Overview Mattie’s family lived at Hakataramea until getting a balloted farm at Beaumont around 1915. Beaumont was a thriving community until the railway closed. Grocery, butchery and bakery deliveries were once a week. Mattie describes the effects of her mother breaking her leg, her father’s ill health and her brother Alister’s war service which lead to his death in the Solomon Islands. Mattie took charge of the Post Office and Telephone Exchange. After her marriage they moved to her husband’s family...

Overview In this interview Violet recalls her family’s history in the Otago/South Otago area. She gives a detailed history of her mother’s family. Violet recalls her grandfather going to France and the being wounded at the Somme during WW1. When he came home, he farmed at Pine Bush. She recalls her memories of growing up at Pine Bush, attending school, and the polio epidemic. She talks of her memories of WW2 - the young men in the district going to war, food rationing and how her mother made their own...

Overview Hugh talks of his family history, his siblings’ lives and choices. He talks in detail of farming practices, produce and his return to the farm after his time in World War 2 and the benefits of his attendance of a farming course at Lincoln. He describes his time at war in detail.