born: 29 Sep 1940
died: 1 Nov 2015, aged 75, at Gisborne
1965-1969: Awarua Radio ZLB
1969-1989: Various role at Wellington Radio ZLW
1989-1991: Manager Wellington Radio ZLW
I arrived at ZLW in early 1969 after four or so years at Awarua Radio ZLB, and at first lived in one of the huts, long since vanished, tucked away in the corner where the access briefly levels out.
A little later I had one of the rooms in the old quarters which were attached to the station building. In those days my flatmates were Titch Gibson, Dick Jarlov and Roy Hill.
ZLW grew on me, as it did others. I think most felt we lived in a privileged situation – secure on our little island in the sky but close to the city and its facilities. We had some great parties!
Barb and I lived in Newlands following our marriage in 1972. After perhaps a year we were delighted to get the tenancy of one of the old transit flats – as our two-weekly rent fell from $50 to $5. I think we had about four years in the old place. One snag was that the Post Office told us it would only do essential maintenance, so we set out to redecorate the interior ourselves. I was assisted by a young 17-year-old from the back blocks of Taranaki, Geoff Kenny, who later joined the staff at ZLW.
In November 1978 Barb and I moved into the first of six new flats to be finished, Flat 6. We remained there until we bought our first home in Petone some nine years later.
All in all, I lived on the hill for 19 years but my time at ZLW spanned 22 years until 1991 when I was laid off by Telecom. During my time I was a supervisor, acting manager and in the final two years was the station manager.
Barry Allison (left) with Peter Ross (descendant of one of the NZPO wireless operators murdered by Japanese forces at Tarawa in 1942, at the unveiling of memorial plaques in 2013
