These roller skates (1983.7.3) have firm leather boots with steel soles and wheels.
Our Top 20 survey has completed its fourth week and our list of artefacts continues to grow! Patrons placed votes for over 20 artefacts this week of which only 9 were in our Top 20 from previous weeks. The list was shaken up a little bit but only for the artefacts that are below #6 on the list. With only a week and a half left to place votes, it will be very interesting to see what happens!
Click here for last week’s Top 20 Results!
Stereoscopes were used to view cards taken with a stereo camera. The cards were placed in the slots and pulled towards the viewer. As the image came into focus it would appear three dimensional. This type of viewer was popular during the Victorian era.
The objects in the first 6 spots have not changed a lot. The Coleman Frog, Harvey Studio camera and the Penny Farthing Bicycle continued to dominate the votes and the Horse Tricycle continued to hold a spot in the top 5. The World War I Machine Gun was bumped down to #6 the 1914 Cash Register reclaimed the #5 spot that it held a few weeks ago!
In 1858, George Wolhaupter married Harriett Carman. Their son, Benjamin, was born in 1859. When George died in 1860, his wife and son moved to Ontario. Benjamin possessed great mechanical ability, and ultimately became an engineer who specialized in railroad tracks. He took out 215 patents for inventions, and was a successful manufacturer and businessman. Benjamin built this steam engine.
There doesn’t appear to be any new objects in the Top 20 but I think that it’s interesting that four of the Top 20 artefacts are from World War I. If you look at the overall votes since we started this survey, another 5 World War I objects received votes including the Trench Armour (#39) that we posted infromation about last week. The First World War was such a horrifying yet interesting time in history. People find the artefacts in our Trench exhibit fascinating and often have a difficult time narrowing a vote down to just one object.
The Ackerman Tavern Beam is an unusual artefact that is steeped in history! Unfortunately, it has only 1 vote so far and will not make it to the Top 20!
Some of the objects receiving votes for the first time this week are the Lady’s Roller Skates, the Wolhaupter Steam Engine, the Ackerman Tavern Beam and the Stereoscope.
The Ackerman Tavern Beam (1969.2204.1) inspired Fredericton Arts Alliance artist in residence, Katherine Moller, to write a song about it during her residency. This beam had been in the Ackerman Tavern at the corner of the St. John and Queen Street, until it was demolished in 1961 to make way for the current Playhouse. The tavern had been the first meeting place of the New Brunswick Legislature. We posted a blog about the Ackerman Tavern Beam last Summer!
Grenade fire extinguishers (1987-25-2) were thrown at small fires, the chemicals inside smother the fire. These were commonly found in hotels with carpet flooring.
The Wolhaupter Steam Engine was made by Benjamin Wolhaupter (1800-1857) nephew. Benjamin’s portrait hangs in the same gallery where you’ll find the steam engine. Benjamin was a silversmith, clockmaker, High Sheriff of York County, President of Central Fire Insurance co., Director of the Bank of New Brunswick, a Commissioner for Government House (1840-2) and other public buildings in Fredericton (1843-8) and Captain and Quartermaster of the York Sunbury Regiment of Militia during the 1839 border dispute. A devout Anglican, and a close friend of the Lord Bishop of Fredericton, the Rt. Rev. John Medley. Medley purchased Benjamin’s home at 97 Church Street, Fredericton, upon his death in 1857.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with the list over the last week and a half of votes! If you have a favourite artefact that is not on the list or not as high on the list that you think it should be, then visit the York Sunbury Museum and place a vote!!
The top 20 list after four weeks:
1. Coleman Frog
7. Fire Extinguisher Grenades
8. St. Dunstan’s Church Steeple Cross
9. Colt Revolver
10. Native Picnic Basket
11. Maliseet Paddle
12. Portrait of Sarah Peters
14. Ralph Sketch Bronze Statue
15. World War I Messenger Book
16. Wigwam Replica
17. Elevator Shoes
18. African Porcupine Quill Box
19. Native Fish Trap
20. Valcartier Camp Panoramic Photograph
York Sunbury Historical Society 
