Odds and ends

ODDS AND ENDS/

STUKKIES EN BROKKIES

THE CHRISTIE M ODELS

A c o l l e c t i o n o f m o d e l s built by M r I . M . L . C h r i s t i e o f t h e f a r m F a i r i e d a l e , W e p e n e r , h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n r e d i s p l a y e d a f t e r h a v i n g been in s t o r a g e f o r a ti me. M r C h r i s t i e , a n e m i g r a n t t o S o u t h A f r i c a f r o m E d i n b u r g h , S c o t l a n d , h a s w o n s e ve r a l a w a r d s for his m o d e l s . In 1958 t he R a n d S o c i e t y o f M o d e l E n g i n e e r s a w a r d e d h i m a silver m e d a l f o r t h e m o d e l o f t h e G a r v i e t h r e s h i n g m a c h i n e a n d in 1960 he rec ei ved a g o l d m e d a l f o r t h e Particle Bell r e a p i n g m a c h i n e as well as a b r o n z e m e d a l f o r t he M a r s h a l l p o r t a b l e s t e a m e ng i n e . T h e Bell’s r e a p e r a l s o w o n h i m a n a w a r d f r o m S t e w a r t s a n d Ll oyds . 1 he m o d e l o f t he p o r t a b l e s t e a m e n g i n e is ba s e d o n a n ol d s t e a m e n g i n e in t h e H o b h o u s e d i st r ic t , a n d t he t h r e s h i n g m a c h i n e o n a G a r v i e t h r e s h i n g m a c h i n e f o r m e r l y in use o n his f a r m . T h e Bell’s r e a p i n g m a c h i n e w a s c o p i e d f r o m o l d p h o t o g r a p h s .

M r I. M . L Christie was bo rn an d edu ca te d in Sc o tla n d an d has been fa rm in g in the W e p e n e r district since 1920.

T h e m o d el s o n di spla y in the N a t i o n a l M u s e u m c o m p rise a Pa tric k Bell re a p in g m ac hi ne , a Crossley st a ti o n a r y engin e a M a rs hal l p o rta b le ste am engine, a vertical s te a m engine, a S co tch c r a n k engin e a n d a Ga rv ie thr es hin g machine.

NEW PALA EONTO LO GY HALL

It has been a l o n g a n d s l o w s t r ug g l e t o c o m p l e t e t he n e w p a l a e o n t o l o g y gal l er y, but n o w t h a t t h e m o s t difficult p a r t o f t h e w o r k has b e e n d o n e , t h e r e a r e o nl y a few d i s p l a ys t o c o m p l e t e a n d t he n e w hall s h o u l d be o p e n e d t o t h e p u b l i c w i t h i n t he n e x t few m o n t h s . T h e n e w d i s p l a y s in t he hall de p i c t t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a n i m a l life o n e a r t h f r o m t h e t i m e w h e n life o r i g i n a t e d 3,2 t h o u s a n d mi l l i on y e ar s a g o till t he P l ei st o c e n e p e r i o d I mi l l ion ye a r s a g o . G r e a t ef f or t h a s been p u t i n t o t r y i n g t o o b t a i n g o o d fossil m a t e r i a l f o r t h e e x h i b i t s f r o m o v e r s e a s a n d o t h e r S o u t h A f r i c a n i ns t i tu t i on s . O n e o f t h e h i g h l i g h t s o f t he e x h i b i t is a c o m p l e t e fossilized s k e l e t o n o f a 4 1 : m l o n g m a r i n e reptile k n o w n as a n h t h y o s a u r wh i c h lived a b o u t 150 mi l l ion y e ar s a g o . T hi s s k e l e t o n was i m p o r t e d f r o m G e r m a n y .

DIE G R A N D - T E A T E R —R E A K S I E VAN

DI E P U B L I E K

Die ar t i ke l o o r die G r a n d - t e a t e r in die vor i ge u i t g a w e va n die M u s e u m sc n u u s b r i e f en die v e rw y si n g d a a r n a in ’n r u b r i e k in Die I 'olkshlud. het w e l k o m e r e ak s i e v a n lesers ui t gel ok.

Mn r . J I M . . B o t h a v a n die B l o e m l o n t e i n s e O n d e r w v s e r s k o l l e g e het 'n f ot o v a n die D ’Oyl y C a r t e - o p e r a g e s e l s k a p . wat t y d e n s di e o p e n i n g s w e e k in die G r a n d - t e a t e r o p g e t r e e het. a a n die M u s e u m b e s k i k b a a r gestel o m a f d r u k k e d a a r v a n te m a a k . Die f o t o. wa t in 'n o u r a u m a g t e r ’n a n d e r f o t o was. is net b e tv d s d e u r m n r . B o t h a ' gered' . N o g ’n i n t e r e s s a n t e a a n d e n k i n g a a n die O u G r a n d is 'n r o n d e l o o d - en k l e u r g l a s v e n s t e r in die besit \ a n m n r . en mev. I . u b b e \ a n I h o m a s 1 e i t h s t r a a t . Wi l ge hof . Di e v e n s t e r is t v d e n s die s l o p i n g v a n die g e b o u in 1956 b e k o m .

D a a r is n o g h e e l w a t B l o e m f o n t e i n e r s w a t t o n e e l o p \ o e r i n g s en r o l p r e n t v e r t o n i n g s in die ou G r a n d b v g e w o o n het. l n d i e n d a a r lesers is wat beski k o o r eni ge i n t e r e s s a n t e inl i gt i ng o m t r e n t die G r a n d - t e a t e r o f mi s k i e n l o t o ' s besit. k a n u g e r u s met die M u s e u m in v e r b i n d i n g tree B e s t aa n d a a r nie d a l k i ewer s 'n f ot o v a n die l o v e r v a n die t e a t e r nie?

•

M U S E U M BEPLAN

K I N D E R M U S E U M

W e e n s die feit d a t die g r o o t s t e p e r s e n t a s i e b e s o e k e r s a a n di e m u s e u m k i n d e r s is, w o r d 'n k i n d e r - a a n r a a k - m u s e u m ( t o u c h m u s e u m ) vir die n a b y e t o e k o m s b ep l a n .

Hi e r sal k i n d e r s die g e l e e n t h e i d k ry o m self o p g e s t o p t e m a t e r i a a l a s o o k l e w e n d e reptiele, a m f i b i e en i n s e kt e te h a n t e e r . A a n v u l l e n d e p r o g r a m m e me t skyfies, films en a n d e r o u d i o v i s u e l e h u l p m i d d e l s s a l a a n g e p a s w o r d v i r a l l e o u d e r d o m s g r o e p e . Di e k l e m val e g t e r o p s e l f d e e l n a m e s o d a t k i n d e r s o p ' n h o e vl a k g e s t i m u l e e r k a n w o r d . # 'n K l e u r g l a s v e n s t e r v a n d i e G r a n d - t e a t e r w a t b e h o u e g e b l y het. D a a r w a s e e n a a n b e i d e k a n t e v a n d i e h o o f i n g a n g .

21

By.skr i f op o o rsp ro n k lik e : T o T . A . C o n b y Esq. M a n a g e r G r a n d T h e a t r e . A s o u v e n i r o f the o p e n i n g — G r a n d T h e a t r e B l o e m f o n t e i n by t h e D ’Oy l y C a r t e R e p e r t o i r e O p e r a Co. F r o m H E. Bellamy. G e n e r a l M a n a g e r . Feb 19th 1906. F o to g ra a f: J a m e s W a t s o n & C o y c q A d d e r l e v St ^

NATIONAL MUSEUM

O RAN G E FREE STATE

BLO EM FO NTEIN

SO UTH A FR IC A

THEN (1933)

Visiting hours O p e n fro m 9 a.m . to I p.m. a n d fro m 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; S a t u r d a y s , f ro m 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. C o l o u r e d pe rs ons are allo wed a d m iss io n o n T h u r s d a y s only.

Entrance fees Free.

Buildings and satellites

S cop e and collection s

Publications

F r o m 1877 to 1912 the c ol le ct io ns were hou sed in the Old M u s e u m building, bu t were tr an sf er re d to their pr es en t q u a r t e r s in 1912. A d m i n i s t e r e d by a B oa rd o f six Trust ee s ( C h a i r m a n : Dr. v an Rhy n). f o u r o f w h o m were a p p o i n t e d by th e U n io n G o v e r n m e n t an d tw o by the Municip ali ty.

O n the g r o u n d floor, the vestibule c o n ta in s specim ens o f a r m s an d a r m o u r , tw o galleries ar e d e vote d to P a l a e o n to lo g y , in the lecture r o o m ar e et ch in g and pa in tin g s a n d the tw o re m a i n i n g galleries c o n ta in hi storical a n d e th n o lo g ic a l collections. O n the first f lo o r th ree galleries a r e d e v o te d to m a m m a ls, o n e to fishes a n d reptiles a n d o n e e a c h to birds, oste olog y a n d geology. T h e re a r e al so collec tions o f bo tan ica l spec im ens, sta m p s , coins, etc. T h e offices a n d w o r k ­ r o o m s a r e h o u s e d in a n a n n e x in the M u s e u m gr o u n d s.

“ A r g e o l o g i e s e N a v o r s i n g ” , t w o v o l u m e s ; “ P a leo nto lo gie se N a v o r s i n g ” , o n e vo lu m e, a n d o th e r pu blica tions.

Educational activities Visited by classes o f sc h o o l chi ld ren.

NOW (1983)

T h e N a tio n a l M u s e u m is o p e n to per son s o f all races ever y d a y o f the y e a r (except on C h r i s t m a s day. G o o d F ri d a y a n d the D a y o f the C ov e n a n t).

A d ul ts 50 cents. C h ild r e n 20 cents. O rg an ize d g ro u p s are prev io us a r ra n g e m e n t .

allowed free e n try by

Since 1933 ex ten si ve a d d itio n s have been m a d e to the exis ting m a in bui ld in g a n d office bui lding co mpl ex . H o w e v e r a c c o m m o d a t i o n re m a in s a c u te a n d to alleviate this a p ref a b ri ca ted office block is to be erect ed sho rtly . T h e M u s e u m has ac q u ired the fo llow ing satellites:

T h e First R a a d sa a l, 96 St. G e o rg e Street: T h e V ic to rian H o m e , 31 Kellner Street;

T h e F l o r i s b a d - s i t e a n d R e s e a r c h S t a t i o n . T h e Old S y n o d Bui ld in g o f the D u t c h Re fo rm ed C h u r c h will be a c q u i r e d sh ortly as a n a r t gallery.

D isp la ys by th e fo llo w ing d e p a r t m e n t s ca n be seen in th e m u s e u m to d ay : A rch ae o lo g y , A n th r o p o lo g y , H is to ry (in cl uding the street scene). Zoo logy ( M a m m a l o g y , O r n i t h o lo g y , He rp et ol og y), G eo logy a n d P a la e o n to lo g y (a new hall o p en s in N ove m be r) .

To d a t e a t o ta l o f 164 scientific pape rs hav e been pu blished in the tw o series o f scientific jo urn als o f the M u s e u m , nam ely the R esearches a n d M e m o irs o f the N a tio n a l M u se u m . Since 1970, the M u s e u m has b r a n c h e d into m o st fields o f n a tu r a l an d cu ltu ral h is to ry a n d pu blished a t o ta l o f 42 scientific papers. M o s t o f these hav e be en p rin te d by the M u s e u m ’s o w n p r in ti n g d e p a r t m e n t .

A fulltime officer for ea c h o f the tw o m a jo r p o p u l a t i o n g ro u p s is e m p lo y e d a n d th e to ld n u m b e r visitors per a n n u m is 160 000.

Staff

Finance

A d i re c to r (D r. Ing. E.C .N . v an H o ep en ), one a s sist a nt a n d a j a n ito r.

By the S ta te a n d Muni cip ali ty. In 1930, the g o v e r n m e n t g r a n t a m o u n t e d £20,000 an d the m u n ici p al g r a n t was £500. R e p ai rs a n d the provisio n o f cases were u n d e r t a k e n by th e g o v e r n m e n t (£5,000 was sp e n t on cases in 1928.)

T h e a b o v e is a facsimile re p ro d u c ti o n f r o m the “ D ire c to ry o f M u s e u m s a n d A rt galleries in British A fri c a ” , co m p ile d a n d pu bl ish ed by the M u s e u m s A sso ci at io n , L o n d o n , in 1933. The in f o rm a t i o n co n ta in e d ther ei n reflects the activities, displ ays , resea rch, financial po sit io n a n d s t a ff as it was 56 years af ter th e f o u n d in g o f the M u s e u m in 1877.

S ta ff m e m b e r s tot al 134 (see previous issue o f the Newsletter).

T h e p res en t c o n t r i b u ti o n by the S t a te is in excess o f o n e million r an d p er a n n u m . (N ei th er the Provincial A d m i n i s t r a t i o n n o r the M u ni c ipa lity m a k e an y f inanc ial c o n tr ib u ti o n ) .