In this seminar on researching military service, Patrick Ferry will focus on research methodology and highlighting the range of resources available to help tell the story of a town / suburb / district’s soldiers. This seminar will be of great interest to historical societies, family history groups, military history buffs and people with a general interest in learning more about how to put some “meat” on the bones of their ancestors’ military service.

In March 1946, the war was over. The Italian prisoners of war who had been captured several years earlier in northern Africa were interned in camps around Australia and were waiting to be returned home. One Saturday evening, the commandant of the Rowville internment camp, Captain Waterston, shot and killed a prisoner, Rodolfo Bartoli, who he claimed was attempting to escape. What initially appeared to be a straightforward case of an Australian army officer carrying out his duty, soon appeared to be something else. Allegations of assaults, reckless firing of weapons, drunkenness and stolen goods began to emerge.

In partnership with the Genealogical Society of Victoria, the RHSV is holding a free Zoom seminar on one of the jewels in its crown - the Pioneer Register. This will be of great interest to those interested in family history or wanting to know more about this unique collection and how it can help your research. Jillian Hiscock, the RHSV Collections Manager will be delivering the seminar. 

In April 1789 a smallpox plague suddenly broke out at Sydney Cove. It swept around the entire continent and killed up to 70% of the Indigenous peoples in the Sydney area, but only one colonist. Despite the fact that the First Fleet was very well documented, the cause of the pandemic has remained a mystery.

EMERGING HISTORIANS Join us for an evening of new ideas and interesting discussion to celebrate History Month in Victoria. “Emerging Historians” is a popular annual event that offers fascinating insights into a wide variety of new history research. This year we present four speakers who will share their research on a variety of topics that
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Social media has become the most influential and important virtual space to network, build a community, promote what you do, find assistance, sell books and events and connect. Social media networks are open to all and they are free, giving historical societies a chance to connect with whoever shares their interests. 

Paving our Ways provides a comprehensive international history of the world’s pavements, running from the earliest human settlements to the present day. It examines the earliest pavements in Egypt and Mesopotamia and then moves to North Africa, Crete, Greece and Italy, before a review of pavements used by the Romans in their magnificent road system. After its empire collapsed, Roman pavements fell into ruin. The slow recovery of pavements in Europe began in France and then in England.

Cataloguing Clinic via Zoom with Jillian Hiscock   For this clinic, Jillian will be focusing on the cataloguing of objects (including medals). Please note that the clinic on Thu 23 Sept will start at 12:30pm not 11am. Jillian Hiscock, the RHSV Collections Manager, started these cataloguing clinics during the early days of COVID and they
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Social media has become the most influential and important virtual space to network, build a community, promote what you do, find assistance, sell books and events and connect. Social media networks are open to all and they are free, giving historical societies a chance to connect with whoever shares their interests.