Story: Domestic recreation and hobbies

A night in with the radio, 1935

The radio replaced the piano in New Zealand living rooms from the 1920s. In the evenings families gathered around to listen to music and other entertaining broadcasts. This 'family' was created for advertising purposes, but is a reasonable approximation of the New Zealand family at the time, though perhaps with one less child than would have been the norm. Here even the family dog gets to enjoy the entertainment. Mum and Dad supplement the radio's offerings with a book and newspaper.

You can listen to an excerpt from 'One man's family' of 1936 – this was the first radio play aired in New Zealand.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/1-015683-F
Photograph by Gordon Burt

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero (One man's family/Reference number ID27063)

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How to cite this page:

Kerryn Pollock, 'Domestic recreation and hobbies - Reading, listening and watching', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/41105/a-night-in-with-the-radio-1935 (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 5 Sep 2013