Homelife

Margaret helped her mother around the house with general duties, helped her father and brothers in the cowshed, sister did gardening.

Jack did a lot of work around the farm, used to help with milking from a young age. Jack enjoyed sports, rugby, running, athletics (discussed inter-school competitions). Jack talks about how strict his parents were,

"I think were very strict thinking about it now"

Remembers how other young people used to go to town on a Friday night and that they were not allowed into town very much.

Margaret agrees that they had a fairly strict upbringing "....but I don't remember minding it", she believes this was probably due to her health. Margaret also enjoyed sport, basketball, tennis.

Jack thinks that religion was very important to his parents,

"Almost to my way of thinking.... it was too much as far as I was concerned, I'm afraid it rather turned me away a little bit from religion in those days"

The family was not involved in any church as such but listened to Sunday radio services, their mother grew up in a strict brethren environment in Scotland and never accepted their father's religion which was strict Presbyterian.

Margaret had many friends, often went to birthday parties, doesn't remember feeling too separated from others.

Jack on religion,

"I don't think it any way effected our friendship with the locals......I had some very good friends in my teenage years"

used to go birdnesting, rabbiting, ferreting.

Went on a holiday to the beach every year, Raglan, Kawhia, Kaiaua, father stayed at home, occasionally visited between milkings,

Jack: "I look back on those times with a great deal of affection"

Had a caravan at the Mount, got there by car,

Margaret: "We were always fortunate to have a car", had a Model T then a Model A, first new card was a 1938 Ford V8

Margaret: "Because of the war we had that a long time"

Extended family very important, visited aunts and uncles in Morrinsville, Taniwha, Papakura, Cambridge. An enjoyable outing was the Ngaruawahia Regatta, used to meet up with family from Tanawa (further describes regatta day).

Margaret: "I think we sometimes had fish and chips", ordinary food,

Margaret: "Mother fed us well I feel, good, plain",

their mother was a good baker. Alcohol was not allowed in the house. Went to a family doctor, had a lot of sickness in family.

Jack discusses the unusually young age in which he had his siblings had their appendixes out. Parents used home remedy for Margaret's chest problem called Kumara Hough. Mother used wholemeal flour and raw sugar at one time. Jack was graded down during the war and so was unable to go to the war, got involved with the Home Guard, father was the company commander, did several courses at Narrowneck, an army camp near Devonport. Early on, the Home Guard had little equipment, got more which was mostly American, had a 300 rifle,

Jack: "I used to have one of those under my bed"

quite well equipped by the end of the war.

Woodlands used as a Battalion headquarters, Jack had the job of driving a four ton covered truck to pick up the Home guardsmen.

Jack: "As far as the social activities......they were few and far between as far as we were concerned"

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