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Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Orono Weekly Times - 5 Clarke Museum unveils restored McLaughlin Cutter A professionally restored McLaughlin Cutter has joined the collection of artifacts at the Clarke Museum. The cutter, which was part of the Annie Cathcart estate, was given to the Clarke Museum in 1990 by Doug and Frances Cathcart of Kendal. According to Clarington Museum Curator Charles Tawes, the Clarke Museum Board had been looking for a McLaughlin Cutter for their collection, as the locally made cutter would have been popular in the area in the day. McLaughlin Carriage Works, which began production in Tyrone in 1867, moved to Enniskillen two years later, where it operated for another 10 years before finally moving to Oshawa. When the Clarke Museum received the cutter, the Board began setting money aside for its restoration. According to Phil Hoskin of Blackstock, who was hired to do the restoration work, the cutter was fairly sound, but in need of repair. The post-1901 cutter was a mid-range model for the company, according to Tawes, "It wasn't the top of the line, nor was it at the bottom." Hoskin said there was enough of the original paint, striping and detail left on the cutter for him to match. The back of the cutter had a quarter-inch crack running through it, and there was a chunk of wood missing from the dash, according to Hoskin. Throughout his restoration work, Hoskin said he left the cutter as original as possible, which meant replacing the dash with balsa wood rather than plywood as is often done. The newly upholstered seat was matched as closely as possible to the original material which was a vibrant yellow/green colour, and restuffed with horse mane and tail hair from his stables. "It is amazing the colour they used, back in the day," Hoskin said. He was also able to closely match the floral-patterned upholstery on the footrest. The nickel-plated brass rein rest on top of the dash has been replated and looks brand new again. Hoskin couldn't find anything close to the original metal whip holder, so he replaced it with a handmade wooden one. "It is amazing what they did back in the day with hand tools," Hoskin said. A farm-hand at Hoskin Stables in Blackstock by day, Phil said he has been restoring buggies and cutters, including the ones on display in Tyrone on the original McLaughlin property, for about 15 years. He said each one of the pieces he has restored is special to him. "I am saving a piece of history for all to see and share." The cutter is on display in the Agriculture Buidling at the Clarke Museum, which will be open for the Antique Book Clarington Museum Curator Charles Tawes sits in the newly restored McLaughlin Cutter, now on display in the Agricultural Building at the museum in Kirby. Appraisals, the first event in the Chat Room Series this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Clarke Museam on Old Kirby School Road in Kirby. reliable · responsible · recyclable YOUR OFFICE SUPPLY STORE INKJETS · LASER · RIBBON CARTRIDGES COPY & PRINT CENTER 410 TORONTO ST., NEWCASTLE · 905-987-4781