Overview Mattie’s family lived at Hakataramea until getting a balloted farm at Beaumont around 1915. Beaumont was a thriving community until the railway closed. Grocery, butchery and bakery deliveries were once a week. Mattie describes the effects of her mother breaking her leg, her father’s ill health and her brother Alister’s war service which lead to his death in the Solomon Islands. Mattie took charge of the Post Office and Telephone Exchange. After her marriage they moved to her husband’s family...

Overview Hugh talks of his family history, his siblings’ lives and choices. He talks in detail of farming practices, produce and his return to the farm after his time in World War 2 and the benefits of his attendance of a farming course at Lincoln. He describes his time at war in detail.