Sunday will be the last day for the Bayswater and Gladfield display at the museum. This display has been on for 3 months and has attracted many people.
The next display will be split in two - the first subject will feature local transport through the years (cars, trucks and garages); and the second one will feaure projects from the students of Otautau School.
Toward the end of the year we are planning a display of the history of the Fairfax area. If you have photos or objects to loan for this, please bring them by the museum. We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!
Friday 28 August 2009
Tuesday 25 August 2009
August Update
Women's Probus
This has been an eventful month at the museum. On the 19th, we hosted a presentation and morning tea for the Winton Women's Probus Group. Their bus stopped at the hotel, and they took a stroll through the town, checking out shops and gifts stores on their way to the museum. One by one they came into the big meeting room which we had prepared for the event. We wanted to feature some of the things in our collection that don't normally get put on display so we had a few women's dresses from the 1920s, petticoats and pantaloons along with some very fine lace collars. We also had our large scrapbooks from the Women's Division of Federated Farmers Otautau Branch on display, as well as part of the Pipe Major's uniform from our Otautau & District Pipe Band collection.
Graham Barkman welcomed our guests, and I gave a brief presentation on how we care and store our clothing and photographs. Afterward we had morning tea and lots of conversation. It was great fun and left us museum people buzzing. We hope to see these women back here again soon.
Family History
The very same morning that the Women's Probus were here, we had a gentleman here from Australia researching his family history. His great, great-grandfather, James Mackintosh, was one of the early pioneers and landowners of the Gladfield estate and surrounds. He actually had far more information than we had so we encouraged him to email us a copy when he had time. But, as our current display is of the Bayswater Gladfield area, I think he enjoyed looking at pictures and studying the maps.
We continue to get 2-3 inquries a month of people looking for information on their Otautau & District ancestors. This is a growing field for us, and we are seeking volunteers to help us do the research. If you like digging through the past and helping others make ancestral links, please contact us.
We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!
This has been an eventful month at the museum. On the 19th, we hosted a presentation and morning tea for the Winton Women's Probus Group. Their bus stopped at the hotel, and they took a stroll through the town, checking out shops and gifts stores on their way to the museum. One by one they came into the big meeting room which we had prepared for the event. We wanted to feature some of the things in our collection that don't normally get put on display so we had a few women's dresses from the 1920s, petticoats and pantaloons along with some very fine lace collars. We also had our large scrapbooks from the Women's Division of Federated Farmers Otautau Branch on display, as well as part of the Pipe Major's uniform from our Otautau & District Pipe Band collection.
Graham Barkman welcomed our guests, and I gave a brief presentation on how we care and store our clothing and photographs. Afterward we had morning tea and lots of conversation. It was great fun and left us museum people buzzing. We hope to see these women back here again soon.
Family History
The very same morning that the Women's Probus were here, we had a gentleman here from Australia researching his family history. His great, great-grandfather, James Mackintosh, was one of the early pioneers and landowners of the Gladfield estate and surrounds. He actually had far more information than we had so we encouraged him to email us a copy when he had time. But, as our current display is of the Bayswater Gladfield area, I think he enjoyed looking at pictures and studying the maps.
We continue to get 2-3 inquries a month of people looking for information on their Otautau & District ancestors. This is a growing field for us, and we are seeking volunteers to help us do the research. If you like digging through the past and helping others make ancestral links, please contact us.
We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!
Friday 7 August 2009
Un-furled
Well, we have been enlightened as to the owner of the fur stoles that were left at our doorstep a few weeks ago. It turns out they were originally owned by a native Otautau-ite. She had married a farmer and lived in Bayswater. She died suddenly after an operation at Riverton Hospital in 1929. Her father was a blacksmith through the turn of the century, and mother owned a draper's shop in the Main Street from 1916.
Now the Trust will have to decide whether to keep the stoles or give them back. They are visually striking and would be excellent for display. But on the other hand, they may require special care to get rid of the musty smell. On top of this, there is the issue of storage space. If we continue to collect clothing, we will soon run out of space.
So these are just some of the things that the Trust has to take into account when accepting items from the public - whether we have the resources to care for and store the item properly, and whether the item adds value in terms of Otautau's heritage.
What would you do?
We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!
Now the Trust will have to decide whether to keep the stoles or give them back. They are visually striking and would be excellent for display. But on the other hand, they may require special care to get rid of the musty smell. On top of this, there is the issue of storage space. If we continue to collect clothing, we will soon run out of space.
So these are just some of the things that the Trust has to take into account when accepting items from the public - whether we have the resources to care for and store the item properly, and whether the item adds value in terms of Otautau's heritage.
What would you do?
We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!
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