Be Our Guest entry: Letter, David Stubbs
Maker
Stubbs, David
Production date
Dec 2005
Object detail
Brief Description
Letter to the Be Our Guest competition from David Stubbs about his memories of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
David lived with his two older brothers, older sister, and his parents Gordon and Kathleen Stubbs at 22 Latham Street, Napier. His father worked at Mossman and Company, Market Street, Napier. David's brother Peter started school on 3 February 1931. David was at home with his mother when the earthquake struck. The gas stove jumped across the room, and the chimney came down through the roof. Peter was lucky to survive when a falling brick brushed his leg at Nelson Park School. Peter remembered the tarseal shaking and rippling into waves. He thought the bricks of the school building literally exploded.
David's father managed to get out of the collapsing Mossman and Company building, to run home to check on the family. Their house was not habitable and they spent that night in the family tent on the front lawn. They then went to the Awatoto refugee camp. The family took the offer of relocation to another city so that Gordon could find work. They were settled into a furnished cottage at the Newmarket end of Manakau Road, Auckland travelling on a crowded train with one suitcase each. The family was grateful for the help they received from the Red Cross. The family had worshipped at the Trinity Methodist Church in Clive Square, which survived. David returned in the mid 1980s as the Minister of this church, where he had been baptised. His brother Peter returned to Napier and lives in Taradale.
David lived with his two older brothers, older sister, and his parents Gordon and Kathleen Stubbs at 22 Latham Street, Napier. His father worked at Mossman and Company, Market Street, Napier. David's brother Peter started school on 3 February 1931. David was at home with his mother when the earthquake struck. The gas stove jumped across the room, and the chimney came down through the roof. Peter was lucky to survive when a falling brick brushed his leg at Nelson Park School. Peter remembered the tarseal shaking and rippling into waves. He thought the bricks of the school building literally exploded.
David's father managed to get out of the collapsing Mossman and Company building, to run home to check on the family. Their house was not habitable and they spent that night in the family tent on the front lawn. They then went to the Awatoto refugee camp. The family took the offer of relocation to another city so that Gordon could find work. They were settled into a furnished cottage at the Newmarket end of Manakau Road, Auckland travelling on a crowded train with one suitcase each. The family was grateful for the help they received from the Red Cross. The family had worshipped at the Trinity Methodist Church in Clive Square, which survived. David returned in the mid 1980s as the Minister of this church, where he had been baptised. His brother Peter returned to Napier and lives in Taradale.
Production date
Dec 2005
Production place
Production period
Production technique
Media/Materials description
A4 printed sheet, typed.
Media/Materials
Measurements
In the Be Our Guest Folder No 2.: Height x Width: 298 x 210mm
Classification terms
Subject person
Subject period
Subject date
03 Feb 1931
Credit line
gifted by David Stubbs
Other number(s)
m2006/27/120, 35791
Public comments
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