Uncategorized

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.

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

Hello there – this is Jack …Zack says ‘hi’ too.. but it sounds a bit mooo like…I cannot hear him too well as he is turned away from me, and is staring at what he says is a ‘two-seater’ toilet! He’s got it wrong of course – it is actually an early slow cooker and is in the kitchen section of the museum – but Zack isn’t very bright…and he doesn’t listen. I heard one of the guides telling a visitor that some time ago the kitchens got very hot in summer especially with a large stove needed for cooking.  So women would heat iron discs and put them inside the thing you see in the picture; this was made so the heat could not escape. They placed what had to be cooked on top of the disc then closed the lid. The food would cook slowly and the hot stove was not needed. So it was an early slow cooker  – I think it was rather clever. Now I am looking at…..but that can wait until next time, because it involves a dog! We don’t like dogs much because they nip at our hooves…..I shall close my eyes and perhaps it will go away.

Good morning – but it’s not – I can see the rain on the windows – never mind.  You remember last time I mentioned a twisty metal thing above my head ? Well, Zack says it is a toaster!  He says you put slices of bread between the upright bits of metal then push it toward the fire; when they are done you turn the slices round- have to be a bit careful of the hot metal, though.  I don’t know how he  found out about that, because we do not eat toast – he said we needed something nice to put on it – peanut butter???? Never heard of it. I am far more concerned about the long, narrow thing with spikes along the edge which is also hanging above us – about a meter long (how long is that?  (If it was measured in calves feet I could tell you).

Well – someone said it was a swordfish sword! Zack said that was nonsense because fish do not wear swords – they couldn’t handle one. But… I heard the sword was attached to the front end of the fish – it stuck out from where a nose would be. I wonder what it would be like to have that thing sticking out – every time you moved your head – wham – you might hit something.  Did they saw through seaweed or coral or…other fish ..or fight duels with each other? Just suppose Zack and I had one on the end of our noses…hmmmm.