Tag Archives: australian culture

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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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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Lord Morton’s hints

…they should not at first be alarmed with the report of Guns, Drums, or even a trumpet. – But if there are other Instruments of Music on board they should be first entertained near the Shore with a soft Air. … Continue reading

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Tekeli

Tekeli – a convict tune Tekeli was an influential and highly successful melodrama, one of the first of its genre, full of suspense and intense emotions.  The French play by Rene Charles Guilbert De Pixerécourt was produced in Paris in … Continue reading

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Convict music & song

How would you research convict music?  Through police reports, of course! Robert Williams, a black, with a shining face, was charged by constable Orr, with being drunk, and playing the tamborine in Kent-street, at the hour twelve, to the tune … Continue reading

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Off She Goes

From a Police Report in the Sydney Herald, 2nd of September 1833 EIizabeth Fisher, Matthew Fisher, and Hamilton Murray, belonging to the Waterloo, were charged with dancing a reel on the King’s Wharf, at the hour of eleven overnight, to … Continue reading

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Auld Robin Grey

From a Police Report in the Sydney Gazette, 28th of January 1837 William Lee, with a vest of plush buttoned over his chest, which blushed at the position both of itself and master, was called upon to account for singing … Continue reading

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The King of the Cannibal Islands

From a Police Report in the Sydney Herald, 10th of June 1832 Ann Roberts, a dab at culinary preparation, was charged by her master with continually annoying him, and quoting extracts from the times of Helfogabalus down to the King … Continue reading

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Drops of Brandy

From a Police Report in the Sydney Herald, 3rd of January 1833 TUESDAY. – Ann Painter was placed at the bar on the following charge, brought against her by her lord and master:- Having retired to bed at an early … Continue reading

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Michael Wiggins

This version transcribed from Fentum’s Annual Collection of Twenty-four Favorite Dances For the Year 1810, down an octave with flattened C in bar 4. From a police report in the Sydney Herald, 22nd of April, 1833 Paddy Cary was charged with … Continue reading

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