Edna Kilmister Oral History

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00’ 30” Mrs Kilmister gives basic biographical details about her birth in Wellington in 1910. 

01’ 00” Moves to a farm in the Ngaio area from Karori in 1934 after getting married. Ngaio had a strong rural aspect at the time with unsealed roads and no kerbing (Karori was more developed at the time).

02’ 10” Ngaio did have a town hall and remembers fund raising efforts and how residents from outside of the suburb (i.e. Wadestown) were unhappy to have to pay a levy to help fund the cost

03’ 30”  Describes the difference between living in Karori and farming in the Ngaio area. There was no electricity or water supply and a coal range.

04’ 30” Water was obtained from a local spring which used to get blocked by leaves and debris. Water had to be carried by hand in pails so wash-day was hard.

06’ 05” Moves to Ottawa Road in 1938 by which time kerbing has been installed and roads were in better condition but it still felt very rural. Memories of pigeons nesting in the bell tower of the Anglican church

07’30” There was a good selection of local owner-operated shops (grocers, butcher, greengrocers, haberdashery, Post Office etc) so all shopping was done locally. Shop keepers were very friendly and helpful.

10’ 25” The Ngaio Town Hall was used for functions, public meetings & charity events and it screened movies two nights a week. Matinees on Saturday afternoon were hugely popular with local children. Mrs Bradley acted as caretaker of the Town Hall for many years and was a local institution.

14’ 00 The Ngaio Library operated from a small room in the Town Hall and was popular with residents. Mrs Gore was librarian for some years in the 1940s & 1950s [Abstractor’s note : Mrs Gore was the mother of Dame Jennifer (Jenny) Gibbs].   Dances were also held in the hall.

17’ 14” Mentions how she met her husband and became a ‘farmer’s wife’. Enjoyed making butter regularly but this was prohibited during the World War II as milk was not allowed to be separated. Mr Kilimister was ‘man powered’ during the war and was expected to help with milk deliveries as well as running his own farm. Deliveries and doctors visits were restricted because of petrol rationing  

21’ 30” Memories of the war but it didn’t impact her personally as none of her family were drafted. Her husband was not able to serve as he had only one functioning eye but was a member of the Home Guard. Food and clothing were all rationed. ‘Black outs’ were introduced after Japan entered the war. Repaired clothes to send overseas for the war effort.

28’ 09” Her children attended local schools. There were two school in Ngaio at this time; Chelmsford Street (which got too small) and Abbot Road (the current school). Ngaio wasn’t as divided by class as Karori was.

30’ 30” Trains (steam trains) were quite a feature and could be heard approaching (especially at night) coming up the Wadestown incline

[Short pause between side 1 & 2 of original cassette tape recording]

31’ 30” Most goods arrived by train and we put out on the platform at Ngaio (then the only station). Goods would remain on the platform all day until owners came to collect them. The family has a car so were able to drive into town when needed rather than catching the train. It was easy to park on Lambton Quay. Everything changes when the electric ‘EMU’ trains are introduced in 1938. Recalls her mother throwing a parcel out of a train window when it came through Ngaio in the way to Auckland.

 37’ 25” Recalls a swimming hole which was enjoyed by children until a new subdivision went in. Memories of a private maternity hospital in Ghuznee Street when her children were born. [cat purring!] but two children born at home.

43’ 30” Memories of neighbours and the community including a few “shady characters” and activities (incl. prostitution). Mr Harold Marriott [1915 – 1990] made great efforts to organise charity functions etc to raise money for the community including the dental clinic in the Ngaio School, kindergarten and the local Plunket rooms.

47’10” Difficulty in getting children into kindergarten because demand was so high. Helped out with Plunket but found she was often asked for advice by young mothers as she had four children so everyone expected her to know the answers. Her house was chosen as a refuge house for Plunket services during the war in case of bombing because of the ability to have water supplied in cans. EPS (Civil Defence) supplies were kept in the house during the conflict.

 51’ 30” Talks about the changes in the area over the years. Wishes shops were as good as they used to be (misses Mrs Hunt’s drapery and dress shop). The opening of the Khandallah New World had a big impact on Ngaio shops. Woolworths opened in Chartwell (Crofton Downs) and there was even a Write Price supermarket alongside it. Mentions how the route to the Johnsonville stock yards was an official ‘stock route’ and could be used to drive livestock along the route. Johnsonville was quite backward and had quite a ‘wild west’ atmosphere.