Author Archives: Heather
Education pack
The Dancing In Fetters: the culture of convict dance education pack has been developed for use in museums which are hosting the touring exhibition and for participating primary schools. It is funded by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia programme. … Continue reading
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Tour news
We wish to acknowledge the traditional lands across which the tour takes place, and recognise the importance of music and dance in the First Nation culture. Concert at the Commissariat 18 February 20225:30 – 7:00pmBook here Talk at the Commissariat … Continue reading
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Tagged #5parramattasquare, #convict, #dance, #dancinginfettersnationaltour, #museums
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Tour dates
Dancing in Fetters: the culture of convict dance is a museum exhibition presenting the lost heritage of convict dance and music. It re-traces the origins of this largely unknown aspect of life in the early penal colony based on the … Continue reading
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Tagged australian culture, australian history, convict culture, Convict dance, convict research, convict tunes, convicts
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2021 Jane Austen Ball Gallery
Photos from the annual Jane Austen Ball at the Dayboro Community Hall on 9th October 2021. Music by Phillip’s Dog, MC & dance teacher Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke. Photos by Connor Clarke.
Fuddling
…fuddling, fiddling, and dancing at the hour of 12 last night. reported by the police. Sydney Gazette 1827 In 1827, three people – Catharine Boyles (free), Thomas Fellowes (prisoner), and a musician (a convict with a ticket of leave) were … Continue reading
The Much Admired Australian Quadrille
In 1835, the music for The Much Admired Australian Quadrilles arrived in Sydney. The colonial the music-seller, Mr. Ellard of Hunter Street, had arranged for his father in Dublin to print and ship the music, specifically for the Australian market. … Continue reading
Darby Kelly O
Convict musician, Jeremiah Byrne was sent to ‘dance’ on the treadmill for disturbing the peace and being absent from his assigned home. Darby Kelly O was one of the tunes he played on his flageolet (similar to a tin whistle) … Continue reading
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Dancing in Fetters at the Redcliffe Museum
Dancing in fetters: the culture of convict dance Discover a completely different aspect of convict life. When we think of convicts, we don’t tend to think of music and dance, but dance was an integral part of everyday life and … Continue reading
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Tagged australian culture, australian history, Convict dance, convicts
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Claudine 1821
From 4-6pm all the convicts on deck dancing.1 Henry Ryan, Surgeon-Superintendent on the convict ship Claudine, kept a detailed journal from 13 August 1821 to 15 December 1821. The voyage took 113 days from Woolwich to Van Diemen’s Land and … Continue reading
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John Barry 1821
Dancing on convict ships 19 August 1821 …the soldiers were still on deck in numbers at the time, having just finished their usual evening dancing… Surgeon-superintendent, Daniel McNamara kept a medical journal on the convict ship from 16 May to … Continue reading
