46th Conference and Annual General Meeting
Program and Online Registration Form
Saturday 20 June 2026
at Rydges Hotel, 393 Argyle Street, North Hobart - with free on-site car parking
Hosted by the Hobart Branch
Early Bird Prize
Register before 21 May 2026 to be in the draw for the President's Early Bird Prize.
| Saturday 20 June 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 10.15 am | Registration and Morning Tea |
| 10.50 am | Welcome by President, Robyn Gibson: Presentation of Early Bird Prize |
| 10.55 am | Val Peterson - A brief history of the hotel site |
| 11.00 am - 11.40 am | Chris Woods - Troubled lives - the Ellis Family |
| 11.40 am - 12.30 pm | Ros Escott - Bringing your Convict Ancestor Back to Life: - Researching and Writing an Engaging Story |
| 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm | Lunch |
| 1.35 pm - 2.15 pm | Brad Williams - The former Queenborough Cemetery Exhumations and Re-burials |
| 2.20 pm - 2.25 pm | Lucky door prizes - Winners must be present with ticket to claim prize |
| 2.30 pm - 3.00 pm | Annual General Meeting including presentation of: |
| Lilian Watson Family History Award Best Journal Article Award |
|
| 6.00 pm until late | Dinner at The Waggon Hotel, walking distance from Rydges |
Accommodation
Rydges North Hobart (the conference venue) offers a range of very comfortable rooms and suites, including free self-parking. They have offered us a special conference rate. Prices tend to rise at the time approaches, so book early. Follow this link to book
There is also a budget motel, just across the road and The Waggon (site of dinner) and other options within a short distance. Not all offer car parking.
Our conference coincides with Dark MOFO so if you need accommodation book early!
Sunday 21 June Activities
A choice of mid morning activities:
- A group tour of the World Heritage Cascades Female Factory
- A special tour of the Orphan Schools and St Johns Park Precinct New Town
- An appointment with a researcher at the Hobart Branch Library and Research Centre, Bellerive
The Hobart Branch library will also remain open, subject to demand, after the organised tours, especially for northern and north western visitors. There is no additional cost for AGM registrants.
About Our Guest Speakers
Brad Williams
The Hutchins School in Sandy Bay is built over the site of the former Queenborough Cemetery, where there were as many as 15,000 burials between 1873 and the 1934 (pre-paid plots only in the latter years). Within days of starting work on the school’s new building complex in 2024, work stopped for six months. This talk will detail the planning process and implementation of the exhumation project undertaken by the school between March 2024 and June 2025. The project involved the careful exhumation of 1981 individuals from the cemetery, the identification of 91% of those exhumed and the process of reburial and commemoration. It will also include a discussion on what remains of the former Queenborough Cemetery, and other disused cemeteries around Hobart.
Brad Williams is a paleoanthropologist and historical archaeologist who has been working in Tasmania for over 20 years. Brad led a team of thirty-five people for the exhumation project over the course of 14 months.
Christine Woods
Chris Woods, a sixth generation Tasmanian, has been an active researcher and member of various local history groups for many years:
- A member of the Tasmanian Family History Society since the 1980s
- Vice President of the Friends of the Orphan School Committee
- Secretary of the Hobart Town (1804) First Settlers Association
- Convenor of the Glenorchy Municipality History Group.
She has published four books and is going to entertain us with her fourth book, which is a contender in this year’s Lilian Watson Award:
- The Last Ladies; Female Convicts on the Duchess of Northumberland 1853.
- Ireland to Island The McTye family of Tasmania
- 100 years of the Old Virgilians Society, St Virgil’s College Old Scholars 1917-2017
- Troubled Lives. The Ellis family
Troubled Lives looks at a family living in many parts of Tasmania, including the East Coast, Fingal Valley and Midlands during the 1800s.
Ros Escott
Whether you are writing a blog, an article or story to be included in a publication or website, or you want to write a book about your ancestor, thorough research is always the first step. And not just the details of your convict, you also need to thoroughly research the convict system, the social context and the period. When it comes to writing, how do you write a story that people will want to read, that brings your convict to life and would make them feel proud to have had their story told, however tragic? This presentation will focus mainly on female convicts.
Ros has a Diploma of Family History and an almost life-long interest in researching her own family. As well as being President of TFHS Hobart Branch, Ros volunteers with the Female Convicts Research Centre and Convict Women’s Press. She was co-editor of their last publication and ditto for their next publication. During COVID she was the ghost writer of a book about a dying friend’s life and fascinating ancestry. An avid reader, Ros regularly reviews books for the Tasmanian Historical Research Association’s journal.
Registration is now open ..
This form is to register and then pay online for the 2026 AGM and conference in Hobart
If, for some reason, you are unable to make payment online please just complete this form and then contact your local branch to make other payment arrangements.