SUSAN SMITH

Recorded: 14 August 1990

Interviewer: Edith Ruddenklau

Abstracter: Unnamed (Retyped by Jean Hawkes)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TIMINGS REFER TO THE ORIGINAL TAPE TIMINGS

00:01 SUSAN SMITH – Born in 1894 – OTARA, SOUTHLAND

00:11 [FATHER]: JOSEPH THWAITES – Born in LASTINGHAM (North Yorkshire) ENGLAND Ironstone miner – Died at OTARA, SOUTHLAND

00:25 [MOTHER]: SARAH YOUNG TEMPLETON – Married in 1890

00:31 [SIBLINGS]: JOSEPH – MARY – ELIZABETH 1898 – THOMAS 1900 – WILLIAM 1902 – STANLEY 1904 – RALPH 1907 – MURIEL 1909

00:36 [EDUCATION]: To Standard 6 – Left to help mother

00:45 [HUSBAND]: WILLIAM SMITH – Lighthouse Keeper at WAIPAPA – EAST CAPE – TIRI TIRI – MANUKAU – CAPE SAUNDERS – NUGGETS – DOG ISLAND – PUYSEGUR POINT – CENTRE ISLAND Thirty six years in Lighthouse Stations

00:74 To NEW ZEALAND on three-masted schooner “MARLBOROUGH” Occupations listed for those on board Arrived PORT CHALMERS – Quarantined PORTOBELLO – 45 cases of MEASLES – Six deaths

01:16 Father worked in mines from age nine years

01:27 Shifted from WAIKOUAITI to OTARA in covered wagon

01:48 Five roomed house built of 'bungi' (tree fern) at OTARA

01:55 [GRANDMOTHER]: Good cook – excellent pastry – Sad Cake a favourite

01:77 Dug peat – Dried – Burned like coal

01:90 GRANDMOTHER – Carrageen (seaweed) – Described Self sent sacks of Carrageen to GREGGS in DUNEDIN – Medicine for soldiers in World War Two

02:17 [EDUCATION]: From age 5 years to OTARA SCHOOL

02:34 Killing a clucking hen for the pot

02:50 Trapping rabbits – Skins sold to CHARLIE MANN

02:68 Killing pig – Blood used to make black pudding

03:07 Young brother – Fall from horse – Broke arm – Horse and trap to WAIMAHAKA then train to INVERCARGILL

03:41 Put hair up when you thought you were grown up

03:61 Government ship “HINEMOA” serviced light-stations every three months

03:94 For emergencies on remote islands doctor's book consulted Some islands had wireless telephone

04:42 Baby born at MANUKAU Light Station

04:74 Children – Correspondence lessons – Very good MISS McKENZIE – Sole teacher – Correspondence School – WELLINGTON

05:19 Ride in first taxi in INVERCARGILL

05:37 Travelled a lot

05:92 Ship wrecks

06:11 Signals used during war – Morse code at night – Flags during day – X O R meant Thank You

06:50 CENTRE ISLAND (1939-45) wireless telephone used – Messages in code One message told keeper to put light out

07:03 [SHIP WRECKS]: At EAST CAPE – DOG ISLAND – 'STAR of ERIN' at WAIPAPA

08:55 Trip INVERCARGILL – WELLINGTON – AUCKLAND ONEHUNGA - Landing at light station – Described

09:56 Husband had been policeman in GLASGOW

09:75 Self has tapes of each church service delivered to her

09:88 Self attends WOMEN'S DIVISION FEDERATED FARMERS meetings (ie WDFF now known as RURAL WOMEN)

10:43 Self has three children – 16 grand children – 44 great grandchildren – 11 great great grandchildren

11:25 [EARTHQUAKE]: EAST CAPE lighthouse (EAST ISLAND) – 7 on Richter scale – seismograph on the island – Caused 8 inch (10cm) crack across the island – Crack packed with bags before asphalt applied

11:98 Lighthouse moved to main land (OTIKI HILL)

12:36 Eruption of WHITE ISLAND – Smell of sulphur – Ten or twelve men killed – Covered with sulphur

13:14 [WAR TIME]: Ships must return signals otherwise destroyers went to meet them

13:35 Papa rock (mud stone) on main land at EAST CAPE

13:78 Mail boat – AUCKLAND to DUNEDIN – Boarded tender then to mail boat in basket

15:87 Marine Department – Compulsory FIRST AID course for Principal Keepers

16:65 Finish of Tapes

NOTE: Susan died in 1992