Laurie Hamlet is 101 years old and lives at Howick Baptist Healthcare’s Howick Views Apartments. He recently took time out to talk to the Times about his life (with some assistance).
Tell us about your early life and where you went to school?
Born in Epsom in 1923 and turned 101 in June. The 1930’s were hard with the Great Depression so lots of moving around. Parents lost their property in Epsom though the depression.
Schooling started in Parnell. Then a move to Devonport and went to school at St Leo’s Catholic School in Devonport.
Then a move to Ponsonby and Sacred Heart College Glendowie. The family then settled in Orakei.
What was your favorite school subject?
Laurie couldn’t carry on with school and had to leave at 14 due to the Depression as he had to work to help support the family.
What was your first job?
At a book shop in Queen Street at 14 years old. Only for a short time as he then got an apprenticeship as an auto electrician which became his passion.
At 18 he had to enlist into the Airforce. Laurie was a ground engineer during World War II and completed two postings in the Pacific in the Solomon Islands.
New Zealand’s involvement in WWII’s Pacific campaign began the day after Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941.
Laurie’s RNZAF career began with 10 days in hospital and six months’ leave.
“I was eating lunch on my first day of posting and I wasn’t feeling too good,” he says. “By 5pm my appendix was out!”
After five years in the Airforce he rejoined the automotive trade until 1967. He then joined Air New Zealand as an avionics engineer where he stayed for two more decades, retiring in 1987 with the introduction of the B767.
“I was in avionics,” Laurie says. “Everything was mechanical during the war, so if something went wrong you pulled it apart and fixed it. In modern airliners you replace a card – hidden electronics.”
How many siblings do you have?
Two brothers and two sisters. Sister Verena was 97 when she died, brother Barry died at 72, Leon died at 93, youngest sister Una is 92 and still alive.
She lives independently in Gulf Harbour, not in a retirement village! Lauie is the eldest.
“My mum was one of 13,” he says. “At one stage I had 36 cousins. Grandparents were full Irish. Mum was New Zealand-born. Dad was English.”
Laurie got married to Patricia (Pat) in mid-1949 and over the next eight years welcomed their three children, Michael, Craig and Gillian to the family.
Laurie had enjoyed 66 years of marriage to Patricia when she sadly passed in 2015.
How many children and grandchildren do you have?
Three children aged late 60s and early 70s. Four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Two of the great- grandchildren are at university now.
What do you love most about living in Howick?
“Being close to the water. Coming out to Howick was like going on holiday.”
The first time visiting Howick, they knew this is where they wanted to bring up their family.
Laurie loved sailing. He was very active in the sailing world. He volunteered at the 1995, 2000 and 2002 Louis Vuitton Cup events assisting out on the water with racecourse management for the LV heats in the lead up to the America’s Cup Finals.
Laurie was actively involved in the Howick Sailing Club.
Do you still drive and what’s your favourite destination?
He’s still a very active driver. Katikati. It’s a 2.15 hour drive four to five times a year to visit his son. “On a nice day I’ll go for a drive just for an outing. I love driving my Toyota Yaris. It’s zippy and comfy.”
What’s your favorite café or restaurant in Howick?
Laurie goes to the Homestead Café and Hancocks Café every week for different car club catch-ups.
He also very much enjoyed Bucks Bistro yesterday and was even lucky enough to see the pods of dolphins down at Bucklands Beach.
Which is your favorite beach in the area, and what do you do to keep mentally and physically fit?
Laurie enjoys driving to local beaches and just loves driving in general. On a nice day he’ll go for long drives in and around Auckland.
Reaching 101 is an incredible milestone. What do you believe are the key factors to your longevity?
“It’s easy – just keep breathing! My Mum died at 92. Dad died young at 73!”
Laurie’s father passed away from heart problems, which Laurie says he inherited but manages it well and has not been an issue.
None of his uncles reached over the age of 80 and a few aunts got to 90.
He’s not into cooking fancy meals and eats very basic meals. He never turns down an offer.
Laurie enjoys the odd drink and in the war they were given cartons of smokes every week but he no longer smokes. He quit when his daughter was born.
Having lived through so many significant events, which historical moments stand out to you the most?
The first major historical moment that happened while working at Air New Zealand was the Mount Erebus disaster on November 28, 1979.
Air NZ Flight 901 flew into Mount Erebus on Ross Island, Antarctica, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew on board.
But 9/11 was the most dramatic. Laurie was working at Air NZ at the time also so it really was a significant thing.
What advice would you give to younger generations?
Because Laurie had to leave school early he wants the children of today to make the most of their education.
To complete school and go on to do more. Get your education up to a good level.
