Sex workers in nineteenth-century Melbourne were judged morally corrupt by the respectable world around them. But theirs was a thriving trade, with links to the police and political leaders of the day, and the leading brothels were usually managed by women. Who were they? What did their daily lives look like? What became of them? Drawing on the findings of recent archaeological excavations, rare archival material and family records, historian Barbara Minchinton brings the fascinating world of Little Lon to life.

In this seminar on researching military service, Patrick Ferry will focus on research methodology and highlighting the range of resources available to help tell the story of a town / suburb / district’s soldiers. This seminar will be of great interest to historical societies, family history groups, military history buffs and people with a general interest in learning more about how to put some “meat” on the bones of their ancestors’ military service.

In partnership with the Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV) we are delighted to host the release of the Awards announcement for the Victorian Community History Awards. The pre-recorded video will be released at 4:30pm on Wednesday 27th October announcing the winner of the Premier's History Award 2021 and winners in the 9 other categories.
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The October clinic will focus on different cataloguing systems - so everything from catalogue cards and excel spreadsheets to the more sophisticated specialist software.

Social media has become the most influential and important virtual space to network, build a community, promote what you do, find assistance, sell books and events and connect. Social media networks are open to all and they are free, giving historical societies a chance to connect with whoever shares their interests. 

Inter-Institutional Loans Seminar This free Zoom seminar is aimed squarely at all the historical societies which are members of the RHSV. It is a very important seminar for those societies interested in building their capacity and adopting best practice in relation to their collection. We have put together a stellar panel of experts who have
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We are delighted that Dr Charles Fahey has agreed to deliver this seminar on Soldier Settlement Schemes. The Soldier Settlement Schemes encompassed thousands of  World War One returned soldiers who occupied  farming land on conditional purchase leases across Victoria between 1919 and the 1960s. If you are researching family or Australian history this talk will help you understand the individual experience of a soldier settler, as well as the historical context of the Victorian Soldier Settlement Scheme.

The Largest Garage in Melbourne: Jas A Munro   The RHSV is delighted to welcome Ian Berg to deliver a talk based on his wonderful book, shortlisted for the Victorian Community History Awards in 2021. Jas Munro, a Scottish immigrant, established a series of successful businesses in Melbourne during the early part of the twentieth
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Cataloguing Clinic via Zoom with Jillian Hiscock Jillian Hiscock, the RHSV Collections Manager, started these cataloguing clinics during the early days of COVID and they suit Zoom very well. The clinics run for an hour from 11am – 12noon on the 4th Thursday of each month. It is a relaxed gathering of people who are
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