Margaret Copeland

Interviewer: Judith Thomas

Date: 29 September 2008

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

Track 1 (part 1) 00.00 Interview identification.

00.37 Margaret Copeland ('Gran') born 1917.

01.43 Father – GEORGE FREDERICK JAQUIERY born in WELLINGTON. His parentscame over from TASMANIA, where father was mounted policeman.

His father from MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. Moved to LYTTELTON, eventually to INVERCARGILL. In charge of original jail in INVERCARGILL. Lived on corne of Clyde and Tweed Streets. House described.

03.13 Boys spent time on water rowing etc. George much younger than brothers.

03.42 Father – clerk in legal firm, turned down offer of position in CHRISTCHURCH MUSEUM – wife didn't want to go, in new house in George Street. Own business in in typewriters and book-keeping machines, employed two typists and a mechanic. Attended MIDDLE SCHOOL, NIGHT TECH.

05.37 Mother – PHYLLIS CHURTON born in MOSGIEL in 1800s. Her father bank manager at MOSGIEL during Gold Rush. Bank building – Described. New bank at OUTRAM. Father sent to National Bank in INVERCARGILL manager ill and died so CHURTONS stayed in INVERCARGILL in Don Street where NZEF Club now stands.

07.08 Margaret's grandfather a grandson of CHURTON came from ENGLAND in 1838, ordained, meant to establish parish in WELLINGTON – not established so he went to AUCKLAND, established first Anglican parish in AUCKLAND. Her grandmother died in childbirth, baby died. Phyllis was five – event not forgotten. Described

08.52 First day of school put into Standard One because she was tall, also strapped didn't know spelling – at OUTRAM

09.40 David, nephew has full history of JAQUIERY family. Only one family in NEW ZEALAND – all JAQUIERY people related.

10.17 Crimean War – when mother's mother died, father's great aunt came from ENGLAND to bring up the family. Great Aunt Dora, widow, husband killed in Crimean War – arrival described. She died in Don Street. Dora's sister Katherine (Katie) married CHARLES HEAPHY, artist and surveyor, Heaphy Track Victoria Cross. Mentioned

12.30 Siblings of Margaret – George, Eileen Doris, Ruth, John Robert (Jack), Margaret, Alan (?) Victor. Alan loved going to church, ordained. George would have liked to enter church but no money for education. RUTH FEATHERSTON. Mentioned

14.44 Mother never liked school because of events of First Day.

15.30 Early memories – lamps in home at George Street, then gas. Two tanks for water. 'Little House' (toilet) down the garden. Nightsoil collection. Described

17.15 Kitchen described. Chores – Ruth good at avoiding her turn. Incident involving gas lamp – Described

20.23 Birth of baby brother and care of him – some memories recalled.

21.41 At age four Margaret wanted to learn to knit. Used skewers from Sunday roast. Describes efforts to learn.

23.46 Grew up at 21 George Street. Played in the park, with mum's permission, there was a golf course and greens and sheep. Chased butterflies. Park – described. Didn't play much with other children. Childhood games at home – described. Father played piano, children sang especially Hush Here Comes The Dream Man. Mother played violin. Gramophones referred to as 'tinned music'. Both parents sang in St John's Church Choir – probably met there.

29.20 Childhood activities of Margaret and Alan. Novelty of motor car coming along gravel road (Elles Road, now Queens Drive). Described. Horse in roadside ditch for 2 or 3 days. Described.

31.08 Dee Street gravel. Hansom cabs lined up at old Post Office. Walked to St John's Church for Sunday School in small building on Esk Street at 10 o'clock. Mrs McLAUCHLAN (?) Sunday School Teacher.

33.07 Haystacks in Queen Park. Described.

33.47 Conditions of George Street – Described. Water connected, followed by sewerage then electricity when Margaret was ten. ROSE ELECTRICAL took three weeks to install power to house. ROSE of OTATARA, SARAH ROSE. MARAMA AVENUE SOUTH Mentioned

36.00 Visit to OTATARA. Described. Father bought section in MARAMA AVENUE NORTH. Cooked on open fires. Stayed for two or three weeks at a time in a tent. Small hut/crib built, verandah attached – Described Effects of fires in MARAMA AVENUE.

40.35 Les's father had five-roomed house in MARAMA AVENUE SOUTH – only garage left. Les brought up in boarding school. Housekeeper hired in holidays and they stayed at OTATARA. Built in 1930.

41.15 Food cooked at OTATARA – rice. Eileen the boss, had to be obeyed.

42.26 Pictures on Saturdays – three pence to get in, one penny tram fare each way. Sometimes saved two pennies to buy lollies and walked through the park to picture theatre. Park, no band rotunda – Described 44.10 Mushrooms on ground by Boys' High cricket pavilion. Remembers the laying of first row of bricks for High School. Mr QUINNELL, singer. Mentioned

45.38 Mr COULING'S house and nursery near where COLDSTREAM POOL was built. Two houses near HERBERT STREET for Boys' High staff. Further up Elles Road/Queens Drive – Mr RUSSELL'S house (had what may now be GORMACK WILKES DAVIDSON) Intentions to build Coldstream Pool spanned many years.

47.05 Boarding facilities for Boys' High on the sight of McKAY'S (auctioneers) homestead. Homestead surroundings. Described.

48.30 Planting of trees on Queens Drive – 1956 Centennial Border Centennial Hall – Mentioned Planting of avenue of first trees from Feldwick gates towards band rotunda – photo taken in 1937.

50.57 First plane over INVERCARGILL

52.28 End of Track 1 (part 1)

Track 1 part 2 (date shown as 01.12.2008 on CD) 00.08 HIGH STREET section and house. Described. After war – no bricks, timber or bathroom fittings available Brick chimney. CHARLIE ANDERSON, builder. Brick manufacturer in MOSGIEL. Mentioned

05.05 Household linen difficult to buy. Purchase of furniture. Described Duration of war-time rationing (about 10 years) Government loan for purchase of furniture. Mentioned. No fridges yet available. Not until move to OTATARA. BROAD SMALL LTD. Mentioned

08.30 Large windows – one of first people to have drapes rather than blinds and curtains. ARTHUR BARNETT LTD, DUNEDIN. Mentioned MOIR'S FURNITURE. Mentioned

10.13 Development of section. Described Soil at High Street very dry. ROSEDALE WOOLLEN MILL. Mentioned. Views of TAKITIMUS until obstructed by a new house. Described. Incident involving boys having a winter swim in WAIHOPAI RIVER. RAY BRIDGEMAN, HALL'S home, JOHN OFFICER, SALFORD SCHOOL. Mentioned

14.45 Children's underground hut in paddock next to house.

15.00 End of Track 1 (part 2).

Track 2 (part 1) 00.06 First day at school, taken by Eileen, eldest sister. Two brothers, two sisters already at school. Infant Mistress, unnamed. Described. Remembers learning to read and spell. Described NORTH SCHOOL

03.04 Moving into Standard 1, learning to write, 'lady's writing' Spelling test every morning. No memory of doing homework.

03.44 MISS DOUGAN (?) teacher in Standard 4. Described Mr SOAR (?) Headmaster – used to travel on tram at 10 o'clock and go to BREWERY in MARY STREET. Tram terminus at corner of school grounds. Sewing classes for girls, gardening for boys. Class visit to headmaster's house and incident regarding worms. Described. Margaret and three other children went from Standard 4 to Standard 6 (did not go into Standard 5). Third in class at the end of the year. Favourite subjects – English, Spelling. Still does mental arithmetic. Games – drill, ball games, marbles in winter. Home for lunch/dinner – hot meal, except on Mondays when it was cold meat and vegetables and milk pudding. Monday laundry day and the smell of wet wood. Described.

09.05 Scrubbing of wooden back door step. Polished brass front door step, letter slot and house numbers (21).

10.21 SOUTHLAND TECHNICAL COLLEGE – cycle accident on first day described. Incidents with cigarettes. At age 12 feels she was too young to be at high school. Wanted to do domestic course (Home Science). Mother insisted on Shorthand, Typing, Book-keeping. Liked Drawing. 2nd bottom in book-keeping, near bottom in shorthand, top in English. In 4th year, one of six chosen to do art course. Suggested she go on to Christchurch but family could not afford it. WINSOME SADLIER, MADGE WILSON of TEVIOT STREET – father and his brother builders of H & J SMITH'S building. Mr JENKINS, Art Teacher at Tech. Mentioned

15.01 Job with accountant, Mr BLACKMORE, had to do shorthand. Then to MACALISTER BROS, legal firm, typing and very little shorthand. Then to CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE. Offered position in TIMES, not able to accept. Preparation of legal documents. Described Mother was a shorthand typist. Margaret felt she would have been better at Southland Girls' High School because of the subjects taught. Maintained an interest in food – nutrition and preparation.

18.49 Six weeks holiday over Christmas. End of holidays Ruth became ill with Scarlet Fever, confined to bedroom for six weeks. Home care – Described Father and brother worked in town had to sleep in a tent. Girls lived in house but not allowed in Ruth's room. Convalescence. Described. Visits by Health Inspector. Described. FEVER HOSPITAL (at back of KEW HOSPITAL).

24.36 When Margaret was a few weeks old Eileen, Ruth and Jack got diphtheria. Patients at Fever Hospital, visits by mother. Described.

27.32 1918 Influenza Epidemic – mother affected. Town closed down. Father's office closed so he could look after wife and children. Les's mother died from the flu when he was three years old. His father also had flu didn't know of wife's death until three weeks later. Father's sister came from Australia for a couple of years, left to be married. Les put in boarding school (kindergarten) in FORTH STREET when four years old. Sisters, Myra and Jessie sent to boarding school in DUNEDIN. KENNEDY'S. MATAURA. Mentioned

30.13 End of Track 2 (part 1)

Track 2 (part 2) 00.13 Children in underground hut – cooking vegetables.

00.38 Transport – Purchase of Austin car. Used bus service from LAYARD STREET. KATHY POLLOCK from bottom of GEORGE STREET, MRS HALL – husband fixed power poles. Mentioned

03.05 Description of HIGH STREET area. Some sections cost about thirty pounds. Walks to ROSEDALE as a child. TERRACE STREET. Mentioned

05.13 Mending nylon stockings for H & J SMITH LTD and THOMSON & BEATTIE LTD. Payment about ten shillings an hour, less 25% tax.

08.19 Mending machine for stockings – Described Travel to WELLINGTON to purchase machine. Described Previously used one from H & J SMITH LTD. CHRISTCHURCH, PICTON, LYTTELTON, W H BOYES LTD, HERBERT HAYNES LTD Mentioned Cousin living in LOWER HUTT. Stocking mending ceased when married to second husband (Les) Taught someone else to do the mending.

11.46 Meeting Les – had contract to deliver papers in NORTH INVERCARGILL. Friend of Margaret's brother. Les was a dairy farmer. First present – Described

13.34 End of Track 2 (part 2)

Track 3 (part 1) 00.12 October weather.

00.36 Flu Epidemic – 1918 – worldwide. Birds possible cause of spread of disease. Five members MYERS (?) family buried in one week at WAIKIWI CEMETERY. Margaret aged one when mother got the the flu. Mother finding horseshoe in ELLES ROAD. Described. MRS ENGLAND'S HABERDASHERY SHOP in YARROW STREET. Mentioned Grass grew in DEE STREET. Mr ARMOUR, motor car business, used horse and cart to deliver milk.

05.04 RUTH'S disappearance when aged three years. Described. Father's brother – UNCLE BERT, corner CLYDE and TWEED STREETS, little shop, also lit gas lamps in streets. AUNTY CHARLOTTE. Mentioned

07.24 SPENCE'S SHOP, WINDSOR and HERBERT STREETS. Described CHAPMAN'S SHOP. Described Children's pocket money purchases. Described CRUICKSHANK of ROSEDALE MILL. REG CRUICKSHANK'S mother had a small shop selling haberdashery and drapery. This area is where present chemist shop and bank are situated.

10.48 Area where Lotto Shop stands on corner of WINDSOR and KING STREETS. Described PICKFORD'S BOOT SHOP on corner of BOURKE and KING STREETS. POST OFFICE where the original PICKFORD'S BOOT SHOP had been. LIBRARY. Mentioned NELSON'S FRUIT SHOP. WEIR'S ORCHARD – Lotto Shop site. Mentioned Mr COLLEY turned car garage into a dairy. SELF HELP STORE. Mentioned. Mr MUIR'S GROCERY SHOP site of present paint and wallpaper shop. Mentioned 15.00 End of Track 3 (part 1)

Track 3 (part 2) 00.01 17 November.

00.25 Wedding to Les – Anglican Church would not marry divorced persons (Les was divorced). Marriage in registry office, about 10 January. Wedding ensemble described. Events after marriage ceremony at GEORGE STREET. Described One night spent at PARAWA at hotel. BUDDLES milked Les's cows twice.

05.46 Shifting to Otatara. Father left Les one acre of land in Otatara. Original air hangar moved from MYROSS BUSH, house built over and round the hangar. Changes to house. Described. Saved half crowns (two shillings and six pence) to buy carpets. 10.36 Open fire place – pine with a peat smell Margaret frightened of cows, scared of dogs. Never had to milk a cow.

11.10 Baking for men doing haymaking. Gingerbreads, scones, fruitcake. Daily afternoon teas. Described. 12.04 Seeing orbit of first Russian Sputnik. Described

15.00 End of Track 3 (part 2)

Track 4 (part 1) 00.02 Mr COLLEY built new dairy. PICKFORD built new part on their shop and sold some shoes. Mrs PICKFORD – Described.

00.28 Charlie and Margaret to MASONIC BALL 'Fancy Dress' – Described 02.03 COLLEY'S shop enlarged to sell groceries – sold to SELF HELP later to various other owners.

02.29 Cows in BOURKE STREET – site of SINCLAIR'S new house. Milk delivered by MR GREGORY from RACECOURSE. Described BARNEY NEWTON of ANTRIM STREET turned cows, horses etc out at night. Wandering stock. Described.

05.38 Broken leg – spent 13th birthday on crutches. Sunday activities restricted. Described. Visit to Water Tower. Described. Accident in playground, broken leg, treatment and recuperation – Described. Didn't attend school for three months. Read lots of books from Southland Technical College library. Not allowed to accept prize of Invercargill Public Library card – reason explained.

13.16 Dad and early museum. Visits to museum. Described (Note: this was part of the old Southland Technical College complex situated on Tay Street to the west of First Church where Presbyterian Social Services offices are sited.)

15.00 End of Track 4 (part 1)

Track 4 (part 2) 00.07 (?this appears to refer to house at Otatara) House described.

00.40 Birth of Elizabeth. Last stages of pregnancy, admission to NURSE BARKER'S in HERBERT STREET (almost eighteen years between Peter and Elizabeth ) – Described Comparison of children as babies. Comments of Plunket Nurse. Explained. Differences in care of children. Described

05.54 Preserving fruit. Visit of brother George, father of four children, his advice to deal with crying child.

07.43 Teaching Elizabeth to knit. Described. Doll's knitted dress. Described.

09.12 Interviewer's first meeting with Elizabeth aged seven years. Described When Elizabeth as nine she was flower girl for Interviewer (Judith) Mention of JUDITH nursing.

10.52 Two puddings on Christmas Day – strawberries and cream, plum pudding. 'Summer' Christmases. CLARRIE. Mentioned

11.33 Hens at Otatara – bantams, day old chicks. Purchasing and caring for young chickens. Use of electric blanket. Ginger, the cat. Mentioned. Chook (hen) house built. Collecting the eggs. Housing them over night. Sold some of the bigger eggs. Money used to purchase more chickens, wheat, etc.

15.00 End of Track 4 (part 2)

Track 5 (part 1) 00.05 (Refers to father being offered position in CHRISTCHURCH) Naturalist with a lot of knowledge. Wooden tombstone (Maori) from SANDY POINT. Returned. Coal at FOREST HILL – hills are limestone and oldest part of NEW ZEALAND - shark's tooth found in limestone. Always carried small microscope in pocket. Many overseas visitors with letters of introduction. Wrote articles for overseas magazine.

02.28 Gizzard stones found – Described Finding of moa bones (now at Southland Museum) – Described SANDY POINT, NEW RIVER HEADS. Mentioned 04.55 Present museum not built when father died. Many letters to newspaper outlining what he had done. Wanted to call new building JAQUIERY MUSEUM. Native plant garden planted near tea kiosk, much of it eaten by animals. Building of Fernery Mr LOKEN, Rose Gardens. Mentioned

06.26 Father's yearly visit to MANAPOURI. Train to LUMSDEN and cycled to MANAPOURI. Preparation of food by mother. Described LES MURRELL'S visitors' tours to DEEP COVE. Described ALAN JAQUIERY'S first experience of sausages coming from a tin. MURRELL'S BOARDING HOUSE. Mentioned 09.50 CHARLES HEAPHEY, artist and surveyor. Married to Margaret's mother's great aunt (Aunt Katie). Won Victoria Cross in Maori Wars (first colonial to do so) Went to AUSTRALIA. Wanted to make a track down WEST COAST – too wet, no food

11.07 Mr LOKEN interest in ferns. He and wife LOUISA visited in a buggy from WEST PLAINS. BAY ROAD described as grey mud flats with no grass. Margaret's visit to LOKEN'S dairy farm – machines to milk cows. Holidaying at WEST PLAINS. Small steps needed to climb into bed. Bed – Described. Mrs LOKEN grew flowers which were sold to BROWN OWL TEA ROOMS, ESK STREET, hotels.

15.00 End of Track 5 (part 1)

Track 5 (part 2) 00.03 (refers to selling eggs at Otatara) Regular callers including golfers.

00.53 Dog called 'BESS'. Described Pups born under the house. Death of dog. Described. TOBY next and last dog. HALL'S, JACK McDOUGALL, DAVE McLAUGHLAN (?) Mentioned

05.20 'GINGER' the cat. Described Came into family as a kitten as the old cat had died. Antics of cat. Described

07.54 Open fire with bog pine. Described Wood found in the ground. Apparently a forest area of black pine.

08.57 Haymaking. Phone calls to RICHARDSON'S to collect baled hay. 'Loss' of Ginger the cat. Described Haymaking in January or February Drainlayers called each year, two or three days at a time. Described. CURRAN'S ROAD. Mentioned

11.59 Elizabeth didn't attend kindergarten. First day at school travelled on school bus - did not arrive on return journey at 4pm. Phone call advised that she was playing with RUSSELL HALL. GIRL GUIDES' bonfire on property towards HAWKES' RON WALKER (headmaster), ELSIE HALL. Mentioned

15.00 End of Track 5 (part 2)

Track 6 (part 1) 00.01 (refers to Mrs LOKEN) Baking on Saturday ready for visitors visiting garden on Sunday. Always referred to making a 'round of scones'. Mr LOKEN was AUSTRALIAN. Had cousins in New Zealand. Went to live on BLUFF ROAD. When the house was demo