Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Welcome to new RHSV members
2021-10-19 16:30 - 17:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | RHSV, Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
Welcome to new RHSV members
Every year we like to host an event or two in the Drill Hall, before one of our lectures, to welcome our new members. We serve drinks and cheese and the staff give new members a background briefing on the RHSV and its treasures. So you’ll learn about our Collection from Jillian Hiscock, our Collections Manager, and Helen Stitt who looks after our huge images collection and our EO, Rosemary Cameron, will outline all the other membership benefits and how you can make the most of your membership.
Because we weren’t able to host these events last year we have a bit of catching up to do! We’ve scheduled 5 of these events over the coming months and new members are welcome to attend whichever one suits them. Our lectures are usually $5 or $10 for members ($20 for non-members) however, if you book for a new member event you can attend the following lecture free-of-charge.
We’d love to see you at one of these events – please indicate in the RSVPs if you want to attend just the New Member Welcome or the New Member Welcome + Lecture
Please note that these events will only go ahead if we are not in lockdown – we really need to be in the Drill Hall to show you what the RHSV is all about. If we are in lockdown we’ll be holding more New Member Welcomes at some point in the future and we’ll contact you again.
New Member lecture 4:30pm – 5:30pm, drinks continue until just before 6pm. Lecture 6pm – 7pm (includes Q&A).
The remaining lecture is:
Tue 19 Oct: Barbara Minchinton on The Women of Little Lon
Image caption: Holy Trinity Church of England, Bay Street, Port Melbourne by Samuel Hemming, 1853, erected under the supervision of Knight, Kemp and Kerr, 1855. RHSV Collection A-52-C. Miles Lewis has used this image in a powerpoint on portable buildings (https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/hdp.au.prod.app.vic-engage.files/8515/2418/2642/Lewis_Evidence.pdf)

The Women of Little Lon
2021-10-19 17:30 - 19:00 | RHSV, Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
The Women of Little Lon: Sex Workers in Nineteenth-Century Melbourne

We are delighted that historian, Barbara Minchinton, will deliver our History Month lecture on this remarkable but little-known chapter in Melbourne’s history
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.
While today a city lane is famously named after Madame Brussels, the identities of the other ‘flash madams’, the ‘dressed girls’ who worked for them and the hundreds of women who solicited on the streets of the Little Lon district of Melbourne are not remembered.
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.

Barbara Minchinton is a historian and independent researcher. For several years she collaborated with a team of archaeologists on the interpretation of artefacts from Melbourne’s Little Lon district. She is the author of a number of articles regarding the nineteenth century sex work industry in Little Lon, and The Women of Little Lon is the culmination of years of research and collaboration.

Attendance and Zoom details
This event was originally planned to be delivered both as a live event at the RHSV and through Zoom. However, now it will be delivered only as a Zoom event. The log-in details will be sent to you 24 hours before the event. For those attending by Zoom, the Zoom will start just prior to 6pm. You will have the opportunity too to put questions to Barbara.

This is a History Month event: click on the logo for the full program of events

Bringing your Diggers back to life: a defence service records seminar
2021-10-22 14:00 - 15:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Bringing your Diggers back to life: a defence service records seminar
In partnership with the National Archives of Australia and the Genealogical Society of Victoria, the RHSV presents a seminar on defence service records.
In this seminar, Patrick Ferry and other staff from the National Archives’ Victoria State Office will examine the range of resources available to help you discover more about the military service and sacrifice made by members of your family or local community. Key series in the National Archives’ collection will be highlighted, including WW1 and WW2 service dossiers and Repatriation / Veterans’ Affairs case files, together with records about civilians during wartime. The seminar will also point you to other valuable sources of information including Unit War Diaries (held by the Australian War Memorial) and Soldier Settlement records (held by PROV). Research methodologies will also be discussed.
This seminar will be of great interest to family historians, local historians, military history buffs and people with a general interest in learning more about Australia’s priceless military service records.
Patrick Ferry is State Manager, Victoria for the National Archives of Australia. Patrick is a professional archivist who is passionate about local history. Patrick is the author of three publications about the wartime service of Pakenham district residents, including Blood, Toil Tears and Sweat: Remembering Pakenham & Districts World War 2 diggers 1939-1949 (with Wally Nye), which was the winner of the 2020 Local History Project Award, Victorian Community History Awards.
This free seminar is delivered via Zoom. Please register your interest below and Zoom details will be sent to you 24 hours before the event.
Please note, we are also presenting a seminar by Dr Charles Fahey on 11th November on Victoria’s Soldier Settlement Scheme. Click here for more information.
Image caption: Service photo of Private Albert Edward Kemp, who served in France + Belgium in World War 1 and was killed in action in 1917. Courtesy of Museums Victoria website.
PLEASE NOTE: this seminar was originally advertised as being on Sat 23 Oct at 2:30pm – it has moved to Fri 22 Oct at 2pm.
This is a History Month event: click on the logo for the full program of events

A Trip to the Dominions - The Scientific Event that Changed Australia
2021-10-26 18:45 - 21:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
A presentation via zoom by Professor Lynette Russell AM
Tuesday 2 6 October 20 2 1
6.45pm for 7 pm
Please book by phoning: George Fernando 0448 296 258 or emailing – enquiries@chs.org.au
The link for the session will be sent after booking
Professor Lynette Russell AM, FASSA, FAHA is an award-winning Australian historian and Indigenous studies scholar. She is currently a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellow at Monash University. She is an elected member of AITSIS, and a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences of Australia (2013), the Australian Academy of the Humanities, the Royal Historical Society, and the Royal Anthropological Institute.
On the eve of the Great War, in 1914, the Australian Federal Government sponsored the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS) to travel to Australia for their annual conference. Over 150 scientists were fully funded by the Australian Commonwealth government, and they travelled on three ships especially commanded for this purpose.
In terms of anthropology, the congress presented a unique opportunity to showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The Association, deeply impressed by this, urged the Federal Government to support a chair in anthropology to be based at an Australian university. Other of the Association’s recommendations were to establish a Commonwealth Scientific Institute (later CSIRO) and to develop a national telescope at Mt Stromlo.

AWARDS CEREMONY FOR VICTORIAN COMMUNITY HISTORY AWARDS
2021-10-27 16:30 - 17:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
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. It is a fabulous event to watch. If you are unable to watch at 4:30pm with all the hoopla of getting the news first, you can log in any time to watch the video. It is stored on the RHSV and PROV’s YouTube Channels. Click here to watch
Spread the word through your social media networks – get the link out there!
You can check out the short list here and buy books from the 2021 VCHA here.

This is a History Month event. For the full program click on the logo.

Transcribing oral history workshop (online)
2021-10-28 10:30 - 13:30 | Online
Have you completed some oral history interviews, but aren’t sure how to go about transcribing them?
Do you have interviews in your library, museum or historical society collection that haven’t been transcribed yet?
Would you like some guidance on how to go about preparing clear and informative transcripts that will be valuable research tools?
If you answered yes to any of these, then this workshop is for you. This hands-on workshop will cover:
 the importance of transcribing oral history interviews, and the consequences of inaccurate
transcripts
 the difference between spoken and written English and its significance for transcripts
 setting out transcripts
 transcription dilemmas and how to deal with them
 hints for improving the value of transcripts
 useful software
 is voice recognition software a reasonable substitute?
 ideas for using oral history transcripts
Date: Thursday 28 October 2021
Time: 10:30am – 1:30pm (ACT, NSW, Vic, Tas) 10am – 1pm (SA) 9:30am – 12:30pm (Qld) 9am – 12 noon (NT) 7:30am – 10:30am (WA)
Venue: online. Instructions for installing and using the software will be provided upon registration.
Cost: $80 per person, $60 for concession card holder/student
Bookings are essential. Please book and pay online using the link on this page:
listeningtothepast.com.au/online-workshops

Cataloguing Clinic via Zoom with Jillian Hiscock
2021-10-28 11:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
The October clinic will focus on different cataloguing systems – so everything from catalogue cards and excel spreadsheets to the more sophisticated specialist software.
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 finding their way through the intricacies of cataloguing material in historical collections which, as we all know, fall between a library and a museum with sometimes a bit of art gallery thrown in. With our membership scattered across Australia please remember that this is Melbourne time – AEDT in summer and AEST in winter.
Jillian always prepares some material on some specific queries but questions are encouraged and, remember, a problem shared is a problem halved. The clinics are conversational in format rather than a seminar. If you are new to cataloguing or an old hand you will find plenty to interest you in these sessions. Jillian often has material which is emailed out to attendees after the clinic.
The remaining clinics for 2021 will be held (all via Zoom) on these dates:

Oct 28, 2021 11AM
Nov 25, 2021 11AM

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZItd-yhqz8oHtJgxpBNwW8ieSnpwIWjKaLP/ics?icsToken=[REDACTED]
Join Zoom Meeting (this is applicable to all 10 clinics during 2021)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86005954246?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 860 0595 4246
Passcode: [REDACTED]
THIS IS A HISTORY MONTH EVENT. Click on the logo for the full program

LUNCH TIME MARKETING
2021-11-08 12:00 - 13:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
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.
For historical societies it is a volunteer task that will attract younger members and it can be done anywhere, anytime so doesn’t have time or geographic restraints.
Jess Scott, the RHSV Marketing Officer, will lead these marketing conversations. She will cover all the social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok etc. These are casual conversational forums so bring your questions and concerns. We already have a number of historical societies which use social media exceptionally well – creating virtual events as well as promoting what they do – we’ll be calling on them in future sessions to share the expertise too.
A few facts, since Jess started with the RHSV in mid- 2019 our bookshop sales have doubled, we weathered COVID lock-downs exceptionally well because we were still active in the virtual world and our new members are on target to double this year – all in 2 years.
Lunch Time Marketing will be held on the following dates for the remainder of 2021

Mon 8 Nov, 2021 12 noon – 1pm
Mon 13 Dec, 2021 12 noon – 1pm

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZUpc-CsrTgsHdUXWND8AGsa8n1nz6rxvFdL/ics?icsToken=[REDACTED]
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81449433671?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 814 4943 3671
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration with Prof. Philippe Sands QC
2021-11-09 20:00 - 21:00 | DIGITAL PLATFORM
Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration with Prof. Philippe Sands QC

Join the Jewish Holocaust Centre for a major online event exploring justice after the Holocaust with keynote speaker Professor Philippe Sands QC.
For our annual Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration, international thought leader Prof. Philippe Sands QC will speak on what Nuremberg meant to the world and the challenges posed by post-Holocaust justice in the years ahead.
Prof. Philippe Sands QC is Professor of Law at University College London and a practising barrister at Matrix Chambers. He is also an award-winning author of The Ratline (2020), East West Street (2016) Torture Team (2008) and Lawless World (2005), and contributor to the New York Review of Books, Vanity Fair, the Financial Times and The Guardian.
Our annual Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration connects Melbourne audiences with international thought leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust within a global context.
Image: Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration 2021 guest speaker Prof. Philippe Sands QC
Click here to book tickets: https://jhc.org.au/event/betty-shmuel-rosenkranz-oration-with-philippe-sands-qc/

Trove for Beginners
2021-11-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Discover how to use Trove, the National Library of Australia’s extensive online database.
Trove is a National Library of Australia website which provides access to historic newspapers, photographs, and much more. Come along to this session to learn what’s available on Trove, and some tips and tricks to find what you’re looking for.

Inter-Institutional Loans Seminar
2021-11-10 12:00 - 13:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
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 been involved in both lending and borrowing items from their collections to other institutions.

Annie Muir, Heritage Victoria. Annie is a Heritage Curator for Heritage Victoria’s Artefact and Research Centre. They look after all the objects found in archaeological digs and shipwrecks in Victoria. In recent years the RHSV has mounted two exhibitions with Annie’s help – one on the wreck of the Fiji and the other about objects related to childhood found in archaeological digs in Melbourne.
Sarah Haselton is the Senior Registrar Exhibitions and Loans, Collection Care at the State Library of Victoria. Through Sarah, the SLV recently borrowed material from the RHSV’s MacRobertson collection.
Amanda Wild is the Exhibitions & Loans Conservator, Collections Care at the State Library of Victoria.
Helen Stitt, Royal Historical Society of Victoria, will talk about her experience with collections like the large collection at RACV as well as what the RHSV looks for when we are asked to lend material to another institution.

The panellists will talk about exactly what their institution looks for when they are asked to lend items from their collection. They will also cover issues like how to approach an institution, the time-lines involved, permissions needed, paperwork to be signed off, transport of objects, conservation (incl climate control and lighting), security, insurance and potential costs. All institutions are different but there are lot of consistencies in the way they handle loans. It also works the other way – if your society is approached to lend an object from your collection, what should you be asking of the borrower?
Even if your society has no immediate plans to borrow or lend, this is an important seminar designed to show historical societies what they should be aiming for in terms of climate control, security, lighting etc

Stories from the Greece / Crete Campaign, WW2 - Presented by Patrick Ferry
2021-11-10 19:30 - 21:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
In early 1941, Britain committed nearly 60,000 soldiers to help defend Greece from an imminent German invasion. This included some 17,000 troops from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). When the invasion came in April 1941, the Allies put up stiff resistance, but were soon forced into an arduous retreat. Over the next couple of months, an astounding 39% of the AIF in Greece and Crete were killed, wounded or taken prisoner of war. Despite this, the campaign remains relatively less well known. In this presentation, Patrick Ferry (State Manager, Victoria for the National Archives of Australia) will share the stories of some soldiers from Pakenham, Victoria who were caught up in this tragedy. Patrick will also talk about a major National Archives’ project to digitise WW2 Army and RAAF service records.
Please book – email Eileen at – secretary@nwfgh.org.au

Soldier Settlement Schemes seminar via Zoom
2021-11-11 18:00 - 19:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Soldier Settlement Schemes seminar via Zoom
A joint presentation with the Genealogical Society of Victoria and the RHSV.
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 talk will make special use of files from the parishes of Wagant and Kulwin to illustrate the information and stories to be found in vast archive left by the settlers.
Dr Charles Fahey joined Latrobe University in 1990 after briefly teaching history at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. He taught history at La Trobe University, in Bendigo, Melbourne and Shepparton until his retirement in 2018. His research explores Australian Labor, rural and mining history. He is the author of many Victorian rural histories and articles (a list of articles can be found here). Before becoming an academic, he was employed as a historian with the Victorian Government, where he worked on the conservation of historic sites on Crown land and the history of Victorian forestry. The unit Charles worked with was also responsible for transferring the vast archive of Solder Settler files to PROV.
This is a free Zoom presentation. Please register below and the Zoom log-in details will be sent to you 24 hours before the event.

(Photo courtesy of Public Record Office Victoria)

Out of the box: collectables & ephemera show & tell
2021-11-14 11:00 - 15:00 | Nagambie Golf Course, 12 Cemetery Lane, Ngambie, VIC, 3608, Australia
Out of the box: collectables & ephemera show & tell
Collectors, hoarders and memento keepers are encouraged to participate in this inaugural event by sharing stories about their displayed treasures. Filling fast please book by 31 October 2021. Everyone will be double vaxxed.
Grandfather’s pocket watch may have seen many adventures; tickets to theatre and stage shows prompt memories. We all have some things we treasure, tucked away.
Safe display space will be allocated for those with larger collections. Seating will be at your eventual lunch table, with room for smaller items.
Everyone will have a chance to tell their story or simply to enjoy those of others.
Some fascinating items have already been registered.
This fundraising day for the Society will build revenue towards renovation of interior plasterwork in the 1870s museum.
$30 includes lunch. Perpetual coffee and tea. The bar opens at lunchtime with drinks at bar prices.
The golf club offers full facilities, plenty of parking, and flat access.
For bookings and enquiries: Email: nagambiehistorical@outlook.com

NOVEMBER HISTORY FEST
2021-11-14 12:00 - 16:00 | Lancefield Mechanics Institute, High Street, Lancefield, VIC, 3435, Australia
Our first ‘HISTORY FEST’ will celebrate History Month. Enjoy talks and themed food: starting with Craig Sandy who will talk about Surveying through the ages.
A short break and burgers and bangers will be served before Peter Sanders talks about his Burke & Wills expedition paintings. We can also taste wines from the Burke & Wills Winery.
Finally, we will launch our new book, Discover Springfield by Brenda Sorragahn. A glass of champagne to celebrate her achievement!
For bookings, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/BTZKV
Sunday 14th November 2021
12pm – 4pm
Lancefield Mechanics Institute Annex
High St, Lancefield
For more information – https://www.romseylancefieldhistorical.org.au/upcoming-events/november-history-fest

TALKS ON CARLTON’S HISTORY
2021-11-16 19:30 - 20:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Enjoy two illustrated presentations on aspects of the history of Carlton from the comfort of your own home. ZOOM PRESENTATIONS, TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2021 AT 7.30pm

Old advertising signs in Carlton – Felice Rocca
Every picture tells a story: a garage in Carlton – Susan Crowe

To take part in these presentations you will need to register. Email Jeff at jeffann@bigpond.net.au and a link will be sent to you in the days before the presentation.

Needlework on the Diggings and Extravagance, Tradition and Power: Governor Latrobe's Uniform
2021-11-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Sovereign Hill Museums Association, 39 Magpie Street, Ballarat, VIC, Australia
Join Sovereign Hill Museums Association for a special Weston Bate Memorial Lecture on colonial fashion and needlework with researchers, Dr Lorinda Cramer and Megan Anderson

‘I find my sewing powers of great advantage here’: Needlework on the diggings
Guest speaker: Dr Lorinda Cramer
In 1856, Maggie Hoey wrote to her sister in Scotland: ‘I find my sewing powers of great advantage here’. By ‘here’, Maggie was referring to her new home on the Victorian goldfields. By her ‘sewing powers’, she meant her skills in needlework that ranged from making and mending clothing to furnishing her tent. This lecture will explore the ‘great advantage’ of women’s and men’s sewing on the diggings: how it made them comfortable by clothing and housing them, but how it also helped assert their place in the tumultuous gold-rush society. It will draw on diaries, letters and memoirs written on the diggings, on the illustrations and photographs that richly captured those experiences, and on the rare surviving examples of needlework now preserved in museum collections. It will show just how important sewing could be to transform daily life.
Dr Lorinda Cramer is a postdoctoral researcher at the Australian Catholic University, where she is currently working on the ARC Discovery project Men’s Dress in Twentieth-Century Australia: Masculinity, Fashion, Social Change. Her research into dress, fashion and textile history is underpinned by material culture and inspired by her work for more than a decade as a museum curator and collection manager. Her PhD, completed in 2015, explored the lives of Victoria’s female gold-rush migrants through their needlework: from the clothes they sewed for themselves and their families to the textile goods they made for their homes and the relentless demands of mending and darning.
This research was published by Bloomsbury in 2020 as Needlework and Women’s Identity in Colonial Australia and has recently been released in paperback.
Dr Cramer’s research will be presented alongside Sovereign Hill’s former Costume Production Assistant, Megan Anderson’s research on Lieutenant-Governor Charles LaTrobe.
Extravagance, Tradition and Power: Governor Latrobe’s Uniform
Guest speaker: Megan Anderson
Megan’s project will explore the significance, history, tradition and symbolism encompassed in the uniform of Lieutenant–Governor Charles La Trobe. Within the garment industry, tailoring is extensively revered as the highest standard of garment construction, with the highest quality achieved. Ceremonial uniforms, including that of Lieutenant-Governor, are from an even higher echelon – every element of this uniform was designed to impress, emphasise and enhance the wearer in both status and stature. As holder of the highest office in the new colony of Victoria, a distinguished uniform to solidify that position was absolutely necessary for La Trobe. The outcome of Megan’s research will include an impeccably tailored suit with accents of gold and silver.
This is a COVIDSafe event and will be held under the current government guidelines. Visitors 16 years of age and over must show their COVID-19 vaccination status as a condition of entry. This requirement will extend to visitors aged 12 and over once phase D of the roadmap is reached (indicatively 24 November).

BOOK TICKETS HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/weston-bate-memorial-lecture-tickets-168363695345

Peter Brown: Off the Beaten Track
2021-11-23 - 2021-12-04 | Bridget McDonnell Gallery, 130 Faraday St, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia
Photographs 1972-2021. For historians this photographic collection includes images of the Western Districts taken over the last 50 years.
Photographer, Peter Brown, only ever uses a fixed lens and composes the image before he takes the shot. He doesn’t like cropping or excessive editing. From 1972 to 2000 he used a Nikkorrmat camera he bought in Singapore in 1972. He switched to a Nikon FM2 with a 55 mm lens. In 2015 he changed to a Nikon D600.
They are all stamped and numbered 1/10 on reverse. The photographer will print additional images as required. Maximum 10.
Peter Brown adopts the philosophy that his art is a ‘journey of discovery’ taking him to all corners of the world from the village of Syvota in the remote Greek Island of Lefkada, to Far North Queensland where he worked as a dentist in the early 1970s. Then, as a keen hiker, to the hiking trails of Tasmania, Victoria and NSW as shown in this exhibition. Peter’s free-hand photography investigates the way light can transform ordinary objects into works of art. His particular interest in black and white film allows these prints to capture the atmosphere and mood of so many beautiful landscapes.
The gallery is open Mon – Fri 11-5pm, Sat 12- – 5pm until the 4th December

Bridget McDonnell Gallery
130 Faraday St.
Carlton Vic 3053
Australia
Phone (613) 9347 1700
sales@bridgetmcdonnellgallery.com.au

Image caption: Woolshed, South Mokanger 1985

The Largest Garage in Melbourne: Jas A Munro
2021-11-23 18:00 - 19:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
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 century. He was captivated by the emerging horseless carriage and became an influential figure in the motor trade. And he operated his businesses at the Munro site, immediately next to the Queen Victoria Market. After more than a century, the Munro site was purchased and is being redeveloped by the City of Melbourne. The Munro archives survived and have enabled Ian Berg to now tell the story. Jas A Munro & Co: The Largest Garage in Melbourne is testament to the life of an enterprising man in early twentieth-century Australia. It is also about early Melbourne, the development of the motor business in Australia and the impact on business of a globally disruptive event – The Great War.
Ian will outline how, by chance, he came across the previously unseen archives and why he wrote the Munro story………
Jas A Munro & Co: The Largest Garage in Melbourne can be purchased from the RHSV bookshop here
This book has just received a glowing review in The Automobile, the UK bible for early motoring enthusiasts – click on the bookshop link above to read the review.

Digging in to Family History How & Where with Peter Beer
2021-11-23 18:45 - 21:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Tuesday 23 November 2021 at 6.45pm for a 7pm start
Please book – the link for the session will be sent after booking
To book please call George Fernando – 0448296258 or email – enquires@chs.org.au
Peter Beer worked in the IT industry for over 30 years, with almost 20 years living in Hong Kong and China. He speaks Mandarin. He held senior technical management roles leading teams across Asia and was always fascinated about leveraging data to assist sales, problem and management processes.
Over the past few years, Peter has leveraged his IT and data analysis skills to uncover remarkable facts about his family history, exploring what can be found online and through ‘networking’ to complement existing family history facts and folklore. 250+ days of lockdown certainly provided a lot of additional opportunity!
This presentation will cover some of these discoveries, with a particular emphasis on ‘how’ this is relevant for attendees – highlighting the many sources and methods that Peter found vital to making major family history breakthroughs. It will also highlight why and where the history is relevant to attendees – for example covering various Melbourne architectural landmarks, including the Spires of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Comedy Theatre, and numerous houses in Camberwell and Boroondara in general.

GEHS Speaker Series – The story of the Yarra River in images 1850s to 2000s
2021-11-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Join via Zoom
During the COVID 19 period, Dr Judith Buckrich had been researching the history of the Yarra River toward the creation of a book and exhibition in late 2023. Paintings, drawings and photographs of the river are integral to her research and will be used specifically as part of a chapter on artists and writers, as well as to illustrate many of the other themes. This talk and slide show presents the work of some of the artists with discussion of their work and what it tells us about the river and our relationship to it.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86916914236?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 869 1691 4236
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Cataloguing Clinic via Zoom with Jillian Hiscock
2021-11-25 11:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
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 finding their way through the intricacies of cataloguing material in historical collections which, as we all know, fall between a library and a museum with sometimes a bit of art gallery thrown in. With our membership scattered across Australia please remember that this is Melbourne time – AEDT in summer and AEST in winter.
Jillian always prepares some material on some specific queries but questions are encouraged and, remember, a problem shared is a problem halved. The clinics are conversational in format rather than a seminar. If you are new to cataloguing or an old hand you will find plenty to interest you in these sessions. Jillian often has material which is emailed out to attendees after the clinic.
The last clinics for 2021 will be held (via Zoom) on:

Nov 25, 2021 11AM

Join Zoom Meeting (this is applicable to all 10 clinics during 2021)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86005954246?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 860 0595 4246
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Please remember to register otherwise we can’t send you material after the event.
And remember to keep an eye out for these clinics in 2022.

The Siege That Forged an Enduring Australian and Polish Friendship: The Rats of Tobruk
2021-11-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Online
At this very special event, hear how the friendships forged in a small, coastal town in northern Africa influenced Australia’s post-war migration and created lifelong bonds across cultures.

The Shrine of Remembrance, in partnership with the Institute of National Remembrance, Poland, presents a digital event on Saturday 27 November honouring the enduring legacy of the Australian and Polish Rats of Tobruk.
Join Dr Mark Johnston, Professor Marek Wierzbicki and Lucyna Artymiuk as they discuss the shared experiences of the Australians and Poles in Tobruk and the impact on Australia’s migration and connection to Poland.
Between April and November 1941, 14,000 Australians were besieged within the Libyan fortress of Tobruk by a powerful Italo-German army. Ordered to deny Tobruk to the enemy for eight weeks, the men held out for five months. Pro-Nazi propagandist and broadcaster Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) described the defenders as ‘rats’—an insult which they adopted as a badge of honour.
Exhausted, the Australian troops were progressively withdrawn from Tobruk between August and November 1941. Other troops including the Carpathian Brigade, comprising soldiers who had escaped Poland after its conquest by the Nazis and Soviets in 1939, relieved them.
It was the Poles who finally ended the siege when they captured Acroma and linked up with the British 8th Army. In recognition of this feat, the Australians shared with the Poles their most venerated title. Henceforth, the Poles too would be ‘Rats of Tobruk’.
Between 1947 and 1948, Australian veterans of Tobruk helped sponsor the migration of 1,500 Polish soldiers to Australia when it became impossible for these men to return to their homeland, due to Soviet occupation.

This event will be live streamed on the Shrine’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

More on the Speakers:
Lucyna Artymiuk is a second generation Polish Australian, the daughter of a Polish airman who arrived on the third of five transports of Polish Immigrants after the Second World War. She Is currently a history PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne looking for the first time at Polish migrant soldier scheme to Australia in 1947–1948, which was a litmus test for the implementation of mass migration of non-British migrants from the displaced person camps of Western Europe to Australia during the post-war reconstruction era. Lucyna has been a prominent member of the Polish Australian community for the past 30 years and is currently the Acting President of the Polish Museum and Archives in Australia.
Recently she has authored her father’s biography From Poland to Where Ever in the World and in the process uncovered details of the post-war relationship between the Australian and Polish Rats of Tobruk that had not been documented or had been erased from the collective memory of the Polish and Australian veteran communities.
Dr Mark Johnston Mark is one of Australia’s leading authorities on the Second World War. He is the author of more than ten books, including The Magnificent 9th: An Illustrated History Of The 9th Division 1940–46 and An Australian Band of Brothers which concerns Don Company of the2/43rd Battalion. The battalion fought in Tobruk, El Alamein and New Guinea. Mark is the head of History, Politics and Philosophy at Melbourne’s Scotch College.
Professor Marek Wierzbicki is a Polish historian and political scientist, full professor, lecturer at the Catholic University of Lublin (Faculty of Social Sciences); since 2007, chief specialist (senior researcher) at the Institute of National Remembrance. His research interests include, inter alia, relations between the authorities and society in communist Poland, ethnic relations under the Soviet occupation of Poland and Eastern Europe(1939–1941), the history of Polish political emigration after 1945 including wartime- military and civilian – exiles, the social history of the 20th–21st centuries and the role and mentality of youth in both Eastern (communist) and Western (capitalist) Europe during the Cold War (1947–1991). One of his scholarly works is a biography of Zygmunt Szadkowski – one on the Polish Rats of Tobruk who became one of the leaders of the Polish political emigration after the Second World War.

Media Enquiries:
Interviews with the speakers available upon request

For more information
Anna Lensky
Pitch Projects
0425 766 780
anna@pitchprojects.com

Seymour Cottage and World Heritage Nomination with Professor Miles Lewis
2021-11-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Romsey Community Hub, 96 Main Street, Romsey, VIC, 3434, Australia
Presented as part of Romsey and Lancefield Districts Historical Society’s Talking History series, esteemed Melbourne architectural historian Professor Miles Lewis is coming to Romsey to discuss the 165 year old Seymour Cottage, timber portables imported into Australia between 1840 and 1880 and the current World Heritage Nomination.
He will be joined by World Heritage Taskforce members Andrew Muir and Tony Isaacson.
The Society was recently awarded a Living Heritage Grant to investigate restoration requirements for Seymour Cottage.
This is a special event for Romsey and the entire region not to be missed by anyone with an interest in architecture and history.

Sunday 28 November 2021 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

To Book – https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=803981&

A WALK WITH ROBYN ANNEAR
2021-11-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Royal Historical Society of Victoria, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
It is always exciting when Robyn Annear releases another of her captivating books into the wild and her latest book, which releases on the 30th of November, promises to be fabulous. Robyn has devised 7 historic walks around Melbourne and she will be leading a walking tour for RHSV members of one of those walks – around the Queen Victoria Markets and Flagstaff Gardens area.
The walk will be 90 minutes and finish with morning tea with Robyn. Because there is a limit of 15 for this walk we are limiting it to strictly just RHSV members. The walk will go ahead regardless of the weather so please be prepared for whatever Melbourne throws at us on the day. Wear comfortable shoes and carry some water. The starting point and ending point of the walk will be emailed to ticket-buyers.

Melbourne’s streets have always been marvellous—but the proud facades of the nineteenth-century boom aren’t the half of it.
What about the stories behind them?
The great corset scandal of Melbourne’s belle epoque;
The heritage-listed toilets out the back of the Rialto;
The exploits of the women who ran the brothels in Little Lonsdale Street;
The reason George Mallaby starred in Homicide wearing a hat two sizes too small.
This book contains a series of walks created by Robyn Annear to showcase the hidden histories we might scurry past every day, the buildings now gone and the extraordinary characters who inhabited them.
Charming, erudite and frankly gossipy, Annear’s highly entertaining guide to Melbourne past and present need not be experienced on the move. But whether you enjoy it from a tram stop or an armchair, Adrift in Melbourne will inspire you to unleash your inner flâneur on the lurking surprises of this great city.

The other good news is that Robyn will be doing a virtual walk for us in 2022 so, if you are not one of the lucky 15, you will be able to join Robyn at the RHSV when she takes you on an armchair ride through the streets and laneways of Melbourne. This event will be publicised in early 2022 so keep an eye out.

If you want to buy Adrift in Melbourne (great Christmas present for any Melburnian) click here.

Oral History Victoria Ideas and Skills Exchange
2021-11-30 17:30 - 18:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Tuesday 30 November 2021, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Want to talk about your oral history project? Meet us online
Members and non-members are welcome to attend our next ‘Ideas and skills exchange‘ session which is being held online via Zoom on Tuesday 30 November 2021 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
This is the latest – and last for the year – of our monthly informal gatherings for those who want to discuss their projects with other oral history practitioners and enthusiasts. It’s a relaxed atmosphere where all are welcome.
The event will be facilitated by our very experienced committee member and colleague Alistair Thomson, Professor of History, Monash University.
So prepare your favourite beverage, click the meeting link and meet us online!
How to join the meeting
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84893624908?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 412 577 4422
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Please ensure your device has a dedicated microphone and webcam.

ONLINE OPEN DAY - GIPPSLAND
2021-12-06 10:00 - 16:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
ONLINE OPEN DAY – GIPPSLAND
The National Archives of Australia is coming to Gippsland, virtually – through a free, online open day for Gippsland residents. This event is presented with support from the Gippsland Association of Affiliated Historical Societies (GAAHS) and the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV).
Presented by staff from the National Archives’ Victoria State Office, the open day will feature seminars on key family history and local history resources available through the National Archives. Reference officers will also be available to answer questions you have about finding immigration and defence service records.
Four sessions will be presented online via Zoom:

10:00am – 11:30am Session 1. Finding Families in the National Archives
11:30am – 1:00pm Session 2. Q&A: immigration records
2pm – 3:30pm Session 3. Local History resources at the National Archives
3:30pm – 4:30pm Session 4. Q&A: Defence service records

You can attend all the sessions, or just those which interest you the most.
Register for each session below or for the full day – bookings are limited to the first 100 people per session. Please, as we have limited numbers for each session, only book for those that you know you will be able to attend as, otherwise, you are depriving someone else of a place.
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Session 1. Finding Families in the National Archives
Are you on the trail of an ancestor who served in the Australian military? Or migrated to Australia in the 1900s? Maybe there is someone lurking on a branch of your family tree who was a creative genius, a spendthrift or even a bit subversive? If so, then the National Archives of Australia may be able help!
The National Archives is a rich source of information for family historians. In this presentation, Darren Watson from the National Archives’ Victoria State Office will give an overview of key family history resources in their collection as well as tips and tricks for conducting your research.
Bookings required.
Session 2. Q&A: Immigration records
Are you having difficulties in finding the immigration records of a specific person? If so, why not join this interactive Q&A session with reference officers from the National Archives who will also provide some ‘tips and tricks’ to help you with your research.
Bookings required.
Session 3. Researching places: Heritage & Local History Resources at the National Archives
Did you know that the National Archives’ collection contains fascinating records relating to the history of local communities and historic sites? In this session, Patrick Ferry will provide an overview of key heritage and local history resources relating to Gippsland, including building plans, photographs, post office history files and lighthouse records.
Bookings required
Session 4. Q&A: Defence service records
Are you having difficulties in finding the defence service records records of a specific person? If so, why not join this interactive Q&A session with reference officers from the National Archives who will also provide some ‘tips and tricks’ to help you with your research.

Images used to promote event are courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. Traralgon Hospital 1957 A1200 L22818; Gabo Island lighthouse NAA A9568 6-4-6

2021-12-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Stella Maris Seafarers Centre, 600 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
Dr Jackie Watts OAM Chair, Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network invites you to …
MMHN’s 2021 Pre-Christmas Gathering & Conversation
At Stella Maris Seafarers Centre
600 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
(between Spencer & King Streets)
On Tuesday, 7 December, 5-7 pm
With Guest Speaker
Angela Skandarajah
Chief Executive Officer, Development Victoria
Appointed CEO of Development Victoria in February 2019, Angela will share with us Development Victoria’s interest in all matters maritime. Angela joined Development Victoria in 2017 with over 25 years’ experience in the real estate sector and broad-based expertise in property development, urban renewal and infrastructure projects.
We are delighted to be supporting Stella Maris this year and their excellent work globally to assist seafarers. Come along – join the fun and meet fellow maritime stakeholders and enthusiasts.
Due to Covid-19, numbers are limited. Bookings are essential
RSVP by 1 December admin@mmhn.org.au
IN LINE WITH COVID-19 GUIDELINES, YOU WILL NEED TO BE DOUBLE VACCINATED.
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This will be a COVID-19 safe event in line with health and government authority guidelines. Please observe the following:

Complete a symptom self-assessment prior to leaving home. Do not come to the event if you are unwell, even with very mild symptoms
Maintain a 1.5 metre distance from others during the event, where possible
Do not come to the launch if you are required to isolate or quarantine for any reason and/or you are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test
Follow directions for face coverings and hygiene during the launch
Let the organiser know immediately if you become unwell during the launch
Link to the Australian Government’s COVID Safe App.

Discover Your Military Ancestors
2021-12-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Discover the huge range of military records you can search online, and find out what your ancestors did during the wars of the 20th century.
Recommended for beginners.

Freak Out How a Musical Revolution Rocked the World in the Sixties
2021-12-08 18:30 - 19:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Freak Out How a Musical Revolution Rocked the World in the Sixties
Freak Out is Australia’s coming-of-age story, of how we as a nation were dragged into global culture by the unstoppable momentum of rock and pop music. The sixties was an era of extraordinary change and earth-shattering events. The music scene responded with popular anthems that reverberated across the planet. What’s more, the gun was fired on a period of unprecedented musical innovation and creativity, the likes of which have never been repeated.
Music spoke to young people in their own shared language, urging them to view themselves as decidedly separate from mainstream society – even suggesting they might ‘drop out’ altogether. For a brief time, millions of young people across western culture actually believed they could successfully reinvent society. Liberation for pacifists, women, people of colour, homosexuals, students and the oppressed seemed to be just a short revolution away.
There was no room for complacency or apathy in the face of the Cold War, Vietnam War, and the constant threat of nuclear annihilation. Australians may have been spared the fear of bomb blasts, assassinations and kidnappings; however, the ructions abroad invaded our national psyche, and the music that was generated in that milieu infiltrated Australian culture and transformed society forever.
In this event the author, Tony Wellington, will be interviewed by Sean Sennett, music-writer and musician.
Tony Wellington has worked in a broad range of creative arts fields and even dabbled in politics as the Mayor of Noosa Shire.
Tony is the author of Happy?: Exposing the Cultural Myths about Happiness, plus a history book, Noosa and Cooloola, and is co-author (with John Shand) of Don’t Shoot the Best Boy! The Film Crew at Work. He has also produced several photographic books, the most recent being Wild About Noosa. Over the years, Tony has provided articles, op eds and photographs for many newspapers, magazines and books.
Tony graduated from Macquarie University in 1976 majoring in Media and Communications, receiving a university prize for his media studies. For many years he worked on a freelance basis in the feature film and television industry as a scriptwriter, first assistant director, editor and director. He also lectured in media studies and film craft.
Sean Sennett is a Brisbane based music writer and musician. As the owner of Time Off magazine for two decades, Sean interviewed over a thousand artists – from local and unsigned bands to the likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Bruce Springsteen. He has written about music for The Age, Rolling Stone (here and overseas), the Australian, the SMH and Word. Sean now hosts the podcast Sony Music Presents Time To Talk. Sean has written and recorded music with Rob Hirst, Kate Ceberano, Steve Kilbey, Ross Wilson, Kasey Chambers and more.
Please note that this event originates in Brisbane which is on AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) wheras Melbourne is on AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight time) so, for Melbourne audiences it starts at 7:30pm.
If you are an RHSV member attending this event and you want to buy a copy of Freak Out please contact Avid Reader, the bookshop hosting the event. However you can also buy Freak Out from the RHSV bookshop here: https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/product/freak-out-how-a-musical-revolution-rocked-the-world-in-the-sixties-by-tony-wellington/
