Awarua Communications Museum Oral History Collection, 2014-
Subject
Subject Source: Local sources
Found in 18 Collections and/or Records:
COSTIGAN, Leslie James (Les) interviewed by Seona Craig
Record Group — Box 32
Identifier: H0235
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Les tells of his employment at the Awarua Station where he lived in the hostel. He describes having to practice Morse code, the receiving and transmitting processes on older radio equipment, and receiving messages from ships all over the world. His job included manning the disaster watch for large ships using Morse code to provide safety for life at sea. He also describes Mayday calls. In 1974 he...
Dates:
2015
COTTER, Paul John and MUNRO, Barry Russell interviewed by Seona Craig
Record Group — Box 31
Identifier: H0232
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Paul and Barry recall and describe their experiences working for NZ Post Office as Radio Operators based at Awarua Radio, with some time each spent on the Chatham Islands and at Milford Sound. They also recall some of the emergency situations they were involved in e.g., distress calls from fisherman, steamships in distress and a call from a Frenchman sailing solo around the world. They describe the...
Dates:
2015
CRIGHTON, Gordon John (Jack) interviewed by Seona Craig
Record Group — Box 31
Identifier: H0230
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Jack recalls and describes his employment. First as a telephone operator at Waimahaka Post Office before transferring to the Lines Department in 1950 During the war he spent 3 years in the Air Force ass a radio operator. As an employee of the Lines department Jack worked in various areas of Southland becoming a foreman after 6 years. He enjoyed his work and details what it in entailed e.g., putting up...
Dates:
2015
DUSTON, Gordon Thomas interviewed by Seona Craig
Record Group — Box 29
Identifier: H0212
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Gordon recalls involvement with Awarua Communication Museum, fundraising for this and some of the identities involved in this project. He also looks at his career starting with his employment at the Post Office Lines Branch, marriage and joining Southland Tramping Club. He recalls his work on the Deep Cove Project, Tiwai Aluminum Smelter and various other businesses around Invercargill
Dates:
2014
GLENNIE, Alexander Charles (Alex) interviewed by Gordon Duston
Record Group — Box 64
Identifier: H0595
Dates:
2023
GREANEY, Bruce Arnold interviewed by Gordon Duston
Record Group — Box 32
Identifier: H0262
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. Bruce tells of family history and father’s employment as a morse code operator at Awarua and their life at the station. He recalls his memories of the Home Guard and times when enemy craft were close to the NZ coastline. There were large staff members during WW2 with workers working 6-hour shifts around the clock. He recalls leisure activities at the station which included: rabbit shooting, tennis, snooker and rugby....
Dates:
2016
HALL, John Thomas interviewed by Seona Craig
Record Group — Box 32
Identifier: H0234
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. John discusses and describes his work with the Post Office Line Gangs around Southland. In particular to talks about the opening of the Hedgehope exchange and work down on Stewart Island exchange describing the laying of the cable for the new exchange. He goes onto to tell of his shift into the planning of the cable network. He worked for 42 years and recalls life after retirement and his involvement with the...
Dates:
2015
JENKINS, Elizabeth Maree interviewed by Gordon Duston
Record Group — Box 37
Identifier: H0356
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Elizabeth details her training and work at Awarua Radio where she was the second female to work. Once she was trained, she was a Radio Technician. Her work took her to various places including: Dog Island, Centre Island and Puysegar Lighthouse. She talks about the lighthouse family on Puysegar i.e., how the children were educated and how the family got their weekly supplies. Elizabeth highlights...
Dates:
2018
JOYCE, Noel Denis interviewed by Gordon Duston
Record Group — Box 24
Identifier: H0396
Overview
In this interview Noel tells of his family history, fathers employment and his own education at St Joseph’s and Marist Brothers. He goes on to detail his employment as a technician with the automatic exchange and wool stores e.g. switch room, PABX, and cable jointer. He tells about the Invercargill floods in 1978 and 1984 and the effects on lines etc. Noel tells in detail his fascination with trams and his life and work on the Manapouri Power Scheme.
Dates:
2019
KNIGHT, Jack Campbell interviewed by Gordon Duston
Record Group — Box 15
Identifier: H0277
Overview
This interview is part of the Awarua Radio Communications Museum collection. In this interview Jack tells his family history before going onto to describe in detail his work for the Post Office in particular his time spent at Awarua Radio Station during WW2 where he used his qualifications with morse code. During this time, he also had to learn Japanese Morse Code. After the war he returned to Post Office duties in various towns around the south before retiring at the age of 57. He speaks of...
Dates:
2016
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