Invercargill Archives

Overview In this interview Harold talks of family education and employment. He goes on to give a detailed account of mutton birding – the life cycle of the birds, their habitat, the process of retrieving them, the preparation of the birds for storage and eating, landing on the rocks to start with and now being helicoptered in. He tells of the accommodation on the Islands and how they have been modernised and the ownership of the Islands. He also discusses the early history and interactions of Māori and...

Overview Reginald Ashwell was born in Bluff in 1914. In this interview, Reginald iscusses his children, parents, grandparents and kaumatua. He mentions that his wife Peg worked in the Bluff Theatre. He talks about being in the army and World War II. Reginald discusses oysters, muttonbirding and the Irwin's (Urwin's) Fishing Company. He talks about the Stewart Island ferries, the harbour and Bluff shops in the 1920s and discusses his hobby of making walking sticks and woodwork.

Overview Tiny tells of his education from primary through to night class, where he did a carpentry apprenticeship. This lead to employment building Government houses - commercial buildings - country jobs. He goes on to talk in detail about the Mutton Bird Islands, the requirements needed to participate in the mutton bird season e.g. the processing, storage, making of the kelp storage bags, and the cooking of them. He describes in detail the islands, the management and laws relating to them,...