Tag Archives: convicts
Curator’s talk
Join Curator’s Heather Clarke and Eleanor Lambert as they walk you through our new exhibition Dancing in Fetters: The Culture of Convict Dance. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia funding. Exhibition partners include Abbey … Continue reading
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Tagged australian culture, convict culture, convict research, convicts, music, transportation, world heritage convict sites
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April School Holiday Activity
Why was dance so important to the Convicts?What kind of dances did they do? And what did they wear? Come find out during the April school holidays. Dress up and dance like the convicts. At the Rocks Discovery Museum.
Posted in Dance, History, music
Tagged australian culture, australian history, convict culture, convict research, convicts, history, transportation
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Convict Culture Week on Norfolk Island
19 May 2023 – 27 May 2023 Celebrating Maconochie’s Frolic For one day in 1840 the convicts on Norfolk Island were encouraged to dance, sing and play. On 25 May they celebrated the birthday of the young Queen Victoria in … Continue reading
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
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
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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Dancing on Convict Ships
Life onboard convict ships varied significantly according to the date of transportation, the attitude of the captain, and the surgeon in charge of the prisoners. On some ships, dancing was actively encouraged every day for its health benefits. On the … Continue reading
Convict Tune Book
A collection of 12 tunes known to be popular with Australian convicts between 1788 and 1840. Each tune includes sheet music and historical notes. Developed as part of the exhibition “Dancing in Fetters: The culture of convict dance” at the … Continue reading
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Tagged australian history, convict tunes, convicts, cultural identity, music
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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
Posted in Dance
Tagged australia, australian culture, australian history, convicts, dance, history, music, police report
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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
Posted in Dance
Tagged australia, australian culture, australian history, convicts, dance, history, music, police report
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