SIR EDMUND HILARY – Mentioned

01:08 [CLOTHING FOR SCHOOL]: Gym frock – Stockings – Shoes or Boots 01:53 Mention of some children going to school bare feet in winter

02:01 [TEACHER]: MISS HOUSTON – Actions described Child's explanation for being late – Described Request for boots and socks JACK McNAUGHTON – IAN TAYLOR – Mentioned

03:20 [GAMES]: Ball games – Marbles (TAWS mentioned) Self a 'hoarder – MIL (sister) would not collect anything

04:35 Mother would not allow playing cards in house – Reason explained Girls were taught music and singing GRANDMA HILL – Mentioned

05:47 MIL's piano playing – Explained. Father's purchase of music – Explained Mr AKHURST – MORE'S HALL – Mentioned

06:20 HELIOTROPE WALTZ – Special memory of sister recalled. Engrossed with piano practice forgot to prepare lunch.

07:11 [PIANO]: Belonged to father – Had two concert parties – Money raised for RIVERTON HOSPITAL. Using horse-and-cart go to DRUMMOND – OTAUTAU – ROUND HILL

07:44 [HOSPITAL]: Only one in the area – WALLACE & FIORD HOSPITAL 07:52 AUNT LIZZIE HUNTER – Taught at Conservatorium in Australia – Came to NZ AUNT HILDA (LOUISA MAHALA – Mrs BLAIR STEWART) – Sang

08:32 [CONCERTS]: UNCLE GABRIEL (ALFONZO SYLVANUS) – AUNT LILY (CONSTANCE – Mrs BEER) The DANIEL GROUP.

09:00 Concert party involving own father. Support for people injured in bush. Mention of amounts raised for widows or wives – 1910-1912

10:06 GREASE PAINT – Not allowed to touch Plays as well as music

10:30 AUNT LIZIE had 4 boys – FRANCIS gifted pianist – Killed WW1. Piano taken on horse-and-cart to venues Father and others sang – TOFF (?) sang

11:01 [WALLACE EARLY SETTLERS]: Gatherings – Described

11:35 MAY TEMPLETON – 'Sweet Adeline' – Mentioned

12:04 Father sang but did not really play piano – FRANCIS HUNTER played, taught by mother.

12:26 Miss GLADYS GREEN taught MILLIE piano in RIVERTON. Self had lessons – didn't play much – enjoyed singing Further mention of MIL.

13:19 MIL in a flat on her own – has help in garden – home help. 13:44 No POCKET MONEY – sold bottle or birds eggs. Bird Nesting – Explained Mr THOMSON, sadlier at THORNBURY– Mentioned ...

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:06 [RABBITTING]: Prevalent on TEMPLETON'S – Explained Traps set on parents' property – Prices for skins – Mother treated skins better than father CRUICKSHANK – MOONEY – Mentioned

01:15 [SHOPPING]: Dad did shopping until got an old FORD car – Friday night – Warning given to girls about walking down streets – Explained 01:48 GREAT AUNT LIZZIE HUNTER played piano – TED played trumpet 'CARNIVAL of VENICE' – Mentioned CYRIL PASCOE married TED'S daughter – Now living in AUCKLAND

02:31 HUNTER'S house demolished – Almost opposite PRESBYTERIAN MANSE Not known to be connected to HUNTER accountant

03:00 Shopping trip a highlight of week MIL didn't like car. Vehicle – Described

03:33 Self left school at 14 or 15 – Helped mother at home. Mother's comment on others sending children to varsity MAY and ELAINE – Mentioned

04:14 MIL managed Mr WALTER WICKS shop in RIVERTON (he was from INVERCARGILL) by Post Office Stock held in shop – described ROBERTSON'S – STUART and KEITH McNEILL – Mentioned

05:11 How MILLIE met husband BERT STUCK family – Mrs AITKEN – BESSIE married OSSIE CROOKES – DAVE WHITE of GUMMIES BUSH – Mentioned

05:40 [MIL'S WEDDING]: Self bridesmaid – FLECK'S HALL – Mrs DE CLIFFORD (formerly BROWN from OREPUKI) catered

06:02 How self met husband – Described ALMA – ROBERTSON'S SHOP – Mentioned

06:33 [COURTSHIP]: Introduction to parents – Described VAUXHALL car – FREDDIE – Mentioned Together for about 18 months

07:28 [MARRIAGE]: 20 December 1942 – aged 20 Maturity compared with present younger generation – Described

08:25 [WEDDING]: At Registry Office at RIVERTON (old building part of Museum) Reception at HERBERT HAYNES in INVERCARGILL Petrol coupons and shared vehicles – Mentioned

09:33 [EMPLOYMENT]: DOUG (husband) had men working at UNCLE TOM'S SAW MILL – (BIG MILL – WEE MILL – DOG TOWN) FORESTRY

10:00 Self and husband lived at mill at POURAKINO VALLEY – MORE'S MILL Husband had 'Ticket for Boiler' Use of car on 'tram' – Described. Two houses – school – Use of 'roll-about' – Explained PANKHURST – Mentioned

11:49 Self didn't like living conditions at mill – Described Kept 2 cows

12:26 Husband keen to build new place. Request for T & G (tongue and groove timber) to repair shed – Described

13:03 [HOUSE]: 'Squaw Chimney' – Described WOODWARD'S OLD COOK SHOP – 4 bedrooms Single men boarded there until bus service from RIVERTON Transport from LONGWOOD 24 houses in area – line of mail boxes – lack of private transport – Use of Royal Mail transport

15:00 End of Track 4

Track 5

00:01 [LIFESTYLE]: Friendship with a 'LONDONER' – Problem with 'peeping tom' Mrs POLLARD – Mrs MALONEY – Mentioned

00:52 [SCHOOL]: Number of pupils varied at POURAKINO [TEACHERS]: DOUG LECKIE – JACK BICKLEY Baking for school fairs – Concerts – Dances RIVERTON – Mentioned

02:04 At POURAKINO for 5 ½ years – Moved to mother's home – Moved into town – Husband had job at UNDERWOOD

02:38 [FAMILY]: Sons RALEIGH and TERENCE born OTAITAI BUSH

03:00 RALEIGH wanted to an engineer – Visit to BLUFF – Described 'ENDEAVOUR' – BLUFF – WILLYS (car) – Mentioned TERENCE usually naughty but good on this occasion 03:37 Incident with TUG MASTER (Mr HAWKES) involving RALEIGH Mr HAWKES parents owned GLOBE HOTEL

04:46 ARTHUR HELM had EDMUND HILLARY'S sledge with him. Sledge in RIVERTON MUSEUM – Relationship between HELM and HILLARY – Explained RIVERTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL raised money to pay for sledge. Self not asked to contribute – Own sons went to NORTH INVERCARGILL SCHOOL

06:34 Reason for sledge being returned to RIVERTON – Explained. SIR EDMUND HILLARY presented sledge to school – now housed at TE HIKOI

07:40 Left MORE'S MILL – Self not happy there – Mother needed help while father in hospital – Boys would have missed schooling.

08:06 Bus transport for schooling – Reason for move to town Boys attended NORTH SCHOOL – RALEIGH went to TECH JOHN KELLOCK – Engineering teacher – RALEIGH working in DUNEDIN HOSPITAL

09:00 [MORE'S MILL]: Fire closed the mill Firefighting – Described Food provided by self and others – Described REV. LUSH – ERNIE HOGG – EVA BISHOP – Mentioned

10:56 Delivery of food – Described Firefighters had worked night-and-day for at least two days Buildings not affected

12:50 Housing situation – Explained Available buildings had been offered to men returning from war. Possible effects on schooling if family had stayed in RIVERTON

13:56 [DOUG'S FAMILY]: From ENGLAND – Lived at Top Mill (MORE'S) – Then to HAVELOCK STREET – DUNCAN BICKLEY – Money left to charity – Married NELL WELLS FREDDIE – After mother's death married EMILY WOODS (Mrs MACKINTOSH a widow)

15:00 End of Track 5

Track 6

00:01 DOUG did not go to war because of beliefs JIM PANKHURST – DES TEMPLETON'S father – Mentioned Sometimes better to forget about these things. Attitudes have changed

01:28 Father friends with ARCHIBALD, MARK and TERRY BAXTER. Visit to BRIGHTON and meeting with BAXTER. Book 'We Shall Not Cease' – Mentioned Treatment of BAXTER – Described

02:19 BAXTER'S wife daughter of a Professor – Their meeting

02:29 Mr KAGAU (?) – Headmaster – German/French extraction Comment regarding sister MILLIE

03:20 Mr KAGAU'S (?) internment on SOMES ISLAND – Explained

03:51 150th Celebration of RIVERTON SCHOOL – Mentioned Annual visit by teachers to MAY'S home – Explained

04:39 TEMPLETON FAMILY at THORNBURY SCHOOL – Move motivated by action of Mr WHITTINGHAM – Explained SHEILA – 'FISHY' LING – Mr KAGAU– Mentioned

05:37 Self of similar age to ANDREW TEMPLETON – MILLIE similar age to ELAINE TEMPLETON

06:00 [FAMILY ACTIVITIES]: Strict discipline – Comparison with neighbours – Occasional to visits to pictures – RUTH ASHLEY played violin – BILL FLECK played violin – Silent movies Miss ROBERTSON, music teacher – Described

08:23 Introduction of 'talking' movies – Described Black-and-white to colour – Mentioned

08:39 [CONCERTS]: Father involved – Girls able to go. Format – Described OREPUKI – old Miss HURST – LIL PORTNICK – Mentioned Discussions by old people BONAR – self and MIL – MAMARA TE AU from COLAC BAY – Mentioned

10:07 Mother [ADELINE known as ADDY] – Comment regarding concert item MIL very good pianist – An achiever

10:49 “STEP INTO THE PAST” – Own thing and loved it ROWENA – Mentioned

11:08 [COLLECTION]: How “STEP INTO THE PAST” started – Explained. GRACE BRASS – NIGHTCAPS – WYNDHAM – Mentioned

12:05 [COLLECTION]: Items gathered from various places. Mementos from WW1 – Scarves sold by weight – Described TERENCE – JACKIE McCULLOCH in NELSON – MAY GLOVER – Mentioned...

15:00 End of Track 6

TRACK 7

00:01 Continuation of description of scarves

00:19 Collection of Handkerchiefs from 'the Islands' – Saved from destruction Relevance – Explained Handkerchiefs – Described NEW CALEDONIA – Mentioned Self doesn't believe in throwing things out

01:11 [DRESSES]: Some from people known – Many from shops in DUNEDIN and CHRISTCHURCH – Always looking MYRTLE – Mentioned

02:13 [DISPLAYS]: 125th Celebration RIVERTON DISTRICT SCHOOL WALLACE EARLY SETTLERS at CAMP LONGWOOD Done for 35 years – Ceased due to back problems LILIAS THOMSON – MARY DICKSON Still do displays of HATS, SCARVES, BAGS

03:57 [JEWELLERY]: Found some pieces

04:25 Having no daughters probable reason for collecting. High light of collection – HAT PINS – Went looking for them NIGHTCAPS – OHAI – OTAUTAU – RIVERTON – Mentioned Didn't always know the donors – Always gave payment of some kind (money, chocolate etc) 06:45 Old Mrs FORBES of GLENORCHY KATHLEEN HILL and GRAHAM – Mentioned HAT PINS – Displayed and Described HAT PIN HOLDERS – Displayed and Described

08:39 ERROL, only nephew, lived by KAWERAU GORGE, CROMWELL Mrs BELLA McILLECOTT (?) – Secretary about 20 years – Cycling at age 90 NORMAN KIRK and wife – CATHOLIC WOMENS GUILD – Mentioned

09:42 'Newspaper clipping 'LABOUR PARTY HONOURING A VETERAN' – by KEITH EUNSON – 8 November 1972 BELLA McILLECOTT – Mentioned

10:17 Mrs McELLIGOTT – Kitchen – Position of bedroom – Described Lived to age 102 – died in CHRISTCHURCH

11:15 [McELLIGOTT]: How to find place – ERROL'S explanation Visit – Building – Described Hat pin – Described

12:36 [GARMENTS]: Relative in BATTLE of JUTLAND – GEORGE CROSS – EDWARD St JOHN DANIEL

13:49 MOURNING ARM BANDS – Briefly described JIM SWANEY – Mentioned

14:36 Self still involved with ANTIQUE GUILD History of armbands not given. Friend worked in antique shop...

15:00 end of Track 7

TRACK 8

00:00 Continuation from Track 7... How self received armbands – Described SHIRLEY GENDELL (?) – Mentioned Armbands – Described

01:06 Self still drawn to Second-hand shops – Always a collector

01:55 [SINGING]: Sang a variety of songs often – Long term effects on voice. Only pupil EUNICE for a short time – Too much else to do MORE'S MILL – Mentioned

04:05 ['PARTY PIECES']: 'WEDDING OF SANDY McNAB' – 'McSORILEY'S TWINS' 'PADDY McGINNTY'S GOAT' Recited words of McSORILEY'S TWINS

05:19 Father's piece – PADEREWSKI, pianist – Recited Father insisted every thing be done from memory – No music

06:56 Did not sing with WALTER WATSON – Musical evenings at WATSON home BONAR – mentioned

07:16 Relief Concerts during depression

08:34 End of Track 8