Click on these links for Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 In August, 1851, when the English Parliament passed the Australian Constitutions Act it confirmed legislative powers on VDL. A blended legislative council could now be Read more…
Click on these links for: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 In 1828 the British government realised that the colony of Van Diemen’s Land (VDL) needed more than just one governor and a few officials to run the show, so Read more…
Click on these links for: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 In January 1837, Sir John Franklin (1786 – 1847), arctic hero and explorer, succeeded George Arthur (1784 – 1854, Australia’s longest serving colonial governor) as governor of Van Diemen’s Read more…
Click here for Part 2 and here for Part 1 With the reading of the Royal Charter of Justice in Hobart on 7th May, 1824 the next step was for Governor George Arthur to select the men who would make up Read more…
Part 2. Click here for Part 1 In 1804 the colony of Hobart was established by Colonel David Collins (1756 – 1810). He knew what he was doing, having spent nearly 9 years as Judge-Advocate, Lieutenant-Governor and Colonial Secretary in Read more…
Part 1. When considering the history of a city, it’s easy enough to point to a building or a landmark and tell the story of that very visible, tangible place – as long as you have your facts straight. With Read more…
A Short Summary There are gaps in the detail. A more comprehensive life story to follow. Martin Cash – Bushranger 1808 – 1877 born in Ireland, wealthy, literate Convicted: 7 years transportation: shot at a man who was flirting with Read more…
May 18th – International Day of Museums. Hobart is loaded with interesting museums, and one of my favourites is Australia’s oldest folk museum: Narryna at Battery Point. Construction of Narryna began in 1835 as a private residence for merchant, Captain Read more…
Nursing at Hobart’s public hospital has come a long way since the colony was first established in 1804. 12th May is International Nurses Day, where we celebrate the value of nurses in our communities on the birthday of British nurse, Read more…
When we think about conditions experienced by convicts and settlers in the first years of colonial Hobart, it is very easy to fall into the trap of the usual line: everyone had a rotten time, all convicts were illiterate, exploited, Read more…