RAHS Latest News
Film Heritage Academy: Min and Bill (1930)
Film Heritage Academy presents: Tribute to early cinema and Oscar-winner Marie Dressler Join the Film Heritage Academy at History House for a screening of the early-sound classic Min and Bill (1930). This delightful early-sound comic melodrama, featuring one of early Hollywood’s great romantic teams, award-winning stars Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery, was a huge box-office success. Frances Marion, a multiple Oscar-winning writer, powers the tale with her astonishing talents. The crusty Min,...
Lives at Work: Discovering NSW History Through Archives
Online Research Workshop in November Lives at Work: Discovering NSW History Through Archives This course is in partnership with WEA Sydney. The NSW State Archives contain a remarkable record of everyday working life across more than two centuries. This course introduces the wide range of archival records relating to professions, trades, businesses, apprenticeships, licences, public service, immigration and employment. Participants will discover how these records can enrich family history,...
Exploring Land Records and Local Government
2026 Western Sydney Seminar Exploring Land Records and Local Government The RAHS, in partnership with the Museums of History NSW, present a seminar on exploring place and local history using land and local government records in the NSW State Archives Collection. Participants will learn about: Local Government Records, Valuation Records, Maps and Crown Plans, and Land Tenure Records. The event includes a guided tour of the Western Sydney Records Centre, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the...
From Pizza Hut to the Past: Discovering the RAHS Collections
Written by Zoe McPherson, RAHS Volunteer The Royal Australian Historical Society is working to make more of its unique collections discoverable online through the RAHS Library Catalogue, giving members, affiliated societies, researchers and history enthusiasts greater access to the material held by the Society. An important part of this process is reviewing and re-cataloguing the manuscript collection. As we work through the collection, we are finding that not everything traditionally housed...
Successful Grants and Sharing Your Collection: Affiliated Societies Seminar
RAHS Hybrid Seminar Tuesday, 13 October 2026 | 10:30 am – 3:30 pm History House, Sydney – or join us online Join us at History House or online for a day of practical insights into grant applications and sharing your historical collections. Hear directly from experienced grant assessors and learn what makes a strong application, common mistakes to avoid, and how to develop a realistic project plan and budget. Explore ways to make your collections more accessible, from copyright and permissions...
The Rum Corps: Rulers of the Colony
Military History Society of NSW presents: The Rum Corps: Rulers of the Colony The New South Wales Corps was raised to protect and police the people of the infant colony of New South Wales. Instead, they became corrupt traders in rum, goods, land and power for twenty years. They defied several Governors, culminating in the overthrow of Governor William Bligh and the Rum Rebellion of 1808. They established a military dictatorship in New South Wales with all the elements of any modern...
Uncovering Musquito with Naomi Parry Duncan
Uncovering Musquito with Naomi Parry Duncan Professional Historians Association NSW-ACT Join Naomi Parry Duncan in conversation with Rachel Franks about her book, Musquito: The real story of a legendary colonial warrior (Allen & Unwin, 2026). Nibbles and drinks will be provided and books will be available for purchase and signing. Note that this event will be followed by the PHA NSW-ACT Annual General Meeting, commencing at 7:30 pm. About the book A vivid, compelling portrait of the...
New Lift and Upgrades Planned for History House
New Lift and Upgrades Planned for History House With the new roof complete, we are turning our attention to the next major stage of work at History House: installing a new internal lift. The lift will improve disability access and make History House easier to visit. It has been ordered through Harwel, a lift company based in Gloucester, New South Wales. The lift is being specially manufactured in Spain to fit within the existing lift shaft while meeting current accessibility requirements. Once...
Film Heritage Academy: The Letter (1929)
Film Heritage Academy presents: Tribute to early cinema and its relationship with breaking the sound barrier and negotiating pre-codes and censorship Join the Film Heritage Academy for a screening of the early sound classic, The Letter (1929). This adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s play provides a powerful structure for the astonishing performance of Jeanne Eagels in this celebrated drama film. Australian-born star of stage and film O.P. Heggie plays a key role. An affair, the shooting of a...
Nominations for the 2026 Certificates of Achievement
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Certificates of Achievement Every year, thousands of volunteers in RAHS Affiliated Societies across New South Wales give their time, knowledge and passion to local and community history. They undertake important research projects, care for collections and archives, publish journals and books, organise events, preserve heritage places and keep their historical societies thriving. The RAHS Certificates of Achievement honour and record the outstanding...
2026 Southern Highlands Regional Seminar
Researching Local and Family History in Your Community The Royal Australian Historical Society, in partnership with the Bundanoon History Group, presents a full-day seminar for historians, genealogists and researchers on using online archives and source material to research local and family history. Participants will learn about: Researching land and property records using the Historical Land Records Viewer Making the best use of Trove for local and family history The Museums of History NSW...
History House: Completion of Roof Works
An evening to celebrate the new roof and look ahead to the new lift Members, donors and supporters gathered at History House on 16 June 2026, in person and online, to mark the completion of the new copper roof. RAHS President Carol Liston AO opened the evening by reminding everyone why this roof mattered so much. Without it, History House faced a real risk of water damage, the kind that could have put the library, the collections, and the heritage fabric of the building in danger. Then came...
RAHS Weekly News Round-Up