Personal narrative, M D Macphee
Maker
Macphee, M D
Object detail
Brief Description
Three undated and unsigned typescript pages, recounting memories of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake. An annotation at the edge of the first page reads: from notes made by M D, surname unclear but probably MacPhee.
The writer describes being taken to St Lukes kindergarten in Havelock North. When the earthquake struck the writer was outside having morning tea and writes that being a cautious boy he headed for open country. He was joined by others and remembers seeing three women rushing out of a door just as a chimney and masonry began to fall.
His parents collected him and he recalls seeing the damage to the shops as they drove through the village to his granny's house. The water tanks at her house had collapsed and he writes that his granny, who was nearly blind, had bricks fall all around her as she sat in her rocking chair. Furniture had slid all around the room and preserved jams and fruit were all over the floor.
As the quakes continued, it was decided that one person would enter the house to get some provisions. With the others watching, as he entered the house another quake struck. He managed to rush into the house and gather some essentials. They slept outside under a tarpaulin before receiving an army bell tent to provide additional accommodation.
The writer remembers visiting Hastings only once in the months following the earthquake due to the bridge being down. He remembers a lot of rubble and the damaged buildings and frontages. He also writes of two memories which stand out in his mind and that the work of repairing and cleaning up in the town was a part of everyday conversation, but not something that concerned a six year old boy.
The writer describes being taken to St Lukes kindergarten in Havelock North. When the earthquake struck the writer was outside having morning tea and writes that being a cautious boy he headed for open country. He was joined by others and remembers seeing three women rushing out of a door just as a chimney and masonry began to fall.
His parents collected him and he recalls seeing the damage to the shops as they drove through the village to his granny's house. The water tanks at her house had collapsed and he writes that his granny, who was nearly blind, had bricks fall all around her as she sat in her rocking chair. Furniture had slid all around the room and preserved jams and fruit were all over the floor.
As the quakes continued, it was decided that one person would enter the house to get some provisions. With the others watching, as he entered the house another quake struck. He managed to rush into the house and gather some essentials. They slept outside under a tarpaulin before receiving an army bell tent to provide additional accommodation.
The writer remembers visiting Hastings only once in the months following the earthquake due to the bridge being down. He remembers a lot of rubble and the damaged buildings and frontages. He also writes of two memories which stand out in his mind and that the work of repairing and cleaning up in the town was a part of everyday conversation, but not something that concerned a six year old boy.
Maker
Production period
Production technique
Media/Materials description
Printed and handwritten in blue ink.
Media/Materials
Measurements
Smallest size page.: Height x Width: 100 x 210mm
Largest size.: Height x Width: 295 x 210mm
Largest size.: Height x Width: 295 x 210mm
Classification terms
Subject person
Subject period
Subject date
03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Post 03 Feb 1931
Other number(s)
73526
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