Unearthing The Story Of Mr Bell’s Plough

A seemingly simple farming tool takes centre stage at Whanganui Regional Museum this month, revealing a layered story of early settlement and shifting historical perspectives.

Visitors are invited to attend May’s Object of the Month talk, where Kaihāpai Taonga/General Curator Sue Garside will explore the history of ‘Mr Bell’s Plough’ — an elegant swing plough with symbolic links to Whanganui’s early farming history.

Thought to have been used to plough the first furrow in Whanganui, the plough was made in England prior to 1841 and used in New Zealand by the Nixon and Bell families.

While the object has long been associated with a significant moment in the region’s agricultural history, its journey into the Museum’s collection has remained something of a mystery — one that has only recently begun to be better understood.

“This is a great example of how museum objects can reveal different layers of history,” says Garside. “Ploughing in New Zealand has had a symbolic value as well as a practical one.”

The talk offers a chance to look more closely at this distinctive object and consider how everyday tools can carry complex and changing stories.

Taonga o te Marama/Object of the Month is held on the third Friday of every month and offers a fresh way to connect with the Museum’s collection. Each session follows a popular 15-minute lunchtime format. Visitors meet in the Museum atrium to hear the featured object’s story before viewing it in the gallery.

Sue’s talk will take place at 12.15pm on Friday 15 May at Whanganui Regional Museum.

Attendance is free and open to all. No booking is required. Koha to support the Museum’s ongoing heritage preservation work is warmly welcomed.

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