Dawn Aplin Oral History (Part 1)

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0’ 30 Grew up in Colway Street, Ngaio after briefly living in Awarua Street. Initially lived in 43 Colway and then shifted to 16 Colway Street in 1932 where she lived until 1992. Strong memories of neighbours and notes how friendly everyone used to be.

2’ 54 Remembers men marching on Anzac Day morning through the streets down to the Town Hall for the Dawn Parade. People didn’t lock their doors and recalls local boys coming around to take her out for a walk in her pram. Her father was born in Ngaio as was her grandfather at 7 Awarua Street. Dawn was born in the Harris Private Maternity Hospital in Willis Street. Was Christened at home as her father didn’t feel comfortable in a church. Her parents got married outdoors in the Hutt (unusual at the time) and lived a very frugal life.

10’ 50 Her father never made wise financial decisions and never owned his own house. Plans were drawn up to build a house in Khandallah Road but it was never constructed.

14’ 30” Was not allocated a State House as it was deemed that their accommodation was already appropriate. The lack of housing security was very stressful.

17’ 00 Her father worked as a road contractor, cleaning streets and trimming trees. It was not well paid but he enjoyed it. Covered long routes with draft horse and cart but there was difficulty in getting his horse shod with new shoes during the war as iron was in such short supply. He was attached to his horses, especially his first horse, Dan but Dawn found some of his later horses to be quite frightening. Memories of the Queen’s visit in 1954 and street cleaning efforts.

26’ 00” memories of the early Aplin family and the role they had in the development of the Ngaio area. Dawn’s Great Grandfather who founded the family in the area came out from the UK where he had previously lived / worked at Colway Manor (hence Colway Street). Other branches of the Aplin family settled throughout the Wellington region.

30’ 30” Memories of her grandfather and his ‘way’ with animals. He farmed in Ngaio but eventually retired to the Levin area. Dawn was quite sad when the farmland in Ngaio was eventually sold.

32’ 50” Memories of being pushed in a pram to playground at the Khandallah Park and by the Ngaio Town Hall and later going on long walks with her mother. They always felt safe.  Feels that people don’t care for their neighbours as much as they used to. Her mother believed that you needed to be invited to visit someone, one should never just ‘pop in’. More traffic means that streets aren’t as safe as they used to be.

37’ 30” There were two public phones used extensively by the community, one opposite the Ngaio Town Hall and the other up in Tarikaka Street. They finally had a phone installed in their house just before the war.

39’ 25” A washer woman used to come in to wash cloths as her mother was in poor health. Washing was hard physical work. They also had live in ‘home helpers’ (young women) to help look after Dawn and keep house. Discusses the houses she lived in and how much was paid in rent.

46’ 00” Memories of going to into the city with her mother. Kirkcaldies (Kirkcaldie & Stains) was a special place to shop. It had a wrought iron ‘cage’ lift but was frightened of escalators. A special treat was visiting the tearooms. ‘The Ritz’ around Manners Street was another favourite eatery. There was a cake shop in Ngaio which had a couple of sit-down tables for customers to enjoy a treat. Memories of other shops in Wellington such as D.I.C, James Smiths, Lynday’s Shoes, milliners. Everyone used to wear a hat.

50’ 50” Dawn embarrassed her mother when she pulled out a ribbon from a store like a streamer. Women would have a several hats and formal dresses. Today women wear T-shirts etc which would never have happened ‘back in the day’. Most clothes were made locally and anything from overseas was revered. Quality rather than price was important. Shoes would be repaired in Ngaio by “Mr Rabbit”, the local cobbler. Butchers would deliver meat to the household.

58’ 58” Always travelled into town using the ‘Bell Bus’ service rather than the train. A ten-trip concession card cost 3/6 (three shillings and sixpence). Early memories of steam trains when the Johnsonville line was still part of the Main Trunk. It was very exciting when the Wellington Railway Station opened. It was clean and well serviced with porters etc. Everything in life today seems like a struggle. There was no graffiti or vandalism at local stations and the Ngaio station had a ticket office.

hen she pulled out a ribbon from a store like a streamer. Women would have a several hats and formal dresses. Today women wear T-shirts etc which would never have happened ‘back in the day’. Most clothes were made locally and anything from overseas was revered. Quality rather than price was important. Shoes would be repaired in Ngaio by “Mr Rabbit”, the local cobbler. Butchers would deliver meat to the household.

58’ 58” Always travelled into town using the ‘Bell Bus’ service rather than the train. A ten-trip concession card cost 3/6 (three shillings and sixpence). Early memories of steam trains when the Johnsonville line was still part of the Main Trunk. It was very exciting when the Wellington Railway Station opened. It was clean and well serviced with porters etc. Everything in life today seems like a struggle. There was no graffiti or vandalism at local stations and the Ngaio station had a ticket office.