June Marie Elizabeth Strachan

Interviewer: Nancy Burnett

Date: 14 & 20 February 2007

Abstract: Cathy Onellion

Disk 1 - Track 1

00:00 [interviewer introduction and information]

01:06 Gives full name and address. Confirms spelling and pronunciation of last name S-T-R-A-C-H-A-N. Describes born in REDCLIFFS, near SUMNER, CHRISTCHURCH. Describes it as having a steep bank and recounts how mother had piano hauled up there.

02:10 Gives father’s name, spelling W-R-A-T-H-E-R. States he came from YORKSHIRE with a cricket team. Settled in Dunedin. Explains. Was manager of a carpet import company. Mother’s maiden name LUND but should’ve been M-A-I-E-R. Explains. Mother was a pianist. One sister, PATRICIA MARY WRATHER, birth/death/occupation details.

04:13 Born 1918. Has done genealogy research on grandfather through computer, HERMAN MAIER LUND. Explains. Grandfather was a pianist from Germany. Two marriages. Explains.

06:14 Grandfather taught mother to play. Explains. An aunt was pianist and another aunt was a violinist. Grandfather played at age 80 in CHRISTCHURCH TOWN HALL. Explains.

07:39 CHILDHOOD: Lived in Dunedin, several houses. Explains. SCHOOL: was sports mistress OTAGO GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL. Had to learn new songs on piano. Explains. Went to WELLINGTON to become SCHOOL DENTAL NURSE, 1937-1939. Explains. References: MAORI HILL, SUNSHINE LANE.

09:48 FIRST JOB: new clinic in OREPUKI. Children had never had dental care. Lots of extractions. Explains. Recounts story of one child fainting after injection. Mentions Dr ELDER, TUATAPERE. Was told ‘people with ginger hair and freckled face and pale faces very often can’t take anaesthetic.’

10:54 Lived at OREPUKI at hotel. Had to cover OREPUKI, TUATAPERE and RIVERTON. Explains. Later had private board at ANGLICAN CHURCH cottage. Explains. Recounts story of an old couch, going on holiday and the police. Explains.

12: 53 Ends.

Disk 1 – Track 2

00:18 Recounts what she was told to expect when she got to OREPUKI – ‘I was told that I’d probably see one man and a dog – that was all that was there’. Explains. Stayed at hotel at first but then got private board with Mr and Mrs SORENSON. While at TUATAPERE PUB, learnt to play piano in one key. Explains.

01:35 Repeats story about child who fainted. Mentions POPHAM.

02:37 After OREPUKI, moved to TUATAPERE and stayed at hotel. ‘Their teeth were up to date.’

03:40 Then moved to Anglican Church cottage. Met husband, ANDY, through WINNIE HANNAN a TUATAPERE shop owner, playing golf. Explains. [Interviewer clarifies husband’s name is ANDY STRACHAN]. Mentions Dr ELDER, MONOWAI.

04:53 Next moved to RIVERTON at APARIMA HOTEL. Explains. When work got tough, got an assistant and moved to house on ROCKS with her. While in TUATAPERE lists surrounding schools she visited: TUATAPERE, MONOWAI, OREPUKI, TE WAE WAE, PUKEMAORI, RIVERTON.

06:13 During dental training lived in GUSNEY STREET in WELLINGTON. Describes ‘THE MANSION’ building she lived in and CHINESE neighbours. Had time off to go to movies and dances but police escorted home. Explains.

07:18 Describes DENTAL EQUIPMENT used (push treadle drills). Speed of drill to take caries away. Explains. Tried to remember what fillings were made of. [Noise in background disrupted interview.]

09:11 Describes UNIFORM she wore. Details. “They were a nuisance. And there were times when I mightn’t have changed my shoes or something and was scared stiff somebody’d come along and find me because they were very strict. But all was well.”

09:49 Ends.

Disk 1 – Track 3

00:07 Played TENNIS and BADMINTON with Dr. ELDER. Describes going to a movie in INVERCARGILL with Dr. ELDER and CLAIR O’DONNELL (OREPUKI).

01:49 Discusses WORLD WAR II, getting a HEAVY DRIVING LICENSE and transporting soldiers in DUNEDIN. Explains. “In those days you could do that without any worries whatsoever. Nowadays even at my age, I wouldn’t do it. ‘Cause they’d be drinking, they’d been everything and yet they were absolute gentlemen.”

03:05 Seconded to HOSPITAL during war. Describes her first day, the crowded wards and amusing incident with patient. “I had to wash him. I don’t think I’d ever seen a man undressed down there before. And I had to wash him, and clean him up and change his sheets.” … “We didn’t do a great deal … but no doubt we allowed the nurses to do more that they had to do.”

05:03 After war, met husband, ANDY. Repeats and expands story of how they met at golf. Tries to remember details of his job and when they were married.

06:48 Describes MONOWAI, lake, power station. Recalls soldier on duty at bridge, guarding power station during war. “… we had to stop and be vetted by the soldier to see if we were, I presume, a Japanese going to blow up the power station.” References: OTAHU FLAT, TUATAPERE, SOUTHLAND.

08:07 No tar seal roads from MONOWAI to INVERCARGILL. Explains. Didn’t like people speeding on roads. Tells story of how she dealt with it once. MONOWAI generated power for SOUTHLAND. Describes village at MONOWAI. Helped make tennis court and swimming baths. Gave swimming lessons to children. Explains.

10:05 Always loved swimming. Explains. Played cricket at high school. Coached by cricket player. Explains. Was sports mistress and took students to different sports – tennis, swimming, life-saving. Explains. Swam a long distance in primary school. Explains. Good at swimming and French. Mentions ARCHERFIELD SCHOOL.

12:09 Hut accommodation for single men at MONOWAI. Explains. Recalls terrifying incident when a fire which crossed the river. People who fought the fire were farmers. No fire brigade. Explains.

14:12 Shopping once a week. Explains. No fridges. Had to cook meat soon after getting it. Explains. Describes food storage. Might’ve had electric range but not sure.

15:34 CHILDREN: all born in TUATAPERE. Second pregnancy ended in spontaneous abortion. Explains.

17:21 Next pregnancy was twins. Had to be flat on back for months. Explains. Mentions Dr ELDER. Went to maternity home in TUATAPERE. Explains.

19:20 Pregnancy with twins, had to lay on back for most of pregnancy. Explains. Girl sent to KARITANE. Boy sent home. Explains. Girl had difficulty sleeping at first. “She had been spoiled rotten at KARITANE.” Explains.

21:04 Purpose of KARITANE. Explains. Didn’t have PLUNKET because it was too far away. Explains. PLUNKET was ‘by the book’ but when eldest daughter wasn’t doing well breast feeding, Dr ELDER said to stop. Explains. Eldest daughter RAEWYN. Twins: CHRISTINE and RUSSELL. Gives details on their occupations and where they live. Mentions EASTERN BUSH, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, INVERCARGILL, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO.

23:39 Help with childcare from friend THELMA HIGHSTEAD while husbands overseas. “We did look after our children. But we didn’t have anybody we could leave them with when we wanted to go to the pictures or anything. We looked after our children all day and all night. And it’s totally different to what it is now.” Explains. Went to dances with children as they got older. Explains. Mentions ANDY, MAX HIGHSTEAD.

25:13 Ends.

Disk 2 – Track 1

00:00 [interviewer recap]

00:38 Distance from MONOWAI to TUATAPERE and MANAPOURI, INVERCARGILL. Road to MANAPOURI not open. Explains. “It was a big day” to go to INVERCARGILL. Not very pleasant. Explains.

02:01 A long distance to go to INVERCARGILL. Explains. [outside interruption]. Long gravel roads. Frost on roads was ‘frightening’. Explains.

04:01 SCHOOLING for children: describes how children got to school from MONOWAI to BLACKMOUNT. ‘A big day for a 5-year old.’ Explains. Size of school. School was a one-teacher school at BLACKMOUNT. Explains.

06:08 Then lived at BUNNYTHORPE power station. Hot climate even in winter. Explains. Location of BUNNYTHORPE. Lived in hotel; children ran freely. Explains. Used to go to pictures. Explains. References: PALMERSTON NORTH.

08:04 Then went to TUAI. Describes location of TUAI. A lot of MAORI there. Mentions TE KOOTI. Incident about learning MAORI language. Explains. Mentions MAORI PA. [outside interruption]. References GISBORNE, NAPIER, LAKE WAIKAREMOANA.

10:38 TUAI, LAKE WAIKAREMOANA. Loved it there. Describes house. Fruit was plentiful. Explains. [interviewer estimates there in late 1950s].

12:38 Coping with moves to new places. Explains. Recounts story when others helped them move. Describes newspaper on wall [gives interviewer news clipping from The Herald regarding Maori Wars. This is in her oral history file]. Maori women guarded bridge and wouldn’t let PAKEHA on. Explains.

15:10 Moved back to MONOWAI. Husband was superintendent. Big house. Explains. Describes old friend DENISE JACK and her budgie. Tells story about lady at a dance. Mentions HIGHLAND SCHOTTISCHE.

17:10 Describes dances, involved the whole village. Children eating food. Explains. Local musicians. Minister FRANK GLEN and deer stalking. Frank and her husband used to go hunting. Explains.

19:16 Minister allowed men to bring beer to church. Explains. Describes him as well-known now. ANDY got job as superintendent of ROXBURGH. Not so isolated. Describes it as ‘a lovely time.’ Explains. Mentions RIVER, TROUT, FISHING.

20:53 RAEWYN at SOUTHLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL; the twins were at ROXBURGH SCHOOL, then ALEXANDRA SECONDARY SCHOOL. RAEWYN home on weekends. Lots of driving. Explains. SUNDAY SCHOOL at MONOWAI. Explains. Mentions ORAWIA, Mrs PEARCE, OTAHU FLAT.

22:28 From ROXBURGH moved to OAMARU. “The war had played havoc with ANDY.” He retired early. Explains. OAMARU not so isolated.

24:21 “Quite a good time of our lives.” Other towns close by compared to MONOWAI. Explains.

25:14 ANDY died of an undetected aneurism in 1990. Very difficult time in hospital. “The night before he died he suffered absolute hell.” Explains.

26:38 ANDY didn’t believe in God. Concerned that he wouldn’t get to heaven so asked him to accept Jesus which he did. Describes it as “one of the best times in my life.” Explains. Good marriage but he would lose temper in last year. “The war ruined his health and that’s all it is.”

28:19 After ANDY died moved to WINTON. Describes house as ‘lovely. I hated leaving it more than anything.’ Explains. Left her car to granddaughter who named it ‘Betty’. Explains. Uses cell phone to TEXT family. Explains.

30:33 More on texting family. Explains. EMAILS family. Eldest daughter got her to use computer. Explains. Mentions TURKEY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, AUSTRALIA; RAEWYN and CHRISTINE; UNIVERSITY DUNEDIN, EASTERN BUSH.

32:38 Plays FREECELL computer card game. Explains. Used to use INTERNET but got ‘scam’. Prints out pictures emailed from RAEWYN. Genealogy of family. Explains.

34:28 Made cards on her computer for hairdresser. Explains. Both daughters have computers. Explains. Mentions fishing and trout; MATAURA RIVER

36:23 Ends.