Personal narrative, Dorothy McKay
Maker
McKay, Dorothy Bernice
Object detail
Brief Description
a) A printed two page narrative titled: The 1931 Napier Earthquake.
Dorothy recounts her memories of the earthquake. She was eleven and a half years old and that it was the second day back at school after the holidays. Classes had just begun when the earthquake struck. The pupils were ordered into the playground by the teacher. When everyone was assembled they could see the hills behind them going up and down like waves. The older students walked the younger pupils up and down the playground until the parents arrived.
The author remembers father collecting her and six other children who lived in the same area, and of passing through the destruction in Taradale as they made their way towards the Redcliffe bridge. She describes seeing a house on the hill belonging to Mrs Perry, as a heap of bricks and on fire. The Redcliffe bridge was badly damaged and the road had dropped away on the far side of the bridge, leaving a large hole to cross. Once the bridge had been crossed, she and another girl were given a ride to their homes in a car.
Their house, being wooden, did not suffer any structural damage but that the chimneys had come down and the contents of the house were scattered on the floor. They spent the night in the grounds of a big home on the hill and could see the red glow from the fires. Men rigged up a tarpaulin and she describes the animals as lying down close by, and of the noise of further quakes. As each family had a tent, she writes that it was quite comfortable while the weather was fine, but that her Gran was upset, so her father arranged to have her taken to Palmerston North to stay with friends.
Her father stayed to look after the factory, and their mother took the children to Palmerston North, in order for them to attend school. She believes they were away for approximately two months and that on the first night of their return, there was another big quake.
b) A double-sided page of photocopied photographs. The photocopied sheet has images of the old Taradale School; Taradale Hotel; the Otatara homestead of Maud Perry; Redcliffe bridge; the factory; Tin Town; tents; central Napier; the Municipal Theatre and Napier Cathedral.
c) A small address label for D B McKay.
d) A page with details about Dorothy McKay.
Dorothy recounts her memories of the earthquake. She was eleven and a half years old and that it was the second day back at school after the holidays. Classes had just begun when the earthquake struck. The pupils were ordered into the playground by the teacher. When everyone was assembled they could see the hills behind them going up and down like waves. The older students walked the younger pupils up and down the playground until the parents arrived.
The author remembers father collecting her and six other children who lived in the same area, and of passing through the destruction in Taradale as they made their way towards the Redcliffe bridge. She describes seeing a house on the hill belonging to Mrs Perry, as a heap of bricks and on fire. The Redcliffe bridge was badly damaged and the road had dropped away on the far side of the bridge, leaving a large hole to cross. Once the bridge had been crossed, she and another girl were given a ride to their homes in a car.
Their house, being wooden, did not suffer any structural damage but that the chimneys had come down and the contents of the house were scattered on the floor. They spent the night in the grounds of a big home on the hill and could see the red glow from the fires. Men rigged up a tarpaulin and she describes the animals as lying down close by, and of the noise of further quakes. As each family had a tent, she writes that it was quite comfortable while the weather was fine, but that her Gran was upset, so her father arranged to have her taken to Palmerston North to stay with friends.
Her father stayed to look after the factory, and their mother took the children to Palmerston North, in order for them to attend school. She believes they were away for approximately two months and that on the first night of their return, there was another big quake.
b) A double-sided page of photocopied photographs. The photocopied sheet has images of the old Taradale School; Taradale Hotel; the Otatara homestead of Maud Perry; Redcliffe bridge; the factory; Tin Town; tents; central Napier; the Municipal Theatre and Napier Cathedral.
c) A small address label for D B McKay.
d) A page with details about Dorothy McKay.
Production period
Production technique
Media/Materials description
Printed and photocopied.
Media/Materials
Measurements
Printed sheets and cover page.: Height x Width: 297 x 210mm
Address label.: Height x Width: 36 x 75mm
Address label.: Height x Width: 36 x 75mm
Classification terms
Subject person
Subject period
Subject date
03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Other number(s)
73525
Public comments
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