Lives of Bulls locals in new book

Jackie Farmer, right, whose story in the book was about being caught out in the 2004 floods. She is talking to Helen Cooper, secretary of the Bulls and Districts Historical Society.

Slices of Bulls life have been packaged into a new book about the area and its people.

The book produced by the Bulls & District Historical Society takes a more contemporary look at history, focusing on the last 50 years.

Archivist Anne Simms said the stories include insight from a local doctor's daughter, the memories of Sybil Hart who grew up on a racecourse and the recollections of Hilary Haylock from grand home Lethenty, "whose father Major Wilson had several governors-general stay at the house."

Sybil was born in 1928 and at 10 months her family moved to Bulls where her father was a race horse breeder and trainer. She attended the launch on Sunday at the Bulls Museum.

Superstar racing driver Chris Amon is also featured.

The historical society's secretary Helen Cooper said the idea came from president Keith Scott and archivist Anne Simms.

"It's nice to keep the social history up to date. We had nothing really in the last 50 years."

The Bulls Museum is operated by the Bulls & District Historical Society.

Mrs Cooper said about 40 people attended the launch of Slices of Life. The book is sub-titled Tales of Past and Present residents of Bulls and District.

The 122 page work took about a year to compile and can be found online or bought at the Bulls Museum in High Street.

The society said thanks go to the Arthur Wheeler Leedstown Trust for help in producing the 300 copies and Carol Lewis of Remix for sponsorship. Carol Daubner did the typesetting and the book was put together by Mr Scott and Mrs Simms.