My earliest recollections of my collection/s were collecting Birds eggs. My cousins showed me how and off I went, climbing trees and observing birds to find out where their nest was. I was always careful not to collect the egg with my hands otherwise the bird would not return to the nest to roost and hatch the eggs. I collected eggs from all the local birds we had around including, Sparrows, Magpies, Blackbirds, Thrushes, pukekos (Native Swamp Hen), Pheasants and many more. The highlight of my collection was the Emu egg that my grandmother had picked up for me when she went to Australia for a holiday in 1963. I still have this egg in my personal collections (all the other eggshells are long gone!)
Throughout my life I was a cub, boy scout, Air Training Corps, Military (air force) and we had the added incentive in the early days of attaining badges for various attainments in cubs and scouts. These were ultimately sewn onto a blanket for me, which unfortunately was thrown out by my Mother as it had been eaten by moths over the years!
Whilst at school I was in the ATC as part of our school cadet program, and we had uniforms and of course rank badges! I eventually was promoted to being a Flight Sergeant and flight leader, so more badges!
As a youngster I was always fascinated by aeroplanes and would watch them taking off from the airstrip on our farm to top dress all the local farms, it was a hill strip so would have been an exciting challenge for the pilot to take off and land. That led me to a lifelong dream of being a pilot in the military as I had read so many books on WW2 pilots and the status they held during the Battle of Britain. So, I collected a pair of Wings after an 18 month course which was challenging to say the least!!
Other badges I collected were: Life saving medals, (Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross), and, when overseas in Europe I noticed that a few men in Austria and Germany were wearing badges on their hats, my collection grew with half a dozen badges being worn on my hat whilst travelling around Europe.
We had an interesting encounter in Pisa whilst doing the photos of holding up the leaning tower of Pisa. An older gentleman came up to me and said, “Do you speak English?”. I, of course responded, “very well in fact”! So, we talked and, amazingly, he and his wife were from the town where my wife went to school. Even more amazingly, his son was a pilot on my Squadron in the RNZAF. No mobile phones then, we wrote a postcard home once a month!!
Another memento I collected was an emblem for the Social Rugby team I played for at Uni. They called it the Flying Zubrick. It was an emblem of a Flying Penis (Blokes and their rugby!!)
Throughout my life I was a cub, boy scout, Air Training Corps, Military (air force) and we had the added incentive in the early days of attaining badges for various attainments in cubs and scouts. These were ultimately sewn onto a blanket for me, which unfortunately was thrown out by my Mother as it had been eaten by moths over the years!
Whilst at school I was in the ATC as part of our school cadet program, and we had uniforms and of course rank badges! I eventually was promoted to being a Flight Sergeant and flight leader, so more badges!
As a youngster I was always fascinated by aeroplanes and would watch them taking off from the airstrip on our farm to top dress all the local farms, it was a hill strip so would have been an exciting challenge for the pilot to take off and land. That led me to a lifelong dream of being a pilot in the military as I had read so many books on WW2 pilots and the status they held during the Battle of Britain. So, I collected a pair of Wings after an 18 month course which was challenging to say the least!!
Other badges I collected were: Life saving medals, (Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross), and, when overseas in Europe I noticed that a few men in Austria and Germany were wearing badges on their hats, my collection grew with half a dozen badges being worn on my hat whilst travelling around Europe.
We had an interesting encounter in Pisa whilst doing the photos of holding up the leaning tower of Pisa. An older gentleman came up to me and said, “Do you speak English?”. I, of course responded, “very well in fact”! So, we talked and, amazingly, he and his wife were from the town where my wife went to school. Even more amazingly, his son was a pilot on my Squadron in the RNZAF. No mobile phones then, we wrote a postcard home once a month!!
Another memento I collected was an emblem for the Social Rugby team I played for at Uni. They called it the Flying Zubrick. It was an emblem of a Flying Penis (Blokes and their rugby!!)
I also collected coins from wherever I went, more for the differences from our local coins. There was one coin that was given to me as a toddler, (also by my Grandmother), it was the New Zealand Crown, which was issued for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second.
I still have lots of these mementos. Who knows what will happen to them as my kids have no interest, or don’t know about them??
Now I collect wine every week for pleasure…… Has to be a Red, mainly Shiraz!!!!
James Davey
May 2024
I still have lots of these mementos. Who knows what will happen to them as my kids have no interest, or don’t know about them??
Now I collect wine every week for pleasure…… Has to be a Red, mainly Shiraz!!!!
James Davey
May 2024
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