Celebrating the Collections & Archives of Otautau Museum

This building is situated on the corners of Main & Alderly Sts, Ōtautau (currently Farmlands). Recently I was priviledged to do some research on this site and building for a reunion. Below is a vastly abridged version of this: In 1878 the blocks of land the Co-op was built on in 1907, were given in a Govt. Crown Grant, to Frederick Augustus Price, on 28 June 1873, for the price of £6/10 & £5/5: Frederick was a son of Thomas & Julianna Price who built and owned the original Ōtautau Hotel, next door. This was not long after the initial survey of the town in 1872. BELOW: 2007.2.3.30 – from Museum Collection. New Farmer’s Co-op store, dated to 1912 – 1913, based on other businesses seen in photo. In 1984, a Southland Times article stated "Company Spends $100,000 on renovations” and lists dates, names and other information. This is interspersed here with other recorded fact: - The Ōtautau branch, opened in 13 Sept 1907. The first store manager was Mr George. - Del...

Born 1st Sept 1886 at High Mark, Wigtownshire, Scotland, Mary Robson Donnan was the only child of Martha Biggart (nee Hogarth) and William Donnan. Although her parents had married in Glasgow, William went out to Australia, before going on to New Zealand, where Martha and Mary joined him. The family eventually came to Ōtautau, moving there in 1897 when Mary was still a child, living at Woodside Farm, shown below: ‘Woodside’ Ōtautau NZ, 1919. From Ōtautau Museum “Miss Shaw” Collection #2007.2.3.54 (Photographer, Mary Donnan) PHOTO – IN PUBLIC DOMAIN From here, Mary attended Ōtautau School, and it was there she met with Ina Shaw; they grew up as best friends and went on to share a lot of their lives together, even moving together when their respective parents died. After leaving school, then going to Otago Girls High School, also doing teachers training at Dunedin Training College, Miss Donnan was the “infant class” school teacher at Ōtautau School from 1908 - for over 30 years! ...

  The Seatter family contributed to post railway life in Ō tautau Murihiku, in many ways. Robert Seatter (1852-1935), was born on Papa Westray, and emigrated to NZ in 1874, sailing on the maiden voyage of the clipper "Invercargill", landing at Port Chalmers on 15 October after a voyage of 91 days. Joining him on this voyage, was fellow Orkney resident William Rendall, who was to become Robert Seatter's brother in law. An assisted immigrant, Robert worked in the trade of carpentry and joinery, which he had learned back home in Kirkwall, along with a few years of fishing for the herring there, set out to undertake work along the way between Dunedin and Waikouaitai, where he finally settled for some years. On 10th Dec 1878, his wife to be Christena finally immigrated also, on the ship "Canterbury", sailing from Greenock on 12 September and their marriage took place on 26 December of that same year.               ...

Rifleman Tui George Groves E Horner #42667 – NZRB: and Clifford Charles Horner #74579 – Mounted Rifles: These two first cousins were both in WW1. Their family was originally from Papanui, Christchurch, but they moved here to take up land in Heddon Bush before the onset of the war, which was on the Oreti Plains. Both the boys had this as their address on enlisting, and both were farming at the time. Tui who was called ‘Tim’, was born in 1894 in Christchurch. His parents were George Groves and Eliza (nee Bishop) Horner of Heddon Bush. On enlisting, Tim left NZ on 26/4/1917 bound for Plymouth, Devon, England, on board the ‘Pakeha’. He signed up as a Rifleman with NZRB, J Company Reinforcements. He looks rather dashing in his uniform, below!                                        ...