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Hazel's Memories.....
When I was born here in Blenheim, my parents owned the Leatham Station which is situated off State Highway 63 between Birch Hill and The Branch.
Later on we moved to Eastbourne, a seaside suburb of Wellington. I attended the local primary school, followed by Wellington Girls College where I had something in common with Katherine Mansfield, as we both had stories printed in the Wellington Girls College Magazine "The Reporter".
After several years in a government office, I returned to Blenheim to marry my fiancé Cyril Desmond Broadbridge, at the Church of Nativity in April 1945.
When Cyril was discharged from the air force in September 1945 after serving 5 years 364 days - according to his discharge certificate, we purchased Cyril's paternal grandfather's property in Wairau Valley. It was part of the Hillersden Estate which was cut up for settlement in 1914, and G H Broadbridge drew block number 10 in the ballot. (A little comment on the times - 1914 - there were 43 original blocks and 12 were drawn by married women in their own names).
As Cyril was more interested in mechanics than animal husbandry and could see the need for a transport service in the district we applied for a goods service licence to operate a transport vehicle and after several rejections, we finally received our licence in December 1946. C D Broadbridge was in business.
Life was not easy. Gravel roads. The telephone manual exchange was situated in the Hillersden Hall and opened at 9am, closed at 5pm, Monday to Friday. I boarded drivers and we did not have the modern machinery there is today.
We had two trucks before our first child was born, and from then trucks and children followed with monotonous regularity until we had seven of each and I conceded defeat.
Mick Jellyman reminded me recently of the "Counting of the drums". All fuel, diesel, petrol, kerosene came in drums in the early days and we had to keep an account of the drums for the various companies. I well remember an account stating among other items two E.R. (Empty Returned) drums to Shell omitting the letter S from Shell and the client sending the statement and cheque back with an arrow pointing to the word hell and the note "Congratulations, on the extension of your licence"!!
Joe Robinson who had a transport business here in Blenheim was a great help in the early days with practical advice and helping out with his trucks when we had extra work. Joe was up at our place one day and looking out the window saw our children playing with their tip trucks, loaders etc he said "You are a lucky lad, Cyril. We have neither chick nor child and you have those four sons to carry on after you." Cyril replied "Joe, if those four boys follow on after me there will not be a trucking business but a bloody wrecking company."
We believed in the best equipment, well maintained, and a good service to clients and to the community.
After 48 years of hard labour, I retired last year and the company my husband and I started is being run by our four sons and will celebrate 50 years of service in December 1996.
