Victorian Premier’s History Award

Printed on Stone. The Lithographs of Charles Troedel

Amanda Scardamaglia

Melbourne Books, Melbourne, 2020

 

Born in Hamburg in 1835, Charles Troedel became an apprentice lithographer to his father before being recruited to Melbourne by a Norwegian printer. Troedel founded his own business in 1863 and attracted praise for The Melbourne Album, which is reproduced here. A master of lithography, the technique of printing on stone, which transformed the production of graphic arts,

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Judges’ Special Prize

The judges can award a special prize for any outstanding entry outside of established categories.

Visions of Victoria. The Magic of Kodachrome Film, 1950‒1975

Nick Anchen

Sierra Publishing, Melbourne, 2019

 

Visions of Victoria provides a window on Victoria’s past in the third quarter of the 20th century. Most of the photographs it presents were taken in Melbourne, but Bendigo, Ballarat and a range of smaller rural towns also feature.  

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Oral History Award

Out of the Madhouse. From Asylums to Caring Community?

Sandy Jeffs and Margaret Leggatt

Arcadia, Melbourne, 2020

 

Out of the Madhouse is an outstanding history, in every regard. The ‘madhouse’ was Larundel Psychiatric Hospital, a Melbourne institution from 1953 to 1999. 

 

Drawing upon 71 interviews with former inmates, their family and friends, nurses, doctors, allied health workers and other staff, Out of the Madhouse brings to life the shocking consequences of mental ill-health and the equally shocking treatments;

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Brainstorm History Month event ideas

The RHSV has a full program of webinars, online book events, on-line clinics and talks in October but we want to see every one rise to the challenge! We can help you with your event for History Month if you’d like to do something over Zoom. We also have a great many ideas for different kinds of events below, which we hope will inspire you. 

When you have an event upload it to www.historymonth.org.au .

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DRILL HALL CLOSED FROM TUE 4 AUG

Sunday 2 August 2020

With level 4 restrictions coming in to place tonight from 6pm we have decided that all staff will work from home for the next 6 weeks or the duration of level 4 restrictions. Our phones are switched through to Rebecca’s mobile and we are still accessible by email. Our Zoom events and meetings will go ahead as planned. The bookshop will still be operating however, apologies in advance, we will only be posting books once a week so deliveries will be slower than usual.

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We most strongly protest the misguided government policy and demand the penalty on studying the Humanities is removed

Friday 19 June 2020

The Royal Historical Society of Victoria, the peak body for local and community history in Victoria for over a century, is astonished that Humanities students in Australian universities are being burdened with an unprecedented rise of up to 113% in student fees. This is an impost on one of Australia’s most creative sectors at a time when creative solutions are needed to help Australia emerge from an economic shock of unparalleled dimensions.

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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Yarra

CBD News loves our articles on history so much that they have asked us to supply a monthly article for their sister publication, Docklands News. Ashley Smith, an RHSV researcher, has produced his first Docklands News piece and it is a wonderful riff on Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works’ divers. It can be read here. The photo has also been reproduced in both Melbourne’s Twenty Decades and Remembering Melbourne.

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TWO NEW ROLES AT THE RHSV

We have decided to split the Administration Officer’s role into two parts: a full-time Administration role and a part-time (one day per week) book-keeper.

The position descriptions for both roles can be found by clicking on the links above.

Applications for both positions close at 5pm on Tuesday 16 June.

If you would like to discuss either position please contact our Executive Officer, Rosemary Cameron on rosemary.cameron@historyvictoria.org.au or 9326 9288

 

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Two for price of one in the Herald Sun

In Sunday’s Herald Sun (1 March 2020) there was a great article, Future Lies in the Past, where News Editor John Masanauskas interviewed Richard Broome.

It is not often that historians make the gossip columns (“Gossip Queen: Invitation Only – Inside the A-List events in Melbourne” no less) but there was our past-President, Andrew Lemon, snapped at the opening of the revamped horse racing gallery at the MCG’s Australian Sports Museum.

Both articles attached here and here.

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Richard Broome on local ABC with Andrew Hansen

While you were still snoozing at 6:20am Richard Broome, our President, was busy chatting to Andrew Hansen (of Chaser fame) on local ABC radio about Melbourne’s Twenty Decades, our latest publication, and the website is close to meltdown with book orders. ABC listeners are quick on the draw!

If you’d like to listen to the interview:
https://www.abc.net.au/…/progr…/breakfast/breakfast/11848484 (the interview is about 4 mins 20 seconds into the podcast).

If you still haven’t bought your copy (and don’t be the only person in Melbourne without one) click on the link:
https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/…/melbournes-twenty-dec…/

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JOIN THE RHSV TEAM

We are searching for a new Administrator to join our small team.

At the end of 2019 Amy who was on one year’s maternity leave resigned to continue to look after her three children at home and Pankaj, who had been filling in for Amy, returned home to India.  So we are searching for a new permanent Administrator. Great book-keeping and admin skills are a must and this job is never dull. The full position description and details on how to apply can be found here.

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