Autocrat Radio Ltd

After arriving in New Zealand in April 1963 I obtained employment at Autocrat Radio Ltd in Carr Rd, Mt Roskill as a radio inspector, testing and setting up and making any needed repairs to the production line of the Sanyo equipment being assembled under licence . It was during this time that I made friends with one of the older technicians Alf Maddock. As often happens we formed a small clique of myself, Alf and two of his friends who were still apprentices Robin Wood and Bill Patient. We socialised on a regular basis with the odd party and spent time in each others houses.Our friendship carried on after I left Autocrat's with Robin Wood helping me on the odd evening after he finished work, eventually joining me full time after completing his apprenticeship. Bill Patient left his apprenticeship early and became the first employee, with Alf Maddock eventualy buying my half share in 'La Wood Television Ltd'.

Robin Wood

Robin Hugh Wood (about ten years younger than me), moved from Gisborne to Auckland and undertook an apprenticeship at Autocrat Radio Ltd. During the whole period I knew him from our first meet at Autocrat to the time I sold my share in La Wood Television Ltd, he was unmarried and lived in a flat in Mission Bay with several other lads. During our association I made several trips to his parents home in Gisborne with him, as well as a number of social outings with a Canadian who was flat sharing with him. Robin was Godfather to my daughter Christine. Apart from several phone contacts made by me over the years Robin and I have not met since I left on very bad terms. The major problem was that I was married devoting much of my time to the business including evenings, while Robin being single spent his evening time socialising. We also were drawing very little money from the business which was no problem for Robin as his family were helping him, this was part and parcel towards what caused considerable friction between us.

At a party in my house in Grey Lynn 1963. Robin Wood (centre), myself (left), and Alf Maddock (close up right)

Bill Patient

William John Patient usually referred to as Bill. Although Bill is even slightly younger than Robin Wood, we had a lot in common in tastes of music and I became a good friend of his father. It was I who employed Bill and him and Robin often didn't see eye to eye. Bill left the company shortly after my departure and went on to become very successfull businessman. His first company was called 'Glass Resurfacing Ltd', in Penrose where he polished and repaired car windscreens as well as installing car radio's and sound systems. Later he formed a new company in Church St, Penrose, called 'Juni New Zealand Ltd', where he advertised as 'Car Stereo And Accessory Importers'. He also for a short period opened a shop in the Royal Oak shopping centre. He is now involved in property development.

Alf Maddock

Alfred Maddock or Alf as he liked to be called by his friends, he was a little older than me and was a senior technician at Autocrat when I met him. We became good friends and although from memory I believe he lived up on the East Coast Bays, he was a regular visitor to my home and stayed over with us on a number of ocasions. At one time I arranged for accommodation with one of my relatives in Chelmsford, England, for Alf's younger brother Colin while he went on his 'OE' there to work at Marconi's. Alf bought my half share in 'La Wood Television Ltd', from me. He was a great asset in his skills of silk-screening for panels and glass, and I believe he carried on in that field for a while after I left. Sadly Alf passed away some years ago.

Alf and my wife, Grey Lynn 1963  Alf, my wife and son, Grey Lynn 1963