If you missed May's Mystery Box Talk, fear not as you still have a few more chances to catch this monthly event. Here's what to expect from tonight's talk:

Museum curator Donald Alward randomly chose two of the "mystery boxes" from his vault, and with the help of ACHS president Stuart Liptay and mystery guest Vaughn Snider, began to go through the items in the first box.

To make life a little easier, the first box of items had all been accessioned – meaning they had previously been catalogued and we had information on who had donated some of the items.

Things started off strong, with the first item pulled being one of the best finds. In the top of the first box was a flag from a Victory Loan Campaign from the Second World War. A white flag with a red border, a Union Flag in the corner and a blue maple leaf in the centre, this flag is of particular interest to the Museum as a Prince of Wales flag from the 1919 Victory Loan Campaign currently hangs in the Exhibition Hall.

There were a number of different items inside the first box, from handmade dolls to a cigar box and everything in between. Some other items of interest included an old mailbag from the Hillsborough office, as well as a number of banking books from the old Peck Bank in Hillsborough. The Peck Bank went bankrupt during the Great Depression, and the bank’s safe now sits in the Museum’s Tax Office. These books were donated from the J.L. “Banker” Peck House in Hillsborough by Juanita Jones.

In the second box was a number of assorted books. There were magazines, catalogues, post cards, Christmas cards and personal letters to residents of Albert County. One get well soon card read:

We were all very sorry that you had to spend Christmas in the hospital, althou we have to admit that it is a pretty good place when one is really sick.
I hope that you are much better by this time and that you all have a very happy New Year,
Best wishes to you all.

Once Alward, Liptay and Snider had been through the boxes, guests were invited to don a pair of white gloves and take a closer look at some of the items.

Be sure not to miss our June Mystery Box Talk, which takes place tonight, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Hall.