Ghost Town - Back to Burnett's Face.

A documentary by Jim Henderson on the old coalmining settlement of Burnett's Face, near Denniston on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It features actuality recordings made on location and recollections by many former residents.
[Only two of the many participants are named in the programme. The possible identities of some of the other speakers were contributed by Bob Parker, a former resident of Burnett's Face.]

The programme opens with actuality recordings made in a coal-mine near the deserted settlement of Burnett's Face. The programme is introduced by an unidentified man who says he is a former resident and miner [possibly Walter Clark.]

A woman interviews "Aunty" another former resident, about what life was like at Burnett's Face.
Jim Henderson describes the view of Denniston and nearby Burnett's Face, which is now a ghost-town. Two men recall the local school and the games they used to play as children [possibly Bill Andrew and Johnny Crawford.]

A poem written by a miner is read and an old organ is played.
A man [possibly Benny Lightbown] describes the sole remaining building, the Mission Hall. He explains what it was used for in the past. The original organ in the hall is still playable. He describes the social life of the village and a group of single men "The Bachelors". Their song is sung by a group of men.

Six hundred people once lived in the gully at Burnett's Face. Jim Henderson and another man [possibly Bill Andrew] describe its desolate appearance now and what buildings used to exist.

A man [possibly Ozzie Ball] who was the grocer's delivery boy talks about his job supplying the Cascade Creek mine by packhorse twice a week. The Crown Hotel is now a shell but another man recalls events which took place there. He talks about the history of the hotel as he walks around the derelict building.
A town-crier or local boys with a bell, used to walk around the town describing what events were on.

Mrs Mary Meadows, aged 78, was post-mistress at Burnett's Face from 1934-1953. She says she has very happy memories of the place and talks about the great community feeling. She sings an excerpt of the song she sang the night she left England 50 years ago this month.

Another woman who lived there 48 years ago talks about 'two-up' being played. She would listen out for the policeman's horse and warn the players to scatter by waving her tea-towel. Another woman talks about the water pipes freezing up in winter until midday, which made it difficult to do washing in winter.

Actuality recordings made at a gathering of old Burnett's Face residents, recorded at the foot of the hill below Denniston. [various songs sung by a group and anecdotes.]

Men read inscriptions from the local cemetery of miners killed in accidents. A man [possibly Arnold Openshaw] gives a lengthy description of what it was like being underground during the Murchison earthquake in 1929. He describes the roof falling in and nearly burying him, but all the men managed to escape.

John [Jack] Parker describes leaving Burnett's Face in 1957. He and his wife were the last residents to leave. They arrived in 1924 when there were 60-80 houses there. He says all services were maintained right up until they left, including deliveries by the Denniston butcher and grocer.