Norman Cameron (1944-1950)

Norman’s first schooling was by correspondence and even though there was a governess who acted as teacher he would not learn. His parents decided that he would be better at boarding school, so at the tender age of six and a half years old Norman joined Brian at Huntley School in Marton. He spent the next seven years there, before going onto Wanganui Collegiate School in 1951. As Huntley was 150 miles away his parents hardly ever visited and Norman looked forward to the holidays where he rode Shetland ponies which loved to dislodge the rider, also shooting rabbits and playing cards with the staff.

Norman passed School Certificate and his father decided he would be better employed at home so he left Collegiate at the end of the first term in 1954. Norman worked as a shepherd on many around the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay over the next few years.

When Norman’s grandfather died the farm was split between his daughters. They drew straws to decide who got which block. Rae Cameron (One of the sisters) drew the middle block which she called “Kiriwai” and she asked Norman to manage it. He accepted the offer and moved on to the farm at the start of 1960. Kiriwai was an undeveloped block of 2,000 acres with about 150 acres of broken- in land, the rest being swamps and bush. It carried 700 sheep and 100 cattle. The next 32 years saw Norman finish up grazing 1200 acres and the carrying capacity increased to 2500 sheep and 400 cattle.

Norman married twice. His first wife had a son, John, who Norman adopted. They were married for 10 years and then divorced.

 Norman married his present wife Gillian (Jill) Crawford on the 20^th of February 1987 and they lived on the farm. In 1992 Norman & Jill sold “Kiriwai” to Peter Walton from Southland and moved to a 90acre fattening unit near Carterton. Norman found running a fattening farm wasn’t his cup of tea so in 1995 they sold the farm to the neighbours and moved to Waiheke Island. For the next twelve years Norman worked on Goldman’s farm until he reached seventy when he retired. At present is on the Clan Cameron Auckland Branch Committee, working on family genealogy and collecting old family photos.

Over the years he served on a Vestry, Wellington Acclimatisation Council, enjoyed clay bird shooting, duck shooting and tramping with the Kaumutua Club. Norman joined Rotary on Waiheke Island and was President 2009/2010, he also is a member of the local Probus Club where he is a past president as is Jill who was the first president.

(Extracts from Norman Charles Cameron’s autobiography)