Be Our Guest entry: Letter, William Shattky
Maker
Shattky, William
Object detail
Brief Description
Entry to the Be Our Guest competition by William Shattky. He writes about his memories of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
William Shattky was about five and a half years old and at Parkvale School in Hastings at the time of the earthquake. The pupils were gathered on the front lawn of the school after the first shake. William remembers seeing the undulating ground. He was collected from school by his older brother Derek who attended Hastings High School. The family home was in Avenue Road, opposite Queen's Square where many people were gathering as it was a large open space. William's father was on a ship in Sydney. He was returning home from sitting his optometry qualifications in London.
The Webber and Shattky premises on Russell Street in Hastings were damaged by fire. The family went to William's aunt's house in Ellison Road and later camped in Army bell tents on the back lawn until William's father returned. William remembers his brother Derek gathering the charred remains of banknotes and stationery floating overhead from the fires in the town a few blocks away.
William Shattky was about five and a half years old and at Parkvale School in Hastings at the time of the earthquake. The pupils were gathered on the front lawn of the school after the first shake. William remembers seeing the undulating ground. He was collected from school by his older brother Derek who attended Hastings High School. The family home was in Avenue Road, opposite Queen's Square where many people were gathering as it was a large open space. William's father was on a ship in Sydney. He was returning home from sitting his optometry qualifications in London.
The Webber and Shattky premises on Russell Street in Hastings were damaged by fire. The family went to William's aunt's house in Ellison Road and later camped in Army bell tents on the back lawn until William's father returned. William remembers his brother Derek gathering the charred remains of banknotes and stationery floating overhead from the fires in the town a few blocks away.
Maker
Production place
Production period
Production technique
Media/Materials description
A4 photocopied sheets, 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 William Shattky
Other number(s)
m2006/27/127, 35837
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