SELWYN HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
SELWYN DISTRICT ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION
Progress Report
INTRODUCTION
An increasing number of events in Aotearoa New Zealand's recorded history, whether of family, community, or national importance, are being celebrated
on significant anniversaries--150th, 125th, 100th, etc. In many cases a lack of early records is awakening communities to the importance of
oral histories--the recording of the memories of older citizens, which can be transcribed and made available--often with pertinent photographs
ephemera--to the wider community. This is already happening in two areas of the Selwyn District.
Former Ellesmere County
In the western half of the former Ellesmere County, for some time now, Selwyn District Archivist, Stephen Wright, with assistance from the Ellesmere and Lincoln & Districts
Historical Societies, has been interviewing older residents who have spent much of their lives in the Selwyn District,
and recording their memories for our Oral History Collection.
A number of these interviews have already been transcribed and, together with photographs and other pertinent biographical material
are now available in clearfiles for those interested in local folk history and family research. Each completed file, which has a table of contents,
but no index, can be found in the reference sections of the Rolleston, Leeston and Lincoln Libraries.
The following files have been completed thus far:
ALEXANDER, Winnie (nee LEMON), born 1911
CHAMBERS, Ida (nee PEARCE), born 1901
EGGLESTON, Francis, born 1923
FORD, Sadie (nee REESE), born 1906
GILLETT, Thelma (nee HEWTON), born 1916
HABGOOD, Norma (nee PERYMAN), born 1918
REID, Winnie (nee Pilgrim), born 1911
SMITH, Ivor, born 1917
The following files are in preparation:
BRAY, Neville, born 1933
GARLAND, Lilian (nee MARSHALL), born 1910
GILMOUR, Bessie (nee SHEARER), born 1912
LEGG, Myra (nee McMILLAN), born 1921
RENNIE, George, born 1917, and Elaine (nee COE), born 1918
Former Paparua/Ellesmere Counties
In the former Paparua, and eastern Ellesmere County areas, the task of undertaking oral histories, by the Selwyn Central Historical Society, has begun,
with two long-time residents having already been interviewed simultaneously on audio tape and video. The audio tapes will eventually be transcribed
for inclusion in the reference section of the Rolleston Library.
Malvern 1990 Tapes
During the 1990 Sesquicentennial year, the Selwyn District Council engaged Christine Southerwood to record the memories of 63 senior
Malvern residents or ex-residents. The originals of the tapes were deposited at Wellington's Turnbull Library, and copies provided
for the then Darfield Library. In the intervening years they have languished in storage at Darfield, but have recently been
transferred to Rolleston Library.
At Rolleston the tapes have been properly indexed, and the accompanying brief biographical details (including
very good black and white photographs of almost every interviewee), names, dates, spelling etc., checked.
In the near future the tapes index will be added to the archival database which is being set up at Rolleston Library. It is intended
that this database will eventually be accessible through this website.
Contact us
If you have enquiries about the History Collection,
please contact:
Judith Wenborn, phone (03) 3477753, email: judith.wenborn@selwyn.govt.nz
or
John Park, phone (03) 3477751, email: john.park@selwyn.govt.nz
SELWYN HISTORICAL GROUPS AND CONTACTS
| Group |
Contact |
Street/Road/Box No. |
RD No. |
Town |
Province |
Phone |
Email |
Dunsandel Historical Society
|
June Happer
|
Postal Centre
|
|
Dunsandel
|
Canterbury
|
03 3254152
|
|
Ellesmere Districts Vintage Club
|
(In recess)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ellesmere Historical Society
|
Roger Gilbert
|
8A D'Arcy Street
|
|
Leeston
|
Canterbury
|
03 3243648
|
rfg@ihug.co.nz
|
Glentunnel Historical Society
|
Betty Joyce
|
c/- Post Office
|
|
Glentunnel
|
Canterbury
|
03 3182728
|
|
Selwyn Central Historical Society
|
Colin Watson
|
Sandy Knolls Road
|
RD5
|
Christchurch
|
Canterbury
|
03 3478443
|
sandyknolls@xtra.co.nz
|
Homebush Historical Society
|
Chris Fechney
|
Highfield Road
|
RD5
|
Darfield
|
Canterbury
|
03 3181669
|
|
Hororata Historical Society
|
Rosemary Dennis
|
Glenroy
|
RD2
|
Darfield
|
Canterbury
|
03 3186876
|
rosemary.gordon@xtra.co.nz
|
Lincoln Historical Society
|
Margaret Morrish
|
219 Southfield Drive
|
|
Lincoln
|
Canterbury
|
03 3252790
|
finchleigh@xtra.co.nz
|
Prebbleton Historical Society
|
Daphne McAven
|
Hamptons Road
|
RD6
|
Christchurch
|
Canterbury
|
03 3498886
|
mcavend@ihug.co.nz
|
Regimental History Centre - Burnham Military Camp
|
Rex Smith
|
49A Gayhurst Road
|
Dallington
|
Christchurch
|
Canterbury
|
03 3815661
|
rex.margaret.smith@xtra.co.nz
|
|
