The first two volumes of the Australian Dictionary of Biography — A to H, I to Z— were published way back in 1966. They dealt with people who flourished before the gold rushes of 1851. So began a massive enterprise of scholarly cooperation. From the start authors wrote lucidly within the limits of sources available to them at the time. The editors licked deficiencies of content and style into shape.
Read moreLooking again at Australian Lives by Barrie Dyster
A few words from Gary Werskey
I thought some of you might like to know that I’m stepping down as Chair of the Blackheath History Forum, but remaining on as a member of the committee. After ten years working closely with the Forum I’ve decided to back off and get on with completing at long last my biography of the Anglo-Australian artist, A.H. Fullwood. It’s been a privilege to see the Forum go from strength to strength and receive such great support from other historians, the local community, and of course our loyal audience.
Last year we had the pleasure of hosting Dr Elizabeth Tynan’s talk: ‘When Atomic Thunder Rolled across Australia’, for the 2017 Blackheath History Forum program. Here she reflects on her research on the secret history of Maralinga.
Read moreMaralinga: reflections on a great Australian secret
Gary Werskey draws from his current research for the biography he is writing on the artist A.H. Fullwood in this article ‘The Anzac Christmas Card’.
Read moreThe Anzac Christmas Card