John and Ruth Nairn interviewed by Rob Willis in the Rob and Olya Willis folklore collection [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 3884161
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Nairn, John, 1935-, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2006
- 1 sound file (ca. 78 min.)
- Series:
- Rob and Olya Willis folklore collection.
- Summary:
-
Folkloric recording. John Nairn, born 1935 at Wickepin, W.A. talks about his family background; early memories of childhood; leaving school and early jobs; life in Perth; moving to Albany. Ruth Nairn, born 1939, in Konjiup, W.A., speaks about social dances (1958); dances in country communities; learning "The Lancers" at school at Konjiup; The Grand March, Debunate Balls; old-time dance at Konjiup; settling in Albany (1960); jobs; setting up a home. John discusses his time working on the boats at the Albany Whaling Station; explanation of terms "up in the barrel", "there she blows", "drifting" and "footprints of the whale"; bringing the whales in; learning on the job; process of catching the whale; rope work; relief cook; climbing up the barrel; spotter planes; chasing whales; the crew on the boats.
John Nairn speaks of transferring to the whale station; working on the rollers in the solubles plant and removing whale teeth; the conditions; the smell from the whaling station; filtering the oil, the press structure and method of extraction; the lack of safety precautions; no unions; clothing worn by a flenser; more about flensing; hours worked; purpose of a towboat; working on the chasers; sharks; leaving the whaling station in 1968; no conservation issues arising whilst working at the station; the closure of the whaling station; the impact on the community/workers; his thoughts on the conservation issue; the restructuring of the whale station as a tourist attraction; both being involved in musical productions; Ruth's training as a singer; singing session.
- Partial contents:
-
- Stories about whaling in Albany, W.A.: A flenser falling into a cooker
- Hooking a shark
- Painting the inside of a boiler
- Cleaning oil tanks
- An inspector hooking a shark.
- Biography/History:
-
John and Ruth Nairn are longtime residents of Albany, W.A. John worked at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station in several roles from working on the chasers to work in the factory.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded with Olya Willis.
- Recorded on October 12, 2006 at Albany, W.A.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (3 p.) and corrected transcript (typescript, 87 leaves)
- Subject:
-
- Nairn, John, 1935- -- Interviews
- Nairn, Ruth, 1939- -- Interviews
- Cheynes Beach Whaling Company -- History
- Whalers (Persons) -- Western Australia -- Albany -- Interviews
- Whaling -- Western Australia -- Albany -- History
- Whales -- Carcasses -- Western Australia -- Albany
- Slaughtering and slaughter-houses -- Western Australia -- Albany
- Occupation:
- Whalers
- Other authors/contributors:
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Rob and Olya Willis folklore collection.
This collection contains 1,004 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2076 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2006
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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