Bundles of History in Your Own Drawers

Touchstone July 2005

"Bundles of History in Your Own Drawers"

By Yvonne Wilkie

What happens to your personal papers I wonder? Most of us keep bits and pieces scattered throughout drawers and cupboards, others of us are far more ordered. I found when sorting a set of drawers recently that my archival skills were definitely not apparent at home. As I organised the material, questions began to sneak into the fore front of my mind. Why keep this? Who cares? Throw it away! Sadly that is what most of us do, most of the time.

As Kiwis we have a strong sense of modesty, a sense that we are neither important nor have done anything worthwhile to pass to posterity. Keeping heirlooms is easy, our grandmother's ring or great grandfather's walking stick and even our great-aunt's diaries but our own diaries, well …

What is the use of all these letters I have at home from my mother, grandmother, my children and friends? … and all those greeting cards! Genealogists and researchers, with little prompting, will quickly inform you. Imagine the diverse topics discussed in a series of letters for example that cover a period of 60 years between your mother and her siblings and friends. They will ooze with facts on life styles, family issues, health, faith, shifting values, neighbourly gossip, children's schooling, shopping, prices, and much more. They tell us where we came from and who we are individually and collectively.

Recently, five cartons of papers belonging to Molly Whitelaw, the wife of the Rev. Allan Whitelaw, were donated to the Archives. What a treasure trove. Molly could be described as a pioneer of the modern ecumenical movement. She supported the National Council of Churches from 1943 and attended a number of World Council of Churches Conferences in Amsterdam , Evanston , and New Delhi . A member of the women's division of the World Presbyterian Alliance for Asia, Australia and New Zealand she built a wide circle of contacts.

Identification ticket for Molly Whitelaw to attend the First World Council of Churches Assembly, Amsterdam, 1948.

Molly spent much time writing numerous articles and booklets, and was frequently called upon to address groups around New Zealand and overseas. She was concerned with the position of women within the Church and their status within society. She encouraged women to take up challenges and to extend their horizons both in the church and beyond..

Daughter of the manse, Molly and her family arrived from Scotland in 1921 where they settled in a Home Mission Station at Nuhaka. As a young woman she became travelling secretary for the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union (PWMU) and the Young Women's Bible Class Movement (YWBC). She married Alan Whitelaw and their ministry was in the parishes of Te Awamutu, Blenheim, and Johnsonville.

Molly's papers cover all her interests and stages of her life. Copies of her talks and addresses, draft copies of all her publications, Conference papers, travel documents, ephemera from her visits to overseas countries will excite the researcher. She was a prolific letter writer. In fact one carton consisted of aerogram letters alone! Not only did she retain the letters she received but also the copies she wrote. These letters tell of travel tales, memorable personalities she met, conferences and meetings she attended, and the inside stories of peoples faith journey. There are programmes, prayers, worship outlines, and study material almost all written by her.

Early cash books and papers from Scotland , family correspondence, her father's papers and photos give context of the collection. An added bonus for the Archives is her YWBC Secretary papers which slot between two previous secretaries papers already held.

To have such a complete set of papers around the life of one woman in the church is the highlight of the collection. They reflect the work we know of many who have sat and are sitting in our pews today. The papers were held in the family for 41 years after her death. It is a great thrill and honour to see them now placed among the journeys of faith and witness found in the walls of our Church's Archives, adding a breadth and texture to what it means to be Christian.

And what of our own papers? Hold onto them, try to store them in one place, don't allow the tidy bug to say rubbish! Keep the pieces of your faith journey, your diaries, your letters, your talks, prayers, sermons, studies, essays, study notes, poetry drafts, ephemera, scrap books and photographs. They to, will add to the human story of our Christian witness in the church, the community and within the family. And do give some thought as to where you might like your papers to be housed further down the track.

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