Russell

Museum

Te Whare Taonga O Kororareka

Newsletter 1999

Changing Displays
The museum has mounted a series of changing displays every two months, to draw on its collection and those of the wider community. There has been a lot of interest from locals and renewed contact with them. Topics were A Hundred Years of Tourism, Weird and Wonderful plus an Antiques Road Show, Through Greta's Eyes (a local artist's view of our town), Come out to Play (children's pastimes), Collectables, and Russell Review Photo Contest.

Publications
The museum published a small booklet Courtship of Cook by J.M. Spedding, about the marriage of Captain James Cook and his Elizabeth. Near to completion is another booklet, Cook at the Bay (his comments on the Bay in 1769). Another project is a reprint of Jacky Nobody by Ann de Roo, a children's classic about a small boy in Kororareka / Russell at the time of Hone Heke.

Oral History
Four more people have been recorded this year to add to our collection of Russell Memories. This is an ongoing project that will be a valuable resource in the future.

Publicity
The museum has actively promoted itself with press releases on exhibitions, publications and museum events. Feedback tells us the local community as well as tourists are reading them with interest.

Painting
The exterior of the whole building has been repainted in heritage colours, which link the different sections more harmoniously together.

Burglary
In January some opportunist thieves opened display cases and stole some of our artefacts. The Museum Trustees and staff were devastated. Since then security has been tightened and upgraded.

New Material
A wide range of new artefacts has been added to our collection, and archives. Suzanne Hamilton, an Auckland Archivist volunteered to index our record of visiting American Whalers 1871-80, and gave us an Index of Russell Magistrate Records 1847-1913. We have been donated a tent used by gamefisherman Zane Grey in the 1920s.

We have been able to copy many old photos owned by residents, as well as adding current ones . We have purchased books like Pakeha Maori and The Musket Wars for our Museum library and were presented with a copy of the McLeod Family History after their reunion.

Triennial Elections
In February the Triennial Election of the Museum Trustees was held. This elects representatives from the community to manage the museum on their behalf for the next three years.

Re-elected were Florence Annison, Brian Baker, Joan Hill, Lorraine Hill, and Gill Jones. John Gibb represents the Kawakawa Community Board. New Trustees are Clive Arlidge (chair), Christine Hall, Andrew Riddell, Dianne Smith.

Plans For The Museum
In December 1998 plans for a proposed remodelling of the museum were on show for the community to provide feedback.

The newly elected Trust Board spent some time in the early part of 1999 familiarising themselves with the museum, and other parts of the building, the Trust Deed and Constitution, and considering future directions.

Modified plans were presented in June for Trustees and staff to discuss. In August the Trustees formally decided that their first priority would be to use the existing building more efficiently with minor exterior changes. The shop would be improved and extended. The displays would be upgraded to tell the story of our community more vividly as it has unfolded. There would be space for changing displays. The emphasis would be more interactive for visitors. The work would be done in stages as time permitted beginning with changes to entry desk, shop and the Maori beginnings of our story.

Regular Services
The museum offers a quick convenient photocopying, laminating and faxing service, which helps our finances. Our shop offers Northland books, our own Historic Russell Video, Heritage Trail brochures, mini history book Russell - More than a Place, and a range of gifts.

Feedback
We welcome community feedback and involvement particularly over the next year as displays are revamped.

The Russell Centennial Trust Board, which operates the museum, will hold its Annual General Meeting on 21 February 2000 and welcomes input from the Russell Community. This is your museum, your taonga, here to serve you.

The Trustees would like to record their appreciation of the work of Florence Annison who resigned in August and who has been a hardworking Trust Board Member since 1988 and Chairperson since 1989.