The Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority presents
this semi-regular series of talks by authoritative speakers on a variety
of topics, ranging from history and conservation to environmental
issues, research results, study tours and much more.
The talks are held every couple of months at the Port Arthur Historic
Site, are free of charge and open to anyone who is interested in the
topic. Rich and varied subjects and speakers make for fascinating
listening and discussion.
For more information about our Port Arthur Talks, please phone +61 (0)3 6251 2324.
Wednesday 23 October, 2013
Convict backgrounds: New developments in economic and social history research
presented by Prof. Pam Sharpe
This presentation will review new research findings for the economic
and social history of Britain circa 1800-1850, and look at how this
impacts on our understanding of convict lives prior to their
transportation.
Pam Sharpe trained at the Cambridge Group for the History of
Population and Social Structure, University of Cambridge, then was a
post-doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Essex before becoming
Lecturer in Social and Economic History at the University of Bristol.
She was Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and has
held the position of Professor of History in the School of Humanities
at the University of Tasmania since 2006.
ALL WELCOME
Wednesday 23 October, 2013, 5.30pm at the Junior Medical Officer’s Conference Room, Port Arthur Historic Site
For more information call 6251 2324
Port Arthur Talk leaflet - Pam Sharpe
Wednesday 27 November, 2013
Prisoners or servants: A history of the legal status of Britain's transported convicts
presented by Alan Brooks
More details soon.
Thursday 13 February, 2014
Roses from the heart: a tribute to convict women
presented by Dr Christina Henri
Tasmanian artist Christina Henri is using art as a meaningful tool to
tell the stories of our past and bring focus to heritage sites,
especially the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site. This presentation
tells us the how, why and where about Roses from the Heart – the first memorial to ALL women sentenced to transportation as convicts to Australia 1788-1853.
Beginning as a memorial art installation based on the colonial bonnet
which pays tribute to the contribution paid to colonial society by
convict women, it has grown to become a collection of over 23,000
bonnets made by descendants and interested individuals alike. Christina
will share stories of her visits to Ireland with Roses from the Heart in 2010, 2012 and 2013.
Christina Henri completed her PhD in visual and performing arts
through the University of Tasmania in 2011. She has been Honorary
Artist-in-Residence at the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site since
2003, and has been involved in numerous art installations and
exhibitions in recent years that involve acknowledgement of convict
women. This year she was inscribed on the Tasmanian Honour Roll of
Women.
ALL WELCOME
Thursday 13 February, 2014, 5.30pm at the Junior Medical Officer’s Conference Room, Port Arthur Historic Site
For more information call 6251 2324
Port Arthur Talk leaflet - Christina Henri
Thursday 27 March, 2014
Jane Franklin at Port Arthur
presented by Dr Alison Alexander
In a period when most ladies sat at home with their embroidery, Jane
Franklin achieved fame throughout the western world, and was probably
the best travelled woman of her day. Born in late eighteenth century
London and married at the age of 36 years to Sir John Franklin, she
travelled widely, and with an original ambition to live life to the full
she was equally desirous of making her kind and mild husband a success.
Arriving in Tasmania in 1837 when Sir John became governor, she swept
like a whirlwind through the colony: attempting to rid the island of
snakes; establishing a scientific society and the Hobart regatta; and
adopting an Aboriginal girl to name a few of her many activities.
In 1837 the Franklins visited Port Arthur. In her diary and letters,
Jane Franklin, an acute observer, gave a full and frank description of
her visit. This paper analyses this description.
Alison Alexander has written 24 books about Tasmanian history,
ranging from commissioned histories of a variety of institutions and
areas, to biographies. Her most important books are: The ambitions of Jane Franklin (2013), and Tasmania’s Convicts (2010).
ALL WELCOME
Thursday 27 March, 2014, 5.30pm at the Junior Medical Officer’s Conference Room, Port Arthur Historic Site
For more information call 6251 2324
Port Arthur Talk leaflet - Alison Alexander