Salt of the Earth
Stan Gladstone
“Oh I’ve got so many different stories.” Stan’s family moved into Runanga in 1958 from Gladstone (“same name as me!”) just out of Greymouth. His father was an instructor in the army at Burnham, then foreman at the Gladstone mill and then went to the mines at Runanga. He also worked in the Strongman followed by Stan, as well as the coke and coalmine at Ruinui. Stan was a very vigorous protestor when the Government stopped logging in the ‘80’s. “I do a bit of stirring, I’m known for it, you’ve got to show your disapproval to certain things.” He made a ...
Molly Black
There were only 5 or 6 houses in the small village of Mokau in 1920 when Molly Black was born. In those days there was still a large community of Maori in the area. Mollys father and his brother had bought land together in Mokau near the river and built a kauri farmhouse at the top of a hill with a view of the Mokatahina Station. Molly’s grandfathers’ father had come out on one of the first two ships that came to New Plymouth and he settled there to run a hotel. Her grandfather and his brother both went north ...
Joch Tulloch
Joch Tulloch was born in Hokitika in the same street he lives today, to an English mother who was a psychiatric nurse, and his Cantabrian father. He was named Andrew Kenny but was nicknamed Jock because his dad was also Andy. (“But when they put me down the hole it’ll be Andrew Kenny on the box.”) His mother signed him on as an apprentice carpenter straight from school but he damaged his thumb playing football which made it painful holding the hammer. When he was called up for service he was underage although he was sent to the Pacific in the air force, ...
Jim and Elsie
Jim and Elsie Manera are both aged 83 and have lived in Ross their entire lives. They were born within a month of each other in 1926, Jim in May and Elsie in June, and they knew each other as they were growing up. Elsie says she used to show off at Jim from time to time. Jim: “We played tennis together. Yes, I wasn’t allowed to beat her, I used to let her win most of the time. And I always would. And when we got engaged, and married, our toastmaster said “We’ll give them 6 months! They’ll be ...