LYTTELTON IN 1851

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26123, 27 May 1950, Page 8

LYTTELTON IN 1851

DIORAMA BEING CONSTRUCTED EXHIBIT FOR INDUSTRIES FAIR Work has been started on the construction of a large-scale diorama representing Lyttelton as on New Year’s Day, 1851, with the Canterbury Association’s four ships, the Charlotte Jane, the Randolph, the Cressy, and the Sir George Seymour, at anchor in the harbour. The diorama is being prepared for the Canterbury Museum by a subcommittee of the Centennial Association. It is planned to exhibit it at the Centennial Industries Fair in August before it goes on permanent display in the museum.

The work of reconstructing the bay and the hills is being carried out by Messrs W. A. Sutton and Russell Clark, of the School of Art. The exhibit will take in the foreshore from Officers’ Point to the present reclaimed area, and an endeavour will be made to include as small models all the public buildings of Lyttelton at that time. The research to establish what buildings and streets were formed in Lyttelton then is being undertaken by Mr W. A. Pierre, headmaster of the Geraldine District High School. The ship models are being constructed by Mr Claude Fletcher, of Lyttelton. Mr Fletcher has completed three of the models, the largest' of them 18 inches long. Mr Sutton and Mr Russell Clark are at present working on the exhibit in the ethnological room at the museum, using photographs supplemented by maps to assist in the construction of the topographical features. The contours of the hills in the background are being built up by templets cut out of pressed board. " Thirty-two halfinch boards will be used to take in the highest point. Mount Pleasant, and details of surface features will be filled in later with plaster. The sea will be made out of thick linoleum, which can be cut into waves.