Born in the Riwaka valley

February 19, 2015
By Faye Davies

Greetings from Auckland. I was born in the Riwaka Valley in 1938. According to my late mother's story, I arrived at about midnight on the 10th-11th of August, 1938. I arrived in the "primitave" tractor driver's (one of the first) home while he was running accross the fields to the boss's house to phone for the doctor.

Apparently, the hospital Matron at Motueka was not pleased to have an already-born baby and mother arrive at the maternity home and thrust some knitting wool and needles at Mum saying, "Now you can make something for your baby!" Mum was rather put out as she had already knitted a full layette (probably she had made a blue one as well as a pink, just in case!

Six months later my father registered my birth as having taken place on the 11th August 1938; by then his address was listed as Sandy Bay. When the war broke out he enlisted and my mother returned to her relatives in Auckland.

13 months ago we were staying with some friends in Nelson and they very kindly took us for a drive around the Motueka-Riwaka area but I guess it has changed quite a bit in the last 76 + years.

Best wishes to all, Faye Davies (nee Murphy)

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

[ Return ]