We visited the Mount Bruce Pioneer Museum, north of Masterton, in the weekend and that certainly made us appreciate the labour saving machines that we have these days. Doing the laundry in these early washing machines was an all day chore. The soap and flour bags hanging up on the clothesline were certainly from a bygone era. The owner was amazed when I told him that some crafters pay big money for bags like these.
The old cook books on display brought back some memories, especially the Aunt Daisy cookbook. Born Maud Ruby Basham, Aunt Daisy was an institution here in New Zealand. Her first radio broadcast was made in 1922 and by 1933 her week-day, 9am half-hour programme for women, was a huge success. Made an MBE in 1956, Aunt Daisy broadcast her daily programme about household management until just a few days before her death in Wellington in 1963.
There were plenty of old sewing machines on display, including an early Bernina. (I love my current Bernina , Aurora 440), and a cabinet full of very interesting sewing bits and pieces. Embroidery cottons, pins, scissors, even a darning mushroom. How many of us can remember darning socks, I wonder?
I loved the display of old clothing. There were several lace adorned undergarments and even a corset. We certainly don’t miss wearing those horrible things, do we! We spent a very interesting afternoon checking out all these bit and pieces from years gone by.
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