Snow on the Alps

For many of us, winter is a time of shivering through our time spent outside, finding refuge in a cosy blanket and a hot drink whenever we have a minute to relax.

No job too tough

While conducting some research for a member of the public, Senior Curator Maryann Cowan discovered the exciting legacy of yet another interesting Ashburtonian – that of Mr. James Russell Richardson.

The Doctor and the Deputy

Not only are medicine and doctors important in everyday life, but back when Ashburton was in its infancy, people often took up more than one vocation due to lack of residents – doctors included.

Proper Papers, Pretty Pictures

The Ashburton Museum is home to countless documents, diaries, pamphlets and books – we seem to have examples of just about every kind of archival material relating to Ashburton District and its history.

More district mischief

It's that time once again! At the Ashburton Museum we often come across some strange things from day to day, including odd and interesting stories from the archives.

Albert Ager, an architect of note

Albert Ager was an architect from Christchurch who briefly made his mark in Ashburton during the late 1890s and early 1900s. Ager trained at the School of Architecture at Canterbury College, Christchurch. It seems that before coming to Ashburton, he lectured at the School of Art. He delivered a series of lectures on the history...

Dry Docks and Sunspots

People are always trying to predict and speculate on the future – it’s often more important to us than the present. Whether we are thinking ahead at work, checking the weather, or making financial decisions, the future is always on our minds. The distant future, too, is often the subject of much discussion and thought,...

140 years of mayhem and mischief

Last year, the Ashburton Guardian celebrated 140 years of reporting. Among that coverage are many stories of mayhem and mischief, showing how nineteenth-century life in Ashburton and in Canterbury as a whole was not as mundane as one might think. Old Guardians are peppered with reports of stand-out incidents and occurrences, ranging from macabre to...

  It’s no secret that some advertisements try and make the subject seem as great as possible, at least within reason, since that’s the whole point of advertising. Of course you want your product to seem like the best of its kind, the only logical option, and the best bang for your buck. However, when...

Many scientific practices or areas of study that were once considered progressive or novel are now considered pseudoscience and quackery - phrenology included. You may see phrenology head models and head charts occasionally in odd shops, making the notion of the practice seem a bit “hipster”, but phrenology was as dubious as it was intriguing....