News - March 2022
Tuesday 15 March – 7:30pm General Meeting
VENUE: Zoom
GUEST SPEAKER: Maree Ring
TOPIC: Hobart’s 19th Century Burial Grounds
This year, 2022, is the 150th anniversary of the Cornelian Bay Cemetery. In this presentation the speaker will talk about the burial grounds of Hobart – their history and locations – prior to the opening of Cornelian Bay. Later in the year the presenter is scheduled to present a detailed history of the 150 years of Cornelian Bay Cemetery.
Branch member Maree Ring is a well-known family historian and history researcher having made many presentations to adult education classes and community groups and is a regular presenter during Libraries Tasmania’s celebration of National Family History Month held August each year. She has a broad interest in Tasmanian history and is responsible for many Tasmanians becoming addicted to family history research.
To enable members to access this Zoom presentation log-in details for the meeting will be forwarded via email on Monday March 14. Non-members wishing to access the presentation are invited to contactthe Secretary by email requesting that log-in details be forwarded to them.
More for Your Diary
Thu 17 March – 10.00am Branch Committee Meeting
VENUE: ZOOM Meeting
Thu 10 March – 1.30pm DNA Group Meeting
VENUE: Zoom
Thu 24 March - 2pm Library Committee
VENUE: TBA
BRANCH UPDATE – LIBRARY RE-OPENING
The Branch Library has re-opened for the year after an extended December-January break caused by COVID concerns. There will still be some restrictions on the number of people in the premises at the same time, and Tasmanian Government COVID restrictions in play on the day will be imposed.
In addition, The Society at its recent meeting set the rule that people attending a Tasmanian Family History Society premises should be able to show that they have been double vaccinated. This provides protection to visitors and our volunteers.
Library Accessions February 2022
The following items were accessioned during the month of September 2021.
Books
* Tuffin, Richard, et al; RECOVERING CONVICT LIVES - A Historical Archaeology of the Port Arthur Penitentiary 365.9946 TUF
* Denotes complimentary or donated item
CHANGED LIBRARY HOURS
From the time of the re-opening of the Library – 8 March 2022 – the hours for Saturday afternoons have been brought forward by 30 minutes, making closing time 4.00 pm.
The new hours for private or assisted research are:
Tuesdays 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm
Wednesdays 9.30 am – 12.30 pm
Saturdays 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm
AGM
The date of the Annual General Meeting is looming again. The AGM will be held on a Saturday afternoon, 9 April 2022 at 2.00 pm at St Mark’s Hall in Bellerive (opposite Salamanca Fresh).
The business of the AGM will be brief and followed by a guest speaker and afternoon tea.
The guest speaker will be Anne Blythe-Cooper, author of a recently published biography of one-time Bellerive resident Lucy Benson, (nee Westbrook), who was Australia's first "lady conductor". Lucy Benson (1860-1943) was involved in the Bellerive Social Institute, a music teacher, a choral director and producer. She was a contemporary of Sherwin and Melba and performed Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, serious opera, musical comedy and in later life, played for silent films and appeared on radio.
COMMITTEE
For the last 12 months the Hobart Branch Committee has operated through difficult COVID times with a reduced membership. A combination of face-to-face and Zoom meetings have been held.
The Committee needs new members in order to maintain the standard of services that we all enjoy. If you are approached to join the committee, “Please consider”. Alternatively, why not self-nominate? The commitment amounts to about 2 hours per month to attend committee meetings and thereafter it is up to you any extra commitment you make.
Nomination forms are available at the Branch Library of on request by email. Nominations close 31 March 2022
FCRC SEMINAR 2022 - SUNDAY 1 MAY 2022
Presented in partnership with the School of Humanities, University of Tasmania.
Topic: Young female convicts in Van Diemen’s Land
Venue: Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay
This seminar will focus on the youngest female convicts transported to Van Diemen’s Land – those aged 16 and under. Presentations will examine their origins, their convict experience and the lives that they built post-sentence.
Research presentations include:
- Overview of young convicts based on the FCRC database
- A focus on convicts under 13 years of age
- Biographies of young female convicts, including their lives pre-and post-sentence
- A geographic analysis of the origins of young convicts
- A keynote presentation by Dee Hoole of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland
- The story of young convicts who arrived in the 1830s
There will also be a special presentation by historical archaeologist Richard Tuffin – “ Where we once lived: recreating past environments to understand past Tasmanian lives” .
The seminar program and registration details are now available on the website . This year you have the option of attending in person and we are hoping to offer online via Zoom webinar. A separate email will be sent when this is confirmed. Registrations for the seminar to be finalised by Sunday, April 24th.
We also have a new venue for 2022: the Stanley Burbury Theatre at the University of Tasmania. It is a spacious facility that enables easy social distancing in these COVID times.
If you have any queries, please email.
We look forward to seeing you at the Seminar!
Regards,
Dianne Snowden (President)
Female Convicts Research Centre Inc
Jane Hofto (Seminar Organiser)
SUSAN HOOD LECTURE - 2022
The annual Susan Hood Lecture recognises her outstanding contribution to the support of research and research communication. The lecture series encompasses a variety of fields ranging from convict studies, genealogy, and the Port Arthur Historic Sites, to the environment and sustainability. The lectures reflect the contributions that Susan made as a PAHSMA employee over more than three decades of service and celebrate her personal commitment to the better understanding of the world in which we live.
TASMANIAN EDIBLE NATIVE PLANTS: HOW TO IDENTIFY AND USE THEM
Presented by Rees Campbell
Rees is the author of 5 Tasmanian-themed books: A Thousand Pleasures, A Million Treasures (a beachcombers guide); The Legacy; Brazenly Pure; Pointing the way home; and her popular Eat Wild Tasmanian. An expanded new edition, Eat More Wild Tasmanian, will be released shortly.
Did you know there are over 150 edible Tasmanian native plants? Rees Campbell will talk about the richness of the Tasmanian botanical larder, identify many of the edible plants growing naturally on the Tasman Peninsula (and easily in your gardens) and demonstrate how to use them.
From the bush to the garden to the kitchen - colour photographs of the plants, the products and meals cooked with them will bring the talk to life.
There will be plant samples to view; and product samples to taste; as well as a limited stock of Feisty Tasmanian products to purchase on the day (cash only).
31 March 2022 at 12.00pm
Asylum building, Port Arthur Historic Site
Bookings are essential – contact reservations@portarthur.org.au or phone 6251 2310 to reserve your spot.
CONGRESS ON NORFOLK ISLAND: 1-4 AUGUST 2022
The Congress which was postponed from 2021 is still being planned for Monday 1st to Thursday 4th August 2022. The programme, speakers’ details and other information is available now.
Hosted by Norfolk Island Museum. Come join us for a week of events culminating in the conference, with outstanding guest speakers from a variety of subjects, all designed to help you in your quest for knowledge.
Attend a variety of lectures & workshops, hear Genealogical Experts, and attend the Trade Show.
Tour Norfolk Island attractions, Museums, including the World Heritage Listed Kingston.
Check out the following:
Congress website - https://affhocongress2022.com
Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/AFFHO2022
FAMILY SEARCH
The Hobart Branch has been approved as a FamilySearch affiliate library which means we now have access to a wealth of digital resources not available when you sign on to FamilySearch at home. If you use FamilySearch you will know that many documents are restricted and not available without visiting an LDS library or an affiliate library.
Those documents are now available at our library. You simply sign on to your FamilySearch account on one of our computers using your own username and password. Complete your search and the documents are available to print or download.
If you currently do not have an account with FamilySearch it is easy to create an account at their website or, when you visit our library, our assistants can sign on for you with our own account.
We look forward to helping you with your research.
MEMBERS INTERESTS
Members Interests have now been updated to the 2022 year and are available on the Society website in searchable form. Click on the Resources tab and then Members Interests.
A snapshot of the page follows:
Click on the column headings (Surname, Name, Area, Period or Member Number) to sort; click twice to sort descending.
Use Search in one or more columns at a time, using full or partial words. Searches are not case sensitive.
If you find a name that you are interested in, note the membership number and send us a quick email (or visit any branch) to request contact information.
