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.

Mosman Historical Society presents:

Intrepid Explorer Matthew Flinders by Paul Brunton OAM

The State Library of NSW recently acquired a very rare collection of letters and documents relating to the life of explorer and cartographer Captain Matthew Flinders (1774–1814). The collection came from Flinders’ descendants and includes original handwritten love letters as well as correspondence with family and friends, business documents, invoices from the HMS Investigator voyage around Australia between 1801 and 1803, his will and funeral papers. Paul Brunton OAM will provide a fascinating context for this archive as he discusses Flinders and his pivotal voyage of exploration.

Matthew Flinders, ca. 1800 – watercolour miniature portrait (State Library of NSW)

About the speaker

Paul Brunton OAM is Emeritus Curator at the State Library of New South Wales, where he was Curator of Manuscripts and Senior Curator. He curated an exhibition on Flinders in 2001. Among his books is Matthew Flinders: Personal Letters from an Extraordinary Life (2002).

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.

Welcome to Our New Affiliated Societies Blog

This new blog is part of a wider initiative to support conversation, shared learning, and collaboration across the RAHS affiliated societies network. The idea grew out of our recent Affiliated Societies Survey, which highlighted how valuable it is for societies to exchange practical advice and hear how others approach similar challenges.

The strength of this network was evident during the Collections and Community: Trove and NSW Historical Societies seminar, our recent hybrid seminar at History House, which brought together more than 60 people from historical societies across NSW. The discussion and examples shared on the day helped us update the Session B handouts to reflect real situations faced by our affiliated societies.

DOWNLOAD SESSION HANDOUT

The Session B handout includes contributions from:

• Leonie Bell, Botany Bay Family History Society – YouTube for History Societies
• Suzanne Holohan, RAHS – Discussion on RAHS Affiliated Societies Survey Results
• Phillip Jaworski, RAHS – Advertising with the RAHS
• Lorraine Neate, Illawarra Historical Society – Setting Up Tap-and-Pay Systems
• Discussion Summary – Choosing a Mobile Phone for Your Society

Each section offers practical guidance on topics many societies are navigating, from creating simple videos and promoting events to understanding insurance, using a tap-and-pay system, and deciding whether your group needs a dedicated phone. These resources are designed to support committees in a changing environment, including the move toward cashless payments and increased reliance on digital communication.

Between events, this blog will be a place to share ideas, ask questions and highlight issues that matter to your society. We also welcome suggestions for a better blog name. If you have a title that captures the spirit of conversation and collaboration across our network, we would be pleased to hear it.

We look forward to building this space with you.

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society presents:

A History of the Greengate Hotel by Mark Dunn

On Saturday, 21 February 2026, after the Ku-ring-gai Historical Society General Meeting, Mark Dunn will present A History of the Greengate Hotel.

A true North Shore landmark, the Greengate Hotel is one of Sydney’s oldest continuously operating hotels. It brings together a rich history with enduring charm, making it a fitting focus for our February 2026 guest speaker at Ku-ring-gai Historical Society!

In his book, The Greengate Hotel: A Social and Development History (BBS Holdings, 2024), Mark Dunn has crafted a compelling and thoroughly researched account of Greengate’s history, exploring its beginnings in 1832 and the many changes that have resulted in the hotel we know and love today.

About the speaker

Dr Mark Dunn is a public historian with more than 30 years of experience in Sydney’s history, heritage and archaeology. He has completed a Master’s in Applied History and a PhD in the history of colonial race and class relations in the NSW convict colony. His book, The Convict Valley (Allen & Unwin, 2020), was shortlisted for the Australian Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Australian History. He is an Executive Member of the RAHS Council, was the chair of the Professional Historians Association (NSW & ACT), a member of the NSW Heritage Council, and a previous president of the History Council of NSW. He has also acted as a consultant for the TV program Who Do You Think You Are? Australia.

Event details

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

There is no charge to attend. Finishing time is approximately 3:30 pm, and you are welcome to stay for refreshments and a chat following the presentation.

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

Kiama Historical Society presents:

Celebrating History, Defending Heritage by Tony Gilmour

The Kiama and District Historical Society was established in 1975, so come along and celebrate at our 50th birthday party!

Tony Gilmour will launch his new book Celebrating History, Defending Heritage: fifty years of Kiama Historical Society. The book brings to life why the Society was established and how it fought hard to win control of the Pilot’s Cottage which was threatened with demolition or being turned into a fast-food takeaway.

The Society has long fought to protect the heritage of Kiama and surrounding areas, defending our built and natural environment. We have had many successes, sometimes by working behind the scenes and other times protesting loudly.

Hear how the Society has brought history to life, from fashion parades to costumed re-enactments. And after 50 years, we remain one of the largest and most vibrant voluntary organisations on the NSW south coast.

Event Details

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 at 2.00 pm.

Where: Kiama Library Auditorium, 11 Railway Parade, Kiama NSW.

Admission: Members $3 | Non-members $5. Includes afternoon tea and a celebratory glass of wine.

RSVP: kiamahistory@outlook.com

About the book

Celebrating History, Defending Heritage tells the story of the Kiama Historical Society and how it has brought to life fascinating stories from the area’s past over the last fifty years. It has battled to preserve valuable local heritage against demolition and insensitive development. Read all about Kiama’s legendary figures the Society has helped rediscover, such as progressive writer and colourful character Charmian Clift and legendary Hollywood multi-Oscar winner Orry-Kelly. The book is available from the Kiama Historical Society for $25 + delivery. All profits go to the Kiama Historical Society.

Parramatta and District Historical Society presents:

The Last Outlaws by Katherine Biber

In the winter of 1900, Wiradjuri man Jimmy Governor and his brother Joe murdered nine people across New South Wales, in a rampage that caused panic in the colony on the cusp of nationhood. Triggered, it seems, by a racist incident, they killed men, women and children, evading a vast manhunt until they were eventually captured. Joe was shot in the open; Jimmy survived to be put on trial. Thus, the last man to be outlawed in the colony was hanged in the new nation, meeting his end in Darlinghurst Gaol as the Federation decorations were taken down. The brothers’ names still resonate, partly due to Thomas Keneally’s novel The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and Fred Schepisi’s subsequent film.

Katherine Biber’s compelling reconstruction of events – from the murders themselves to Jimmy’s eventual execution – brings this extraordinary story back to life. In doing so, it sheds fresh, vivid light on the country that inspired and reacted to the murders.

About the speaker

Katherine Biber is a historian, criminologist, legal scholar, and Professor of Law at the University of Technology Sydney. Her podcast trilogy, The Last Outlaws, won numerous awards, including the NSW Premier’s History Award and Podcast of the Year at the Australian Podcast Awards. Her book, also titled The Last Outlaws, was published in July 2025.

Event Details

When: Monday, 17 November at 7.30 pm.

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

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

Enquiries: Email Jeff Allen at jallen6@bigpond.net.au

Mosman Historical Society presents:

Sydney Whale Tales by Nancy Cushing

Nancy Cushing will explain that while whales literally have only a passing association with Sydney, they have captured the attention of residents for millennia, as can be seen in the rock carvings of whales along the coast. Her talk will focus on the interest in whales both before and after Federation and how it was driven by scientific enquiry, economic motives and curiosity about these ‘monster fish’.

H. Grant Lloyd (attributed), Whaling Station, Mosmans Bay, n.d. (State Library of NSW).

About the speaker

Nancy Cushing is Associate Professor of History at the University of Newcastle. An environmental historian whose interests range from coal mining to statues, she is the 2024–25 Coral Thomas Fellow at the State Library of NSW, where she is working on the entwined histories of humans and other animals in Sydney.

Event Details

When: Wednesday, 12 November 2025 at 7.00 pm. Please arrive promptly.

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

Admission: Members Free | Visitors $5 donation.

RSVP: Email David Carment davidcarment@me.com by Monday, 10 November.

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

Parramatta Historical Society presents:

The 37th James Jervis Memorial Lecture

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness: An archaeological perspective on the influences of Victorian values and city-wide health in Parramatta

For more than 30 years, archaeologists have recorded and studied the colonial past of Parramatta, the second-oldest European settlement in NSW. Archaeological investigations provide a wealth of information that contributes to the interpretation of the landscape, the history of the town’s development and our understanding of the people who lived there. Dr E. Jeanne Harris’ new book, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, uses archaeological assemblages generated by these investigations as the basis for exploring what these mainly British settlers and their descendants held as societal beliefs, principles and norms (termed ‘Victorian values’), which emerged concerning cleanliness and health-related issues.

Synthesising the findings from eight residential archaeological sites, Dr E. Jeanne Harris will discuss the social reforms that promoted both public health initiatives and personal health practices, providing insight into the everyday lives of those who lived in Parramatta in the 19th century.

About the speaker

Dr E. Jeanne Harris has over 35 years’ experience in cultural heritage and resource management in the USA and Australia. She is the owner of UrbanAnalysts, a consultancy specialising in the analysis of historical artefacts.

Event Details

When: Monday, 20 October 2025 at 7.30 pm.

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

Admission: The lecture is free and is followed by supper. Visitors are welcome.

The Film Heritage Academy presents:

A screening of silent era film, Snow White (1916)

Join the Film Heritage Academy at History House for a screening of the silent era adaptation, Snow White (1916). Run time: 65 minutes.

The film will be introduced by Ursula Dubosarsky, acclaimed Australian prize-winning author of over 60 books for children and young adults.

About the Film

Snow White (1916) is an early silent film adaptation of a successful play based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. The story here also draws from another European folktale with an odious stepmother as found in Cinderella.

The film stars two Australians in the leads: Dorothy Cumming and May Robson.

This romantic fantasy was seen by a 14-year-old Walt Disney 109 years ago, who was struck by its enchantment to such an extent that he chose the tale 21 years later as the theme of his hugely successful animated feature.

Let us together rediscover this charming, reclaimed chapter of film history.

When: Friday, 17 October 2025, from 10.00 to 11.30 am.
Where: Auditorium, History House, 133 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000.
Admission: Tickets $20 | Concession $15.

CLICK HERE TO BUY A TICKET

Acknowledgements: The Film Heritage Academy values the vital assistance of the RAHS. The positive support of Leslie May and the sublime skills and flair of Diana Wong are appreciated.

The Film Heritage Academy is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity that promotes an appreciation of historic films and film history.