Manawatū Conversations

Joe Hollander, Part 1 of 2. Defence Heritage work since 2015. Coordinating defence heritage activities, ANZAC Day, Military Tattoo, etc.. Participants in the Heritage group. Attendance on ANZAC Day. Battle of the Bridges. Pre: 2015 organisation. 2019 Dawn Service had at least 10,000 people in the Square. ANZAC Day Civic Service. Military Tattoo planned for 2019, postponed to 2020 (Mosque attack), now cancelled (Covid-19). Future events. Battle of the Bridges details.

John Thornley:

Workers Education Association in NZ from 1915, but died away. UK origins. Revived in Palmerston North by Merv Hancock. John active mid-1980s to mid-1990s. Funding. Objectives, topics and approach. Attendance. Membership. Quarterly brochures. Trade Union Education Authority. Bicultural coverage, Mason Durie. Margaret Tate and a film on local history. Other local history films. Others who contributed to WEA. Break up of adult education into different fields (WEA had covered everything). Book Clubs. Supported by wife, a maths lecturer, while a house-husband and then worked part-time. African student surprised to find a female academic. John in the Community Services Council. Interest in music. Problems getting people to volunteer. Anthony Lewis in the City Library.

Garry O'Neill, Part 1 of 2. Why writing local history? Gestetners. Palmerston North Historical Society booklets. Early research on NZ tour of Gemini space capsule. School histories. Parish history. Brian Mather’s history group publishing 5 books. Family histories. Ian Matheson and Barbara Olssen(sp?) the City Archives. 3 suburb histories, Terrace End, Hokowhitu, West End. Resources available. Focus on people’s lives. Scandinavians in West End in the 1870s. Early schools.

Peter McGillivray Part 2 of 2. Travel to Scotland via America. Oregon sheep farming. 6 months in US, travelling in a 1942 Plymouth car. Delivering cars, mail. Canada, various jobs, powder packer, poultry farm egg candler, shearer. Currency exchange. Illegal immigrant. Shearing on the prairie. Travel to Scotland, train and ship. Family in Scotland. 90th birthday addressing the haggis. Glasgow policeman. “Mary’s Meals”. Autistic grandson and bi-polar friend. Met wife in Edinburgh. Back in Palmerston North bought small farm in Longburn. Wife died.

Peter McGillivray Part 1 of 2. Student at Massey Agricultural College in 1949. Milk testing. Student life, hostels, returned servicemen. Female students, C J Monro’s house. Hostel raids. Capping week. About 300 students. Hiwi Tauroa (later Race Relations Conciliator). Few Maori students. Dentist student’s skull. 4 years for a BAgSci. Limited research material in 1930s, but produced quality researchers. Malcolm McGregor Cooper. DSIR. Dairy Research Institute. Research undertaken.

Barbara Ingram. Friends of the Regent set up in 1995, volunteers to support the renovation and running of the Regent Theatre. Raised $1.7m in just over a year. Earlier use of the theatre. Authenticity in the restoration - the mural, carpet, linoleum. Barbara’s role in Friends of the Regent (Founding President). Uniforms, logo. Training for the ushers. Restored theatre opened 3rd May 1998. Experiences with events. “Loop” for hearing aids. Regent’s paid staff. Types of events. Midge Ure, 1st March 2020. Interest in ballet, opera, etc. (not just older people).

Arnie Evans part 3 of 3

Arnie Evans Part 1 of 3

Palmerstion North floods, 1941 and 1953