Anna Swan Wedding
The wedding of Anna Haining Swan and Martin Van Buren Bates, Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, in 1871.
Beth Carruthers sourced the original newspaper page and had the image professionally framed. This speaks to the tireless effort our volunteers contribute to the museum’s collections. Once the artifact is accessioned, it will be included in the Anna Swan Museum exhibit.

Volunteer Tour Guide Orientation Day 2019
Our volunteer tour guides gather for Orientation Day 2019, to enjoy an afternoon of learning, refreshment and a good old-fashioned chat.

Anna Swan
Anna Swan's Dress
Introducing Jack and Zack
It’s us! Jack and Zack ! We did it - we went exploring. Our glass case was cleaned today and we were lifted out - but they didn’t put us back because they hadn’t finished. Sooo -after everyone had left we went to the wheelchair . You can see it in the picture. The trouble was how to sit in it - either I sat on Zack’s head or he sat on mine - neither of us fancied that….well the ‘sat on ‘ wouldn’t see much. In the end we climbed on sideways with our legs hanging over the side - that way we could both see and we could turn the wheels with out hooves. The chair is quite comfortable - I wonder if it came from the old Tatamagouche hospital? Anyway we passed an old dental chair and a bear trap, then we were going faster and faster and couldn’t stop……well we did because we hit a door saying "North Shore Archives"…and we fell off. We both bawled loudly but no-one came so we hobbled back to where we started. We had to leave the chair though…..I expect how it got there will be a bit of a mystery….Mooo
Jack and Zack (the two-headed calf) and the wheelchair.
It’s us! Jack and Zack ! We did it - we went exploring. Our glass case was cleaned today and we were lifted out - but they didn’t put us back because they hadn’t finished. Sooo -after everyone had left we went to the wheelchair . You can see it in the picture. The trouble was how to sit in it - either I sat on Zack’s head or he sat on mine - neither of us fancied that….well the ‘sat on ‘ wouldn’t see much. In the end we climbed on sideways with our legs hanging over the side - that way we could both see and we could turn the wheels with out hooves. The chair is quite comfortable - I wonder if it came from the old Tatamagouche hospital? Anyway we passed an old dental chair and a bear trap, then we were going faster and faster and couldn’t stop……well we did because we hit a door saying "North Shore Archives"…and we fell off. We both bawled loudly but no-one came so we hobbled back to where we started. We had to leave the chair though…..I expect how it got there will be a bit of a mystery….Mooo
Jack and Zack and a trip to the Farmer's Market, Grain Elevator, and Arts Centre
It's Jack here again - of course that means Zack is here as well, but he's asleep at the moment, so I can tell you about our latest trip outside. We managed the back stairs again and because it was a Saturday, if we were careful we could get into the Farmers' Market without being seen. We scurried behind the flower beds and got in through a side door. We were able to hide under a table- and saw an awful lot of legs -hairy ones, tanned ones, muscular ones ....none like ours so a bit boring really.
Jack and Zack and the Broom
Hullo Everyone,
Oh dear - we feel bad because we haven't written to you, but we were too tired! So many visitors meant we had to stand still for hours and by the time we could go exploring our legs just would not work. Anyway, last night we did get down the stairs to see the old creamery machinery.
There was a long silvery rectangular tank, called a 'pasteurizer'; Zack thought it was something to do with pastures, and then thought it meant 'past your eyes', but I seem to remember someone saying it was for heating the cream to a very high temperature, to kill nasty things in it…what sort of nasty things? We never found anything in the cream we drank. Then there was a very, very big silvery cylinder with an opening near the top - the churn; this was where the cream went to be actually turned into butter. We tried jumping up to see what was inside, then Zack found a pipe opening and stuck his head through - well of course he got stuck which meant I couldn't go anywhere. He started bawling and the sound was magnified by the cylinder...a dreadful noise, which frightened me so I was scrabbling and mooing - finally he laid his ears flat and I shot forward and hit a butter paddle hung on the wall - I expect the staff will wonder how it got on the floor. Never mind. Then we came to a large machine which actually put the butter into the sort of packet you see in the shops - Tatamagouche Butter! BUT next to that was a table with little jars and a carton of cream...and someone had left the lids off the salt and colouring,- sooooo...we each filled a jar and jammed the lids on, but our hooves couldn't shake them, soooo...we ran round and round the exhibit…mine turned into butter but Zack dropped his and the lid came off and yellowy liquid and bits of butter flew all over the place.... and on us. Well, we licked ourselves clean, but couldn't clear up the mess on the floor. We rather wonder what the staff will think when they come in the morning....oh well!