A portable transistor radio bought on the 13th of April 1962 from Woolworths in Oxford Street, Levin. With original box, user manual, warranty and sales card. Transistor radios were smaller and more reliable than the old valve radios and did not need a 'warm up time'. They first became popular in the mid 1950s and were soon the latest and greatest thing to have.

Autocrat made this model in New Zealand- but in the late 1950s these portable radios were hard to get. In fact, they were one of the most common items Customs found being smuggled into the country at the time! It wasn't the only illegal thing involving these little radios- teenagers would use them in their rooms to secretly listen to the 'pirate radio stations' of the 1960s.  

Penciled on back – 2/3/71 Woolworths, Oxford St. west. Negative No. 16

Woolworths, west side Oxford St., 1971 1 B&W photo print

Negative No. 16

Farmer’s Trading Co. Ltd. at Queen St. intersection also shown.

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

1) Useless pit rapidly becoming eyesore.

Legacy from the construction of the railway is the long pit skirting the main street of Levin from Bath Street to the Liverpool Street level crossing. The presence of this pit has for years spoiled the appearance of this part of the borough.

2) Early settlers brought that love of rugby which has never diminished.

The early settlers brought with them their love of sport, notably rugby, which was played right from the earliest days of settlement. Rugby on a more organised basis came with the formation of the Horowhenua Rugby Union. The union was founded on April 29, 1893, at Manakau with Levin, Shannon, Manakau and Otaki clubs making up the union.

3) Bikes were his business.

One of Levin's earliest, Mr. Ted Henderson, set up his own little industry- supplying firewood to the Longburn Freezing Works. He had three teams and 14 men in those days and did good business. He got the timber cut to for 4/- a cord. After that he did logging work for Prouses.