Community Contributed
Kenneth Scott Aitken 1918 -
Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T16:51:15+00:00Born in Levin in September 1918, Scott Aitken was brought up on Queen Street and at the time of this interveiw, had been married for forty-eight years with six children, seventeen grandchildren and the eighth and ninth great-grandchildren just arrived. Both his mother and father, Kenneth Oswald Aitken, were born and raised in Wellington and were married in 1914, moving to Levin so that Kenneth could start up a business.
Scott's father was a very active member in the theatre, a career which started in Napier with his brother in their production of a variety show in an old band room in a paddock. The boys wrote most of the script, arranged the songs and acted in most of the scenes. They also rigged up the theatre, painted the scenery, made the costumes and had the programme printed professionally, creating a show that was a financial success. Kenneth brought his involvement in amateur theatre to Levin in 1914, beginning to perform good quality shows with other local men until production was slowed considerably with the arrival of World War 1. Between 1914 and 1916 however, they did stage one or two open air shows to raise money for forces overseas. Following the war, in the early 1920's, the Operatic Societ recovered with Kenneth producing and acting in several shows and at one time rouring professionally around Australia with "Charlie's Aunt".
Along with his acting, Kenneth opened a book and stationary store on Oxford Street over two years. He then moved across the street to open a book and music store which he owned for twenty-five years. His son Scott has fond memories of late night shopping on Saturdays when he and his sister helped in the shop/ He would play the popular records of the day (' My Blue Heaven' and 'Romona') on the gramophone and his sister served customers and made sure they paid for purchases.
Scott's father, Kenneth wasa involved in founding the Levin Savage Club and was at one time Club President. The Savage Club was a group of talented people that put on entertainment such as singing for various organisations and is still very active today with club rooms in Weraroa Road and also a ladies' section entitled 'The Wahines'.
Levin Savage Club Pierrots. From left to right. Back: Jessie White, Middle: Ken Aitken, Ernie White, FJ Glackin, Don Matheson. Front: Hugh Hall.
Kenneth also enjoyed travelling to Welington on Saturday evenings to recite poems and monologues on the newly formed Radio 2YA ( this link may also interest). Kenneth also wrote news of the district as Levin correspondent for the Dominion newspaper.
One of the most important actions Kenneth took to improve Levin was through his very active active mebership on the Levin Borough Council. He organised the sealing of Queen Street, along with tree planting and generally improving the town's appearance. He was also the representative for the Fire Brigade during his years on the Council. Kenneth Scott Aitken's support of entertainment and his contribution and enthusiam to improve her appearance changed Levin considerably during these early years.
His son, Scott Aitken lived in Levin until 1934 when he moved to Wellington to attend a boarding school. Before this he attended Levin District Primary School. Of his many interesting experiences, one such involved his job delivering papers for the Chronicle and for his father in the morning and evening, along with three other boys emplyed by his father. Though their rounds were smaller than his, they all received fifteen shillings while Scott received seven and sixpence. He said to his father, "I've got a biiger round, but they get more than me." His father replied, "Well you're one of the family", and he never got an increase.
Another episode that Scott remembers was the day he and his friends, Tom and George Kerslake and Jake Wallace were playing by the lake. At that time there were Maori living by on the other side of the lake andduring the day they paddled over in their canoes and did their shopping in town. Scott and his friends had found an empty canoe by the side of the lake and they were fooling around with it when a Maori gentleman paddled over. Asking the boys what they were doing, he received shrugged shoulders so he asked Tom and George who they were and when they told him, he grabbed them and dunked their heads under water. The man then asked Jack Wallace who he was and finding out he was the brother of Corby, he let him go. When it was Scott's turn to tell his name, the man asked if he was Ken Aitken's son. When Scott said he was, the Maori gentleman let Scott go free.
Following primary School, Scott attended a secondary boarding school between the ages of thirteen and sixteen. When he left school he worked at a wholesale merchandising firm in Wellington until, at the age of twenty-one when he went to fight in the Second World War for five years. When he returned from the war, he worked on the West Coast for A.S.Patterson's and travelled from Franz Josef glacier to Karamea to cisit coal mines. His chosen career was as a travelling salesman.
Scott was away from Levin for forty years during which time he married. In 1973 he and his family returned to live in Levin and to find it had changed dramatically. More housesm better shopping facilities and a bigger populatinon, compared with about four thousand whne he had been born. Like his father, Mr Aitken had a very high opinion of Levin. He believes "Levin is the best small town to live in New Zealand. It has good shopping, is likeable and has an agreeable climate."