Russell Remembers

This Episode follows on from Episode 7, with a recording of the actual quiz win in the 6400 Show, over two nights. You might also find it interesting to hear some of the radio advertisements from that time. Television did not start in New Zealand until 1960. We apologise for the quality of some of this recording as it was first taped from the radio at the time of broadcast, and has since been transferred to LP, cassette tape, and finally digital format. The photograph above shows Russell during the radio broadcast, with some of his prizes. (AAC/m4a, 9.9MB, 20:33 minutes)

Russell is very proud of one particular accomplishment in his life, a big quiz win in a national radio competition in 1958, the 64 Hundred Show hosted by Jack Maybury. In this episode we find out how he came to be in the competition (can you guess what his specialist topic was?), and what actually happened. The photograph above shows Russell during the radio broadcast, with some of his prizes. (AAC/m4a, 2.8MB, 5:43 minutes)

What were some of the things Russell liked to do in his precious spare time, during his teenage years? He tells us about a canoeing trip that went wrong, some of his sporting triumphs, and some of the other popular activities of the time. (AAC/m4a, 3.0MB, 5:47 minutes)

In this Episode Russell tells us about some of the different jobs he has had. How many hours did he work, and what was he paid? He has a few humorous stories to tell about some of these jobs - where did his boss find a rat? How did Russell trick a customer? (AAC/m4a, 6.3MB, 12:40 minutes)

In Episode 4 Russell recalls his time at school. He remembers two of his teachers, and tells an interesting story about what happened one day when a boy got strapped. How well did Russell do at school, and why did he have to leave at the age of 14? Russell is in the middle of the back row of the class photo above. (AAC/m4a, 3.0MB, 5:59 minutes).

In Episode 3, Russell discusses what he remembers about food and meal times when he was growing up. Was discipline an issue for him? What did his family do in the weekends and for holidays? The picture above shows a family group at the beach, with Russell in the centre at the front. (AAC/m4a 3.5MB, 7:01 minutes).

In Episode 2, Russell remembers some of the games he played as a child, including how he learnt to play draughts and to ride a bike. He also talks about some of the pets the family had, including a magpie that was a bit of a character. He tells an interesting story about one particular game of cricket they had at school (with a future All Black in his team), and describes the only fight he was ever in. He also talks about pocket money. (AAC/m4a, 5.2 MB, 10:26 minutes).

Russell Hoddinott is 77 years old (in 2006), and still has clear memories of his childhood. He was born in New Zealand in 1929 and lived with his parents and older brother in Lower Hutt, near Wellington. This podcast has been created by his grandson, Andrew Kendall, to record Russell's memories and stories of his life growing up in New Zealand in the 1930s and 1940s. In this first episode of Russell Remembers, Russell describes the town where he grew up, and the houses he lived in. (mp3, 3.3MB, 9:21 minutes)