The beginnings and development of a New Zealand music: The life ...

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1915-1937
EARLY LIFE, WAITAKI AND CANTERBURY COLLEGE
"I was not born into a musical family and had
no proper musical training before a late age
of 17, rather than regret this, I've always
remained grateful for a childhood on a central
North Island sheep station, a richly varied and
potent human and natural context to shape a
young imagination."1
Douglas Gordon Lilburn was born on the 2nd of November 1915, at
Mrs Tripe's Nursing Home, 27 Liverpool Street, Wanganui.
seventh child of Robert and Rosamund Louisa Lilburn. 2
the mother 42.
He was the
At the time of Douglas's birth, the father was 49 years old and
Their offspring comprised John Drysdale Lilburn (born
15 January 1899), Richard Shield Lilburn (born 6 August 1900), Louisa
Rosamund Lilburn (born 5 May 1904), Robert Lilburn (born 6 September 1907),
and the twins Janet Cameron and Ewen Campbell Lilburn (born 25 March 1~1).3
"And when I was about seven years old my parents
took my eldest sister with them and ,they went off
on a grand tour as retired people did in those days
with enormous trunks which Cooks looked after. My
eldest brother had just married. His wife was
someone whom I loved dearly - she was like a second
mother to me and they were like second parents at
that time - almost closer I imagine than my own
parents in the sense that we would play tennis and
go swimming together and picnic in· the busp. But
this was at ,the moment, when my~, twin brother and
sister were sent off to boarding school and so in
fact I was left a single child in this house which
had been full of people before and I kind of rattled
around in it on my own part from my brother and his
wife and elderly housekeeper •••
Douglas Lilburn, A Search for a language. University of Otago Open
Lecture, 12 March J969;' Unpublished typescript;- p.16.
2 Birth Certificate of Douglas Lilburn (certified copy of entry in the
register-book of births, Wanganui District). Photocopy with author.
3 Douglas Lilburn in correspondence with author 28 October 1980.