Ruth Yeoman marries Leonard Charles Leov pt3

Ruth Yeoman marries Leonard Charles Leov Pt3

Len Leov wrote.
'We were married 14th May 1930 in Paihiatua.

When we went to the Church at Pahiatua to get married the church was locked and the local parson was away, so Mr Yeoman had to break in. It’s a good thing he did. I would not have had such a good helper if we had not been able to enter the church.'

For our honeymoon we went for a trip around the lower part of the North Island in a Chrysler car. We arrived in Napier late one night from Taupo and camped at the camping grounds. In the morning I looked across a big swamp. I said to my wife, ‘Isn’t it a pity such areas couldn’t be lifted up.’ 

We were home only a few months and the Napier earthquake did lift it. Now there are thousands of acres of dry land. We visited the area recently and I'm sorry to see that there are houses on the best land and the powers that be are trying to farm the worst. 

Unfortunately the Great Depression then came to New Zealand and hard times ensued both for Len and Ruth Leov, and for many millions of people.

Len and Ruth moved from the dairy farm in the Ronga Valley and set up a pig farm in Rai Valley making use of the whey waste product from the dairy factory across the road.

Ruth Leov with Gilbert

After the tragic loss of two infants, at last Gilbert arrived on the 8 August 1932 and so began their family.

Maureen, June, and Frederick followed as the Depression moved into World War Two. 

Leov family from Left: Maureen, Ruth, Gilbert (rear) June, Len and Fred. ca 1945

Then Len made a fateful decision on behalf of his family: They were to sell up everything they had, the dairy farm and the pig farm and move to remote inhospitable D'Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds.