History – A noble steed rides again

They say, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” and this could not have been a more fitting expression when our museum received a phone call from Ngaire, of Warkworth, a little over a year ago. She told us she had a rocking horse, carefully stored away in a friend’s garage, that needed a new home.

Curious, but unsure of what we might find, we arranged to meet at Pat’s garage. When the doors opened wide, there he was standing quietly in the shadows. A weary old fellow, a once-proud steed who had clearly seen better days. He stood just over four feet tall, with paint flaking like autumn leaves, a few battle scars from wood borer, and all the unmistakable signs of age.

But even then, he had presence. Beneath the dust and the years, there was something noble, as if he still carried the echoes of laughter, the thud of tiny feet on floorboards, and the warmth of a child’s arms wrapped tightly around his wooden neck.

This was no ordinary toy. This was Neddy – a cherished companion from a time when play was powered by imagination, not electricity. He had once belonged to a child who rode him like the wind and whispered secrets into his ears, while dreaming of faraway adventures.

Neddy was crafted 100 years ago by Frederick Henry Ayres of Aldgate, London, renowned for their exquisite rocking horses. Though he bears no maker’s stamp, Neddy shows all the hallmarks of a 1925 Ayres horse – the kind that once graced the showrooms of Harrods and Selfridges.

The most magical chapter in Neddy’s journey, however, is the story of his restoration – a real-life fairy tale made possible by the generosity of the Lions Club of Wellsford and the remarkable craftsmanship of Stuart Saigeman, a rocking horse specialist from Ashhurst.

It all began when outgoing Lions Club president Roger Farr visited the museum. Seeing Neddy’s potential hidden beneath his tired exterior, Roger suggested we apply to the Lions Club of Wellsford for assistance. None of us imagined the Lions would go so far as to fund a full restoration.

Thanks to their generosity, and Stuart’s skill and passion, Neddy was brought back to his former glory – so beautifully, in fact, that words hardly do him justice. On Saturday, August 2, he made his triumphant return, delivered in the back of Roger’s horse float and unveiled at the museum before Ngaire, her family and 30 invited guests.

Now, Neddy has found his forever stable here at the museum. He stands proudly once more, a silent storyteller of simpler days. When Wellsford’s oldest resident, Rhona Olesen, visited with her family and great-granddaughter Lena, on her recent 102nd birthday, the connection was unmistakable – two enduring figures from the same era, side-by-side.

Neddy is more than wood and paint. He is a bridge between generations, a keeper of childhood dreams, and a quiet reminder that some treasures never lose their magic.

Albertland Heritage Museum would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to Ngaire Hopwood, Lions Club of Wellsford, and Stuart Saigeman.