Thursday 31 January 2013

News & Views

From left, Shirley Froude, Audrey Campbell and Muriel Brown making light work of the job at hand.
The February edition of the News & Views was hot off the presses, and it was the museum's turn to do its bit by folding several hundred for the township, RDs and post boxes. It was a very enjoyable way to spend the morning. Thanks to the very hardworking and always cheerful SDC staff for putting out the News & Views every month and helping give community groups a voice.

We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!

Tuesday 15 January 2013

Family History - Crawford

We've been looking into the Crawford family for a descendant whose friend has contacted us. If you have any information about this family, please let us know. So far, this is what we've learned via web sources - Papers Past and the BDM.

The Crawfords came to Otautau in the early 1900s from Dunedin. Frank Crawford had a partnership with John Ravenscroft in the household goods business - Crawford & Ravenscroft. Their store was on Main Street, probably where the empty draper's shop is now - between the old National Bank and the Central Garage. Frank was a member of the bowls team and active in the community. Frank's brother, John Crawford, sold bicycles in Gore.

In 1905, John Ravenscroft took his life, leaving Frank to continue the business on his own. Frank sold various parts of his business but kept it going until he moved to Christchurch with his wife. He sold his motor and bicycle business to W. J. O'Connor who was a blacksmith in 1912. In Christchurch, it seems he may have joined the Opawa Bowling Club.

Frank's brother, John, married Eliza Ann (Annie), the only daughter of Ewen Matheson, a prominent storekeeper and civic leader in the town. They married in 1902, but Eliza died that same year aged 28.

John then married Bessie Ball Turnbull in 1907, and they had a son in 1908. The son, John Percival, died in 1911. A year later, John took his own life in Otamita, northwest of Gore. Though he lived and worked in Gore, he, his first wife and son are all buried in the old Otautau Cemetery.

If you have any more information on Frank Crawford or his brother John, please let us know so that we may pass it on to Frank's descendant.

We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!

Saturday 5 January 2013

Thank Heavens for Creative NZ

I often accuse myself of being slow on the uptake, and it's true, I am. It's so easy to troll the web with only 'museum' in mind, looking for ideas or guidance for our rural museum. So thinking about arts and cultural organisations is not something I've done much of but I now realise these sectors are in the same boat we are.

In the past few days, I have been exploring and enjoying the many resources on the Creative NZ website. They have done massive research on audience profiles, using social media, and coaching arts organisations to take their vision to the next level. So much of what they've done is applicable to heritage organisations too. I highly recommend these resources starting with the Audience Atlas and Culture Segments. Also check out their videos and webinars.

Thanks Creative NZ.

We're open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm, and by request. Your comments are always welcome!