RAHS Special Lecture – Unravelling the Story of Elizabeth Fulloon and the Parramatta Female Factory, 1824–1827

Event Date & Time: Wednesday, 19 August 2026 @ 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Event Location: History House, 133 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 (hybrid)

Cost: Free

Event Description:

Described by Governor Darling as ‘a woman of extraordinary bodily strength and energy of character’, Elizabeth Fulloon was a 43-year-old recently widowed mother of five when she arrived in New South Wales to take up her role as Superintendent of the Parramatta Female Factory. How did the wife of a London schoolmaster become the Factory’s first female Superintendent? How should we remember her time there, and was she really responsible for the infamous 1827 riot?

About the speaker:

Heather Garnsey is a direct descendant of Elizabeth Fulloon and published her biography, Unravelled, in December 2025. She is an Honorary Member and Fellow of the Society of Australian Genealogists, where she worked for 35 years and was awarded an OAM in 2024 for her service to family history. After retiring in 2020, she has been enjoying more time for her own family history projects.