VIOLET MAY WILDERMOTH

Recorded: 23 January 1991

Interviewer: Edith Ruddenklau

Abstracter: Edith Ruddenklau (Retyped by Jean Hawkes)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABSTRACT USES THE ORIGINAL TAPE TIMINGS

TAPE ONE Side A

00:04 VIOLET MAY WILDERMOTH born in 1899

00:12 [FATHER]: JOHN MITCHELL – Born St IVES, CORNWALL To NEW ZEALAND aged 14 – Carrier for WILLIAM TODD and COMPANY, AUCTIONEERS, INVERCARGILL

00:44 [MOTHER}: EMILY ELIZABETH CALCUTT – Born SHROPSHIRE, ENGLAND – Died in 1960 aged 90 years at INVERCARGILL Dressmaker

00:57 Own SIBLINGS – JOHN JAMES – STANLEY GIBSON – MYRTLE ELIZABETH married HERBERT LESLIE LINDSAY – Building contractor

00:96 [EDUCATION]: Attended SOUTH SCHOOL Mother FIRST DAY PUPIL at SOUTH SCHOOL, INVERCARGILL

01:34 14 August 1914 WAR declared – Self started four-year apprenticeship with BUTCHER (Tailor) – TAILORESS by trade

02:56 Price of garments – Waistcoat 4 shillings and nine pence (50cents) – Trousers 4 shillings and three pence (45 cents) – Man's suit Five pounds (10 dollars)

03:01 Self never saw pins – Short needle used Special thimble – Described Buttons made from animal's horns

04:27 Until marriage worked at THOMPSON and BEATTIE LTD

04:48 FATHER – Anglican School in CORNWALL – One penny per week

04:92 MOTHER to NEW ZEALAND with parents – JOHN and SARAH CALCUTT JOHN to work at KAMAHI RAILWAY CUTTING – Worked for CITY COUNCIL Landed at BLUFF – Quarantined – Mother had scarlatina From BLUFF (to INVERCARGILL) by dray

06:09 Mother saw early formation of INVERCARGILL – Early hotels

06:50 Reclaimed land – STEAD STREET BRIDGE built in 1922

06:76 Small Steam Train or Tram ran on embankment between INVERCARGILL and OTATARA – Some connection with prisoners 07:41 Steam boats up the ESTUARY – SS “INVERCARGILL” – “ROSE CASEY” etc

07:75 PLEASURE BAY – Playground – Swimming

07:97 DUTHIE'S LIGHTERS carried gravel up the NEW RIVER

TAPE ONE Side B

00:03 Gravel carted from lighters for use on roads

00:20 Bathing sheds – Bathing costumes

00:42 Father's mother – Dressmaking school in MACMASTER STREET

00:72 Self flower-girl for JOHNNY CHECKETT'S Aunt – Wore silk smocked dress trimmed with lace

01:42 Father – Two terms MAYOR of SOUTH INVERCARGILL BOROUGH

01:52 World War One – Council Chambers used by RED CROSS

01:84 Father's first term as MAYOR 1912 – TRAM CARS ran for first time in INVERCARGILL

02:85 CLYDE STREET known as 'THE FLAT'

04:07 Grandmother's COLONIAL OVEN – Described

05:09 Own husband Recorder at HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH for 23 years

06:30 Husband LIFE MEMEBR of SOUTHLAND BOWLING CLUB

06:63 MAY CARNIVAL – Fancy Dress – Street Parade

07:35 VIOLET and LESLIE married in 1927

07:51 End of Interview

NOTE: Violet died in 2002