Waitaki Archive Blog
Featuring thoughts and ideas from the Waitaki Archive.
The recent pandemic lockdown has been a challenging event for all of us. At Waitaki Archive we have used this time to explore a digital transcription tool called Transkribus with our dedicated team of volunteers.
Last year the Archive was fortunate to receive two wooden cases of glass photographic slides associated with the well known North Otago identity, mountaineer and explorer, William George Grave. William Grave was foremost of the second generation of explorers of western Otago.
In February 2020 two historic Ōamaru buildings on Severn Street were demolished to make way for a new development. The most prominent building demolished was the Ōamaru Baptist Church, the other was the lesser known North Otago Dairy Factory Company (NODFC) building.
The Ōamaru Baptist Church, Severn Street was built in 1889 as a permanent place of worship for the Ōamaru Baptist congregation. Mr Gideon Rutherford generously donated the land at section 4, block 25, Ōamaru Town along with a contribution towards the construction of the Church.
Waitaki’s cultural collections are being launched online. Our new collections online website aims to make the art, photographs and objects of the Waitaki accessible and discoverable.
The Perry family have had a long and remarkable association with North Otago. Benjamin Perry was a quarry owner and the proprietor of the Empire Hotel from 1885 until prohibition began in Oamaru in 1905.
The magnificent Craig's fountain occupies a focal point near the main entrance to the Oamaru Public Gardens. Officially opened during the Floral fete on 13 April 1914, the fountain was purchased with bequest funds of 500 pounds from the estate of prominent Oamaru timber merchant James Craig.
30 years ago on the 15 May 1987 the Archive extension to the North Otago Museum was opened by then Minister of Tourism Mike Moore.
Ernest Rutherford and Frank Milner met during Milner’s first year at Nelson College. It was the start of a friendly association that lasted until Rutherford’s death in 1937. Although Rutherford was four years older than Milner the two shared an intellectual bond.
Jane Macknight, Director of the Gallery, Museum, Archive is delighted to announce a substantial gift from the Sutton family – the complete record of the Waitangi Station, from the late 1880s to 1970s through its farm diaries.