Parramatta Historical Society presents:

The House of Blue Glass: A Life of Penelope Lucas

Acclaimed historian Alan Atkinson, author of the award-winning Elizabeth and John: The Macarthurs of Elizabeth Farm, pieces together the life of Penelope Lucas and the pivotal role she played in building the Macarthur empire. While she is known as the family governess, Atkinson reveals that Penelope was primarily an accountant whose bookkeeping work made an important difference to the Macarthurs’ success.

Penelope Lucas came to Australia in 1805, unmarried and in her thirties. She was the first well-educated woman to travel independently from Europe to Australia and was looking forward to living on inherited income. While Elizabeth Macarthur was unsurprisingly upset when her husband, John, arrived back from three years in England with a woman she had never heard of, Penelope went on to live with the Macarthurs for over thirty years and became close friends with Elizabeth. She went on to live the last nine years of her life in Hambledon Cottage, Parramatta.

In this revelatory talk based on his latest book, Atkinson brings together fifty years of scholarship as he explores the gender dynamics of the Macarthur household and the life of a single woman of means in Georgian England and early colonial Sydney.

About the speaker

Alan Atkinson is an acclaimed historian and the author of Europeans in Australia, volumes I-III and Elizabeth and John: The Macarthurs of Elizabeth Farm, which was the winner of the 2023 NSW Premier’s History Awards, Australian History Prize.

Event details

When: Monday, 20 April 2026 at 7:30 pm.

Where: Burnside Gardens Community Centre, 3 Blackwood Place, Oatlands NSW 2117.

Admission: The presentation is free and will be followed by supper. Visitors are very welcome!

Enquiries to Jeff Allen at jallen6@bigpond.net.au

Signed copies of the book will be available for sale after the talk.

Parramatta Female Factory Friends presents:

Registers of the Forgotten: 19th-Century Asylums and Mental Health Facilities

This talk explores the records relating to nineteenth-century mental health facilities and asylums for the infirm and destitute in NSW. It will draw on government reports, admission registers, employment records and other material in the NSW State Archives Collection. Particular attention will be given to the layered history of the Parramatta Female Factory site and its transformation from female factory to asylum complex.

Parramatta Lunatic Asylum, main entrance, c. 1900 (Museums of History NSW)

About the speaker

Christine Yeats FRAHS is an archivist and historical researcher specialising in local and community history. She is Chair of the Jessie Street National Women’s Library Board, Senior Vice President of the Royal Australian Historical Society, Convenor of the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Committee Assessment Sub-Committee and Chair of the Independent Scholars Association Australia (NSW). She is Review Editor of the Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society and was awarded a RAHS Fellowship in 2023.

Event details

When: Friday, 17 April 2026 at 1:30 pm.

Where: Parramatta Female Factory, Friends Rooms, the ‘Greenway’ Matron’s Quarters, 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta.

Bookings: https://bit.ly/RegistersoftheForgotten

Cost: $5 (plus booking surcharge). Places are limited, so please book early.

For more information, visit https://www.parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au or email contact@parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au

Mosman Historical Society presents:

Slippery Symbols of Australia by Richard White

Associate Professor Richard White will discuss symbols that shape how Australians see themselves as a nation. From Uluru to the Australian flag, the rainbow serpent to the FJ Holden, the southern cross to the democracy sausage, the Akubra to the Great Barrier Reef, these symbols are often inspiring, occasionally embarrassing, always revealing. Yet while we often think of them as fixed, it is surprising how much they have changed over time – capturing everything from our national dignity to our everyday dagginess.

About the speaker

Richard taught Australian history and the history of travel and tourism at the University of Sydney for 23 years. He is well known as an authority on national identity, tourism and popular culture. His publications include the books Inventing Australia, The Oxford Book of Australian Travel Writing, Cultural History in Australia, On Holidays: A History of Getting Away in Australia and Symbols of Australia: Imagining a Nation (co-edited with Melissa Harper). He is also a RAHS Councillor.

Event details

When: Wednesday, 8 April 2026 at 7.00 pm. Please arrive promptly.

Where: Mosman Library, 605 Military Rd, Mosman NSW 2088.

Admission: Members Free | Visitors $5 donation.

RSVP: Email davidcarment@me.com by Monday, 6 April 2026.

Please join members of the Mosman Historical Society for refreshments and a chat after the talk.

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society presents:

Private Ryan and the Lost Peace

Imagine the Great War ending as early as 1915. Imagine round-table negotiations finishing what seemed to be an unbreakable military stalemate. Were secret diplomatic deals prolonging the war? Had peace come in this way, perhaps there would have been no Communism, no Fascism, no Nazism, no Great Depression, and no Second World War. During the Great War, many urged such a peace.

In Private Ryan and the Lost Peace (Longueville Media, 2021), Douglas Newton relates the story of one Australian soldier – Private Ted Ryan – who rebelled against the war, blasting talk of fighting on to ‘the knock-out blow’. His revolt landed him in four courts martial – he even received a death sentence.

From what we now know, Ted Ryan’s instincts were dead right: the Great War was an unnecessarily protracted catastrophe.

Join the Ku-ring-gai Historical Society on Saturday, 18 April 2026, as Douglas Newton explores the life of a courageous man whose story deserves to be heard.

Free entry, no booking required. You are welcome to stay for refreshments and a chat following the presentation.

About the speaker

Dr Douglas Newton is an academic and historian. He lectured at various universities in Australia and New Zealand and was Associate Professor in European History at Western Sydney University until 2008. He has published six books on the history of Britain, Germany, and the First World War, with a special focus on the peace movement.

Event details

Join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1 at 2:00 pm on Saturday, 18 April 2026. Finishing time is approximately 3:30 pm.

The meeting room is in the Old Gordon Public School, adjoining the library, 799 Pacific Hwy, Gordon (corner Pacific Hwy and Park Ave).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon station. For a map and parking information, see www.khs.org.au/contact-us

In case of any last-minute changes, and for more information on our forthcoming talks, please check our website, www.khs.org.au/events

Military History Society of NSW presents:

The Australian Railway Companies of the Western Front, 1916–1918

Charles Bean mentions Australia’s railway units in perhaps half a dozen places in his Official History of Australians in the War of 1914–1918, and then mainly in footnotes. They were never part of Australia’s initial offer to Britain in 1914. Yet by 1918, Australia had effectively deployed a railway regiment of about 1,500 soldiers operating in France. So how and why did they get there, and how did a group, which despite contradicting Australian policy and initially not being legally part of the Australian Imperial Force, end up being very much part of the AIF? What role did they play, and as a side issue, how did ten NSW Government Railways locomotives end up wandering about France?

A party of the 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion with a recaptured English light railway engine, no. 796. They were tasked with getting the engine going again to transport ammunition. Unknown photographer, 8 August 1918. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial, accession no. E02787.

About the speaker

Lieutenant Colonel (retd) David Deasey RFD OAM served in the Australian Army Reserve for 33 years before retiring, and between 1995 and 1997 in the capacity of Commanding Officer of the University of NSW Regiment. He is the co-author of The History of the University of NSW Regiment 1952–2006 (2009). David is also a retired teacher, having taught English and history at various schools for 37 years. In 2019, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to community history, particularly in connection with his work as chair of the National Boer War Memorial Association’s NSW Committee. He is a member of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for Defence and Security Studies, NSW. He has spoken and written widely about military history.

Event details

When: Saturday, 4 April 2026 at 10:30 am.

Where: The Auditorium, Anzac Memorial Hyde Park, Sydney CBD.

Admission: Free, but a donation is appreciated.

More information: Email president@militaryhistorynsw.com.au

About the venue

The venue for the Military History Society of NSW lecture program is the Auditorium on the lower level of the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets, Sydney CBD. Numerous bus services stop at the location, and Museum Railway Station is a short walk away. The venue opens its doors from 10:00 am.

Military History Society of NSW presents:

Who Won the Battle of Beersheba, 1917?

The Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917 is generally known as a marvellous victory of the Australian Light Horse. However, most Australians are unaware that three British infantry divisions (53rd, 60th, and 74th) and a brigade from the 10th (Irish) Division took part in the battle. Not only were the British more numerous than the Australian Light Horse, but they also launched their attack first, crashing the Ottoman main defence and providing an opportunity for the Australians to unleash their mounted manoeuvre. This talk is about the long-forgotten role of the British infantry at Beersheba, who did most of the killing and dying.

About the speaker

Professor Mesut Uyar is a military historian and war studies expert. He is a graduate of the Turkish Military Academy. He received an MA in politics and a PhD in international relations from Istanbul University. During his military career, he served as a platoon leader and company and battalion commander in various infantry units, completing several tours as a United Nations military observer in Georgia and as a staff officer in Afghanistan and Bosnia. He served as an Associate Professor at the Turkish Military Academy and at the University of New South Wales. He is currently Professor of International Relations at Antalya Bilim University in Turkey. He is the author or co-author of The Ottoman Army and the First World War (Routledge, 2022); The Phaseline Attila: The Amphibious Campaign for Cyprus, 1974 (Marine Corps University Press, 2020); The Ottoman Defence against the Anzac Landing: 25 April 1915 (Australian Army History Unit Campaign Series, 2015); A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Atatürk (Praeger, 2009); and numerous articles and book chapters. His book about the Gaza Battles will be published by the Australian Army History Unit soon.

Event details

When: Saturday, 7 March 2026 at 10:30 am.

Where: The Auditorium, Anzac Memorial Hyde Park, Sydney CBD.

Admission: Free, but a donation is appreciated.

More information: Email president@militaryhistorynsw.com.au

About the venue

The venue for the Military History Society of NSW lecture program is the Auditorium on the lower level of the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets, Sydney CBD. Numerous bus services stop at the location, and Museum Railway Station is a short walk away. The venue opens its doors from 10:00 am.

Parramatta Female Factory Friends presents:

International Women’s Day 2026 Programme

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends have crafted an exciting programme to celebrate International Women’s Day. Come along for a lively discussion celebrating incredible women in Australia – it’s going to be inspiring and empowering.

Programme: Friday, 6 March 2026

• 9:30 am: PFFF Rooms Open
• 10:00 am: Research Rooms Open
• 10:00 am: Guest Speaker Presentation: Australian Women of Note
• 11:15 am: Morning Tea – Matron Gordon’s Tea Room
• 12:00 pm: Site tours including the 3rd Class Sleeping Quarters & Penitentiary c. 1823

Guest Speaker Presentation: Australian Women of Note

Our Australian banknotes are graced with some very ‘note-worthy’ women, but how much do you know about the important role each has played in our country’s history to deserve the honour to feature on our notes? Today, our banknotes feature a woman on each, but this was not so on our earlier notes, so when did it change? Kerima-Gae Topp’s research has discovered some amazing facts about these women, some of which were totally unexpected. This presentation will leave you with a new appreciation of our wonderful ‘Women of Note’.

About the speaker

Kerima-Gae Topp has lived in the Parramatta area all her life and is still living on her 1911 family property, near Parramatta’s CBD. She has a passion for the history of her local area. She is a past President of Parramatta National Trust, a former committee member of Parramatta and District Historical Society, and Parramatta Female Factory Friends, where she is still very active as a volunteer guide. Currently, she is President and Treasurer of Friends of Mays Hill Cemetery, Treasurer of Friends of St. John’s Cemetery, Friends of St. Patrick’s Cemetery and Hills District Historical Society. In 2007, Kerima-Gae received a Parramatta City Council Heritage Award for her ‘Meeting The Bounds’ historical tour of Parramatta. In 2021, she was awarded a Certificate of Achievement from the Royal Australian Historical Society. Since 2000, she has operated her own tour company, Topp Tours, specialising in historical tours of Parramatta, Sydney, country New South Wales and Norfolk Island.

Event details

When: Friday, 6 March 2026.

Where: Parramatta Female Factory Rooms, 5 Fleet St, North Parramatta.

Getting here: No parking onsite; 4hr street parking or Parramatta Leagues Club; Take the light rail from Parramatta – alight Ngara – short walk to site.

Cost: $20 (Talk $5; Morning Tea $5; Tours $10).

CLICK HERE TO BUY A TICKET

Book early – limited places available.

Parramatta Female Factory Friends presents:

Clothing of Australia’s Transported Convicts

The early days of the convict colony were plagued by supply problems; clothing was in short supply for decades, as were skilled tailors and seamstresses. In this talk, Rosemary Rope will give an account of the supply issues and the basic outfits worn by male and female convicts. Reproductions of female clothes will be presented and available for close examination. Rosemary has relied on historical records to identify what was worn, common clothing styles, and fabrics. In her book, Female Convict Threads (2025), Rosemary explains how to make an outfit.

Edward C. Close, ‘The costume of the Australasians’, c. 1817 (Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW)

About the speaker

Rosemary is a researcher and author. She is a descendant of First Fleeters, Anthony Rope and Elizabeth Pulley. Their son Robert picked up his wife, Esther Gamble, at the Parramatta Female Factory in 1812. Rosemary is Chair of the Rope-Pulley Family Heritage Association.

Event Details

When: Friday, 20 February 2026 at 1:30 pm.

Where: Parramatta Female Factory, 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta.

Bookings: https://bit.ly/australianconvictclothing

Cost: $5 (plus booking surcharge). Places are limited, so please book early.

For more information, visit https://www.parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au or email contact@parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au

Mosman Historical Society presents:

Ryde Railway Precinct by Stephen Palmer

Stephen Palmer will speak about his ongoing research on the history of the Ryde Railway Precinct. Three significant elements of Sydney’s infrastructure met at the Ryde Railway Precinct: the northern railway line to Newcastle and beyond; the Ryde Pumping Station supplying water to Sydney’s northern suburbs, and, until 1936, a connection to the tramway system. Stephen will describe how he is comparing photographic images with documentary sources to interpret the precinct in its changing historical context.

Ryde Railway Station, First and Second Ryde Pumping Stations, c. 1923–1926 (State Library of NSW)

About the speaker

Stephen Palmer is a Certified Practising Accountant and worked for 37 years in the financial services industry. After retiring from financial services in 2014, he studied history and conservation management as a mature-age student at the University of New England, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2023. Stephen has over 30 years’ experience volunteering in the NSW railway heritage sector. He is a life member of the Lachlan Valley Railway Society, for which he is the Archives Officer and Volunteer Historian at Cowra Locomotive Depot.

Event Details

When: Wednesday, 11 February 2026 at 7.00 pm. Please arrive promptly.

Where: Mosman Library, 605 Military Rd, Mosman NSW 2088.

RSVP: Contact David Carment at davidcarment@me.com by Monday, 9 February 2026.

Admission: Members Free | Visitors $5 donation.

Please join members of the Mosman Historical Society for refreshments and a chat following the talk.

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society presents:

Skippy’s Tragic Star by Peter Hobbins

What does a helicopter crash have to do with Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, filmed in Ku-ring-gai National Park? Find out on Saturday, 21 March 2026, when Peter Hobbins presents Skippy’s Tragic Star.

Just days before Christmas in 1966, a helicopter plummeted into downtown Sydney, killing everyone on board. But what made this disaster truly chilling is that the ABC film crew inside recorded their own final moments, while another crew on the Harbour captured the disaster unfolding.

The footage stunned the world, and Australian aviation changed forever. And somehow, Skippy is tangled up in this story.

Join Dr Peter Hobbins, historian, curator, and expert in all things disastrous – from pandemics to shipwrecks to aviation catastrophes – as he unpacks this gripping true story. Expect twists, jaw-dropping details, and the kind of history lesson you won’t soon forget.

Free entry, no booking required. You are welcome to stay for refreshments and a chat following the presentation.

About the speaker

Dr Peter Hobbins is a historian and curator at the State Library of New South Wales. He specialises in what happens when science, technology and medicine go wrong – including snakebites, pandemics, shipwrecks and aviation accidents.

Event details

Join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1 at 2:00 pm on Saturday, 21 March 2026.

The meeting room is in the Old Gordon Public School, adjoining the library, 799 Pacific Hwy, Gordon (corner Pacific Hwy and Park Ave).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon station. For a map and parking information, see www.khs.org.au/contact-us

In case of any last-minute changes, and for more information on our forthcoming talks, please check our website, www.khs.org.au/events

Bathurst’s Nurses of the Great War 1914–1919

Bathurst’s Nurses of the Great War 1914–1919 details the contributions of 26 nurses born in the Bathurst District, offering insight into their backgrounds, training, wartime service, and post-war lives, and demonstrating their resilience and dedication. It includes sections on Australian nurses’ service, uniforms, equipment, hospitals, medals, and individual biographies.

Key highlights include:

• The book profiles 26 nurses born in the Bathurst District, detailing their upbringing, training, wartime service, and post-war contributions.
• Descriptions of the uniforms and equipment used by the nurses, including variations and adaptations made during the war.
• Detailed descriptions of the medals awarded to these nurses, such as the Royal Red Cross, Florence Nightingale Medal, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.

Written by local historian Andrew Fletcher, the book serves as a comprehensive reference to honour the contributions and sacrifices of these courageous women from the Bathurst District during the Great War, emphasising their resilience, the challenges they faced, and their significant contributions to military and civilian healthcare during and after the war.

The book features a foreword by local serving Army Medical Corps member, Major Sarah Patterson.

Available from the Bathurst District Historical Society Museum.

Contact: info@bathursthistory.org.au

This project was supported by the Create NSW Cultural Grants Program, a devolved funding program administered by the Royal Australian Historical Society on behalf of the NSW Government.

The Randwick District Historical Society presents:

The Federation House Revealed: How it Really Came to Be

Join Mark Sabolch for a free history talk exploring the origins of the Federation period house in Sydney.

As Australia looks ahead to the 125th anniversary of Federation in 2026, this is the perfect time to rediscover the charm and significance of the Federation house – a defining feature of our national heritage. These much-loved homes are more than beautiful architecture; they are living reminders of a moment when Australia was shaping its identity.

Come along for an illustrated talk that explores the origins of the Federation period house in Sydney and traces its evolution from the ornate Victorian Italianate style. Learn how the social and cultural changes of the 1890s helped create a uniquely Australian architectural expression.

Art critic and former Glebe resident Bernard Smith first coined the term ‘Federation’ to describe this style, replacing the misleading ‘Queen Anne’. His insight helped redefine how Australians saw their own built environment and their place in history.

About the speaker

Mark Sabolch is a member of the Ashfield and District Historical Society and author of Hawthorne Canal: The History of Long Cove Creek. Recently, Mark has been researching the origins of the architectural house styles prevalent in Sydney’s inner west.

Event Details

When: Saturday, 21 February 2026 at 1.00 pm.

Where: Lionel Bowen Library, 669-673 Anzac Parade, Maroubra, NSW 2035.

Admission: Free. Bookings are essential. Book online.

For more information: randwickhistory@outlook.com

Presented by the Randwick District Historical Society in collaboration with Randwick City Library.