Since the late 1800s, the same name has adorned each building that has occupied the corner of East and Burnett Streets on the northern side. Have you ever wondered how Somerset House, and the adjoining Somerset Grocer café got their unique names? It’s because the site was once home to the Somerset Hotel, built in... Continue Reading →
Pshhhhhhttttt. Click. Riiiiiiiiiiiip. There are many sounds of summer but the one I remember with childhood fondness is the treat of opening a cold can of soda on a blistering hot day. The history of beverages spans centuries, cultures and many ingredients. However, the advent of that fizzy carbonated sweet drink stored in a sealed bottle... Continue Reading →
Holiday greeting cards are synonymous with the season, and over the years, whether home or abroad, Ashburtonians have made sure to pass along their Christmas wishes to friends and family. The Ashburton Museum & Historical Society Collection contains a number of Ashburton-themed Christmas cards, as well as various photos and memorabilia relating to Christmas in... Continue Reading →
When working with historical objects, few items evoke more excitement than those that represent childhood. It is hard not to feel a flood of nostalgia and wonder when coming across a faithful old bear loved from years of play, or when working to preserve the remnants of a game used over and over again for... Continue Reading →
Frederick Zaccheus Duckett Ferriman was a remarkably stubborn and dedicated man who exemplified volunteerism and giving to a community. He was a well-known past real estate agent, philanthropist, benefactor, staunch temperance/prohibitionist, Anglican and Borough Councillor; indeed, Mr and Mrs Ferriman were together a formidable force in the social history of Ashburton. The Ferriman family, from... Continue Reading →
I am sure that many of you who are familiar with some of the Ashburton District’s weirder occurrences have rolled your eyes by now. It has been a while since a full-blown story has been published on the space balls, but I am sure that a lot of you will not need reminding of these... Continue Reading →
An interesting recent addition to the Museum and Historical Society’s object collection was the McFarlane Shield for Agricultural Science. Made in 1917, the shield first belonged to the Education Board and was then passed on to the Canterbury Horticultural Society in 1989 when the Education Board closed.
An early image of the Ashburton railway station entrance. The Ashburton Railway station was once a social hub of the town: a place where goods and people moved from one place to another. There were two earlier stations - the first was built in 1874, when it took 72 minutes to get from Christchurch to... Continue Reading →
The Ashburton Museum collection includes all sorts of rare and common objects, and all have potential to tell interesting stories. But what can one humble, and once ubiquitous Marmite jar tell us about both the past and today?
While increasingly English became the dominant language of New Zealand, these new New Zealanders were also interested in what gave their new nation a unique identity.
Ashburton Museum Blog 