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At the gateway to the Canterbury plains, Lyttelton was first settled by Europeans in the early 1850's. Spectrum producer Jerome Cvitanovich takes a look at this historic port town through the eyes of some of its senior residents.
George Brassell recalls as a child watching the Chatham Islands supply vessel unloading cattle which were then herded to the abbatoirs at Cass Bay and the 'home boats' preparing for the trip to England.
Una Tyro [?] talks about his father who arrived as a runaway sailor who jumped ship, the smog caused by open fires and earning money by pulling supplies up hills for people on a trolley.
Vi and her brother Stan Sinclair recall growing up in a big family in Winchester St and the influenza epidemic of 1918. Street gas lamps were lit by Mr Mather who stood on his horse's back to light them. She was never allowed to go down to the waterfront. She says local businesses suffered when the road tunnel opened.
Stan Sinclair and Jerome visit the Timeball Station where Stan's uncle was timekeeper at one time. He explains how the station functioned as a timekeepr for ships in port.
Captain Fred Dawson, former master of the steam-tug "Lyttelton" talks about his early sailing career on homemade rafts and dinghies.
George Brassell recalls security measures in port in World War II which lead to his his father being killed when his fishing boat was accidentally fired on.
Baden Norris, former watersider and museum curator, talks on No.3 Wharf about the wharf's history. He talks about how the community changed once the inter-island ferry service stopped. He talks about Lyttelton's labour history, including the 1951 waterfront lock-out, the 1913 strike and Massey's 'Cossacks'. He recalls a riot when supporters of Sir Oswald Mosley's fascist 'Blackshirts' who were among the crew of a ship 'Tairoa', tried to march through town and met opposition.