Letter, Margaret Mills
Maker
Mills, Margaret
Production date
27 Feb 2001
Current rights
All Rights Reserved
Object detail
Brief Description
A three page letter dated Tuesday 27 February, 2001, from Margaret Mills to the Hawke's Bay Cultural Trust, in which Margaret recalls her memories of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
Margaret writes that it was her first day of school, having previously attended Miss Beharel's [sic] private school on Bluff Hill, and that she knew no-one at her new school. She was in the playground with another girl, waiting for others to return from church when she heard what she describes as a throbby roar. She and the other girl were thrown to the ground and had to crawl up a level to a tennis court. She recalls that they were all on their knees, and that the nuns had them praying. She describes what she thought was fog on the port side of Shakespeare Road but then realized it was dust.
Margaret's father's studio, Deighton Studios, was in Hastings. Her father had to scramble out of the window as the verandah collapsed, and had gone to get his car, only to find it had been crushed. He returned home to Priestley Terrace in Napier, before arriving at the school to collect Margaret. He enquired as to whether she had a cardigan, which she told him was inside the building, and he told her to go in and get it as she would probably need it. She reluctantly did so.
Margaret writes that on their walk home down Convent and France Road, she did not see any people or cars, and she remembers the silence. Margaret relates the damage caused to her home, and her memories of having to camp outside with neighbours. She describes an interesting stew they had as a meal that night. Margaret's father accompanied Margaret and her sister when they were evacuated to Wellington the next day. Margaret writes of staying with the Toogoods; the others having gone to an aunt and uncle's house. The girls attended Terrace School.
Margaret has added a postscript to her letter, where she writes that her father returned to Napier to try to rescue what he could. Her father's studio was gutted by the fire and he lost all of his equipment. The building itself was still standing at the time of writing. As no-one at that time had earthquake insurance, Margaret writes that her father lost expensive equipment and also any records of the money he was owed. She recalls that one person paid him, and that he never forgot this. Later her mother and father re-established the business and her father had a studio in Tin Town, in Napier. Neither Margaret nor her sister returned to Napier that year; Margaret went to Dannevirke and her sister remained in Wellington.
Margaret writes that it was her first day of school, having previously attended Miss Beharel's [sic] private school on Bluff Hill, and that she knew no-one at her new school. She was in the playground with another girl, waiting for others to return from church when she heard what she describes as a throbby roar. She and the other girl were thrown to the ground and had to crawl up a level to a tennis court. She recalls that they were all on their knees, and that the nuns had them praying. She describes what she thought was fog on the port side of Shakespeare Road but then realized it was dust.
Margaret's father's studio, Deighton Studios, was in Hastings. Her father had to scramble out of the window as the verandah collapsed, and had gone to get his car, only to find it had been crushed. He returned home to Priestley Terrace in Napier, before arriving at the school to collect Margaret. He enquired as to whether she had a cardigan, which she told him was inside the building, and he told her to go in and get it as she would probably need it. She reluctantly did so.
Margaret writes that on their walk home down Convent and France Road, she did not see any people or cars, and she remembers the silence. Margaret relates the damage caused to her home, and her memories of having to camp outside with neighbours. She describes an interesting stew they had as a meal that night. Margaret's father accompanied Margaret and her sister when they were evacuated to Wellington the next day. Margaret writes of staying with the Toogoods; the others having gone to an aunt and uncle's house. The girls attended Terrace School.
Margaret has added a postscript to her letter, where she writes that her father returned to Napier to try to rescue what he could. Her father's studio was gutted by the fire and he lost all of his equipment. The building itself was still standing at the time of writing. As no-one at that time had earthquake insurance, Margaret writes that her father lost expensive equipment and also any records of the money he was owed. She recalls that one person paid him, and that he never forgot this. Later her mother and father re-established the business and her father had a studio in Tin Town, in Napier. Neither Margaret nor her sister returned to Napier that year; Margaret went to Dannevirke and her sister remained in Wellington.
Maker
Production date
27 Feb 2001
Production place
Production period
Production technique
Media/Materials description
Handwritten in blue ink on blank paper. Name and address stamp in black ink.
Media/Materials
Measurements
Height x Width: 220 x 158mm
Signature/Inscription
MARGARET MILLS / 461 B GLADSTONE ROAD / GISBORNE / NEW ZEALAND, Stamp
Classification terms
Subject person
Subject period
Subject date
03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Current rights
All Rights Reserved
Other number(s)
73501
Public comments
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