Queensland Family History Society Inc
QFHS Calendar Event
Members Lounge - Presenting … Civilising Brisbane
Starts: 20 Nov 2024 at 1:00 PM
Ends: 20 Nov 2024 at 3:00 PM
Notes:
THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD ONLINE AND IN-PERSON i.e.HYBRID.
OUR SPEAKER, DUNCAN RICHARDSON, WILL PRESENT IN-PERSON AT RESEARCH CENTRE
THIS IS OUR CHRISTMAS MEETING – PLEASE BRING A PLATE TO SHARE FOR AFTERNOON TEA
Duncan migrated to Australia in 1970, taught in Botswana from 1987 to 1988, and returned to work in Australia as a part-time teacher. His fiction has been published in various anthologies such as Obliquity, Futurevisions, Subtropical Suspense, Lighthouses and Within/Without Walls. In 2008, his verse play The Grammar of Deception was produced and broadcast by ABC Radio National.
Duncan has published several children's books, including readers for Macmillan, Wennabees and Yum-Worms(2005), Revenge (2005), Jason Chen and the Time Banana (2008) and Dinomania (2014).
He was a part time English as a Second Language teacher and regularly runs writing workshops for adults and kids.
His first history book, “Year of Disaster: Brisbane 1864” was released in 2017, followed two years later by “Captives of the Spanish Lady” about the flu quarantine in 1919, and “Civilising Brisbane” in 2021, about three colonial women who changed the face of the town.
Duncan spoke to QFHS in Feb 2022 about “Beyond Distinguished Gentlemen”, early Brisbane, and in Apr 2024 about “Captives of the Spanish Lady”.
Three Colonial Women who changed the face of a city. In the second half of the 19th century, Lady Diamantina Bowen, Sister Ellen Whitty and Eliza O'Connell battled indifference and prejudice to improve health care, the arts and education in Brisbane. Crossing the sectarian divide, they often worked together and their letters and diaries reveal a fascinating story of struggle to improve lives in a rapidly growing town.