Personal diaries and letters, in many cases, provide us with some of the most interesting historic stories that have ever, or never, been told. Every memoir is special, but those that vividly recall events of war, adversity, triumph, failure, and hope through the eyes of someone we can easily relate to are perhaps the most... Continue Reading →
Once upon a time, before texts, emails, and apps like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat there was… talking to each other! Aside from sending letters, the telegraph system provided a relatively quick means of communication across Aotearoa. It developed first across the South Island and then up into the North. What was once a technological marvel... Continue Reading →
Throughout the closing decades of the nineteenth century, New Zealand was undergoing rapid population growth and huge urban development. Factors such as improved transportation and an influx of steam-powered woodworking equipment gave rise to a new kind of house: the iconic villa. A family sitting on the veranda of their lonely rural villa, somewhere in... Continue Reading →
Continuing on from our last post about Tinwald, let’s now take a look at Tinwald’s popular and beloved Domain. The Tinwald Domain began as a mere suggestion made by John Grigg to the Ashburton County Council, to apply to the Government for a fifty acre recreation reserve in 1878. Fifty acres were not acquired, instead... Continue Reading →
Tinwald! Is it just a suburb, Ashburton’s little sibling or is it something much more? While the typical traveller passing through town along State Highway 1 might see Tinwald and Ashburton as one big place split in two by the river, us locals know that isn't the case... There's something different about Tinwald. In the... Continue Reading →
The Ashburton Museum’s archives and photograph collections, which are owned by the Ashburton Museum and Historical Society Inc, consist of over a century and a half’s worth of images depicting people, places and events. These collections are a treasure trove of local history. Some quite interesting photographs in our collection come from Methven, a township... Continue Reading →
The early days of European settlement were tough, but there was still the odd bit of fun to be had. Among all the hard work, tragedies and struggles for survival suffered by local European settler families, there was plenty of room for amusement as evidenced by the many stories and tall tales that survive from... Continue Reading →
When you come across the scant remains of a place like Waterton, you start to wonder what led to such a fate. The old cemetery on Grahams Road is the last inkling of this once a popular township, which fell prey to issues caused by a need for labourers elsewhere, as well as that classic... Continue Reading →
As an entity the British Empire is hard to discuss. Having once laid claim to a quarter of the Earth, it brought prosperity and advancement to some, while many more suffered from oppression and exploitation. For better or for worse, the British Empire was a very powerful global force for a long time and many... Continue Reading →
In early May 1977, demolition workers were carrying out a run-of-the-mill job at 35 Oak Grove. A large wooden house which had previously been split into four flats was being pulled down due to problems with the age of the building and its maintenance. This house was once Warwick Hospital, also known as Warwick House... Continue Reading →
Ashburton Museum Blog 