This Canterbury Pacific Swimwear bathing suit belongs to Gwenda Hansen (nee Robinson). "I wore this suit in the late 1940s on many holidays, including Alexandra, Timaru, Queenstown and Kaka Point. They were all good, but Timaru especially so as we spent a lot of time at Caroline Bay and attended the Bay Concert each afternoon in the soundshell and danced late into the night or early hours of the morning. I grew up on a farm in Moneymore, five miles out of Milton in South Otago. Mum and Dad would take us to the beach for the day. Sometimes it was to Bull Creek or Toko Mouth. There used to be a gala at Kaka Point on New Year’s Day. We’d join the children’s running races and win a penny if we were fast runners. Bull Creek was our favourite beach. Mum would have arranged for us to stay at Aunty Lottie’s crib. On a Sunday Dad would drive Mum and us four children the 15 miles there, and then come pick us up the next Sunday. It seemed to be the crib furthest away from the beach. It was a long walk there and back with all the gear we’d need for a picnic day – jerseys, coats, towels and food. Mum always took plenty of food on holiday. She’d be cooking for days beforehand. There was no electricity for lights or stoves, but that was as it was at home too."