by Rachel Franks | Apr 15, 2020 | Blog
One of the most perplexing tales to come out of Norfolk Island in the nineteenth century is the story of Bennett and Balsto. A story that beautifully illustrates both the complex difficulties that historical researchers can face, and the oft-stated advice to not...
by Rachel Franks | Jan 24, 2019 | Book Reviews
Vanessa Finney, Transformations: Harriet and Helena Scott, colonial Sydney’s finest natural history painters NewSouth Books, 2018, 204 pp. (plus notes and index), ISBN: 9781742235806, h/bk, AUS$49.99 Harriet Scott (Morgan) (1830–1907) and Helena Scott (Forde)...
by Catie Gilchrist | Nov 13, 2018 | Book Reviews
Elizabeth Malcolm and Dianne Hall, A New History of the Irish in Australia New South Books, 2018, 448pp, ISBN: 9781742235530 (p/b), RRP: $34.99 In 1986 Patrick O’Farrell published The Irish in Australia. At the time, the book was both feted and criticised for being on...
by Alison Wishart | Oct 11, 2018 | Book Reviews
Philippa Sandall, Seafurrers: the Ships’ Cats Who Lapped and Mapped the World Affirm Press, 2017, 244pp., ISBN: 9781925712155, h/bk, AUS $24.99 Matthew Flinders was onto something when he wrote his little treatise about his faithful cat Trim. He could not have...
by Alison Wishart | Sep 27, 2018 | Book Reviews, Exhibition Reviews
The Penrith Museum of Printing Sydney is lucky to have one of the few operational printing museums in the world. Yes, all the old printing presses in this museum actually work! The presses have been lovingly restored and cared for by a group of dedicated volunteers. ...
