Stories from the New Hebrides – Page 2 – This site contains stories from people who called the New Hebrides home. Anyone who has an interest in the New Hebrides can share and add to our collective memories. Click "Submit a story" to find out how to add your adventures from the New Hebrides.

Cricket in Vila 1975 – 1977

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

By Peter Robinson I was privileged to live in Vila for 2 years from 1975 to 1977 and got to play a lot of cricket mainly on the British Paddock in Vila, right in front of the British Residency. I was ... Read More

Ambrym 1976

Posted on September 5, 2018 by

By Tim Foster In October 1976 I made my first trip to an outer island. I was sent to Ambrym with Daniel Melen from the PWD design office, who was Acting Sub-Divisionnaire for CD No 1, to carry out a p... Read More

Epi Experience

Posted on July 8, 2017October 4, 2018 by

By Tim Foster. In the 1976–1977 hot season two cyclones struck the New Hebrides group. One result was that the airstrip at Lamen Bay was damaged and put out of use. Luckily, Geoff Holman, a British ... Read More

Three trips to Tanna

Posted on July 8, 2017July 9, 2017 by

By Tim Foster. As an engineer working for the Condominium Public Works Department I was responsible for overseeing operations in Southern District and Central District number one and I travelled to ot... Read More

Our Pacific Idyll

Posted on July 2, 2017October 12, 2018 by

By Tim Foster. September 10th 1976 found us standing on the tarmac arrivals apron at Bauerfield airport, “us” being my wife Audrey, our three children Susanna, Richard and Samantha and mys... Read More

The Kibbutz

Posted on April 17, 2017July 23, 2017 by

By Aileen Wilson. In December 1971, my husband Peter was employed by Athol Rusden (who used to run a boat service from Auckland to New Caledonia to the New Hebrides) to build some houses on a piece of... Read More

Getting down to business

Posted on April 17, 2017July 23, 2017 by

By Aileen Wilson. Back in the early 1970s there was only a handful of New Zealanders in Vila and being from New Zealand we tended to congregate with them. We got to know Des Elliott and Shirley, his w... Read More

A child’s life

Posted on April 17, 2017July 23, 2017 by

By Aileen Wilson. In addition to setting up and running the shop on Hideaway, I also looked after Joanne and the household – me and the housegirls. When she was about 3 years old Joanne went to Judy... Read More

But I want to go to jail

Posted on November 29, 2015July 23, 2017 by

By Belinda Begley. ‘The Coconut War’ was raging when I went to live in the New Hebrides in May 1980. The War was the final and violent manifestation of the Anglophone/Francophone divide that had b... Read More

At the crease

Posted on November 24, 2015July 23, 2017 by

By Gordon Barlow. (An extract from an essay about cricket posted 16 October 2012). Most Scots are cheerful folk, but the race does produce some individuals who are dour, humourless and just plain cran... Read More