Name/TitleButter Churner

About this objectButter maker - a cast iron, bench-mounted, hand-operated butter churn for making small amounts of butter from cream in the home, commonly used in the first half of the 20th century.
Butter churns were machines used to produce butter by the violent agitation of separated cream. Depending on the design of the churn, the agitation would be variously achieved by a repetitive thrashing, centrifugal motion or internal paddles. Churns were typically constructed from wood, glass and cast-iron; with tin or steel commonly used for some fixtures.
Many families in the Port Stephens area kept a cow or two for milk etc. Cream needed to be at least 2 days old - the thicker the better. The handle of the churner was turned until the cream changed to butter, the whey was poured off and the butter washed in cold water until the water ran clear. Generally salt and bicarbonate of soda were added. Two pats were used to form butter into small blocks. This butter was most typically meant for consumption by the family, but in some instances it may be taken away for consignment by commercial receivers of dairy produce or sold to neighbours.
This butter churn is a fine example of one of the many manual domestic appliances used in the homes of Port Stephens (electricity was not connected to the Port Stephens area until the mid 1940s with the advent of the US Military forces stationed nearby). Think of all the energy and ingenuity humans have applied to the problem of making butter, especially the women and children who spent many long hours every week turning cream into butter.

MakerUnknown

Maker RoleManufacturer

Medium and MaterialsCast Iron and wood

Subject and Association KeywordsFood preparation

Subject and Association KeywordsUtensils

Object TypeUtensils

Object numberTMA2021.00034

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