The first official Anzac Day Commemoration held on Tuesday, 25 April 1916, attracted enormous crowds in Sydney, as returned soldiers paraded through the city streets, and an open-air memorial service was attended by a vast throng. St Andrew’s and St Mary’s Cathedrals hosted impressive memorial […]
Dr Hannah Power is currently over in the UK taking part in a UoN International Visiting Research Fellowship to visit the Universities of Bath, Plymouth, and Bremen. The following article outlines some of the research Hannah is working on. To […]
Maud Butler’s daring but unsuccessful attempt to get to the front on the Suevic in December 1915 appears only to have strengthened her resolve to serve overseas. Three months later, on March 8, 1916, Maud was once again found aboard […]
Our warmest congratulations to all our Bachelor of Development Studies students, who celebrated their graduation last week. Best wishes for your bright futures ahead and make sure to keep in touch! A special congratulations to Dr Sarah Bell who was […]
Are you interested in getting some workplace experience or are you enrolled in GEOG3330 and need a placement idea for semester 2? Hunter Councils is currently seeking students to work with them to support some of their project areas. […]
Maud Butler was only 16 years old when she first tried to get to the front – and if it hadn’t been for her boots she might have made it too. The girl from Kurri Kurri, in rural New South […]
Hi Professor Haskins, After my initial optimism, it turned out that Maud Butler wasn't onboard the same ship as my Great Great Uncle, Jack Quealy, who actually left two days. However, I thought you might be interested in a few posts I wrote about Maud Butler and also the onboard... Read more...
Hi again Rowena, your blogs are really interesting and I am sure that other readers will enjoy them too. Yes Maitland was not at the front at that time and there is a longer story about him (of course), as he had enlisted but then his mother insisted he be... Read more...
Hello Colleen. Yes your Maud is the same intrepid Maud Butler who tried to get to the front. I am sure Julie you would be delighted to hear from you. If you'd like to contact me via my university email address we can keep in touch. I am planning a... Read more...
I was not aware of the the actions of Maud Butler until reading an article in a far northern Qld. newspaper earlier this week. Became quite excited when reading further information on line. I believe Maud to be the cousin of my maternal grandmother. Both were born at Coen, far... Read more...
wonderful! Thank you Julie I will be in touch! VKH
Ever since I could remember I knew my dream job would involve ‘saving the planet’. In my work I feel a sense of hope, purpose and inspiration about what I do and the reason I do it. Not everyone is […]
Lovely article! I thought you might enjoy my post about Maud Butler, recounting how she was mentioned in several messages in bottles sent by troops on the first ship she stowed away on. https://messageinabottlehunter.com/message-in-a-bottle-archive-wwi-australian-soldiers-write-home-for-christmas-1915/ Cheers!
Hi Clint - I really enjoyed your article. Yes the messages in bottles are fascinating aren't they? Jenny Fawcett did a blog on them too that you might like: see https://jfawcettblog.com/messages-from-the-sea-ww1-bottle-post-messages/
That's very interesting Rowena. I recall that there was another stowaway who was allowed to continue on. It wasn't uncommon for young boys to stowaway (if their parents wouldn't let them sign on) but nobody that I know of has done much research on that history. I'll let Julie know... Read more...
Hi Julie, You must be very proud of your grandmother, although as a parent of a teenage daughter who recently snuck out with a friend simply to go to the beach with a group of friends, I could imagine how her parents felt about her stowing away and did come... Read more...
Hello Julie! How exciting you read my blog! I will be certainly emailing you soon to get in touch :) I would like to write a follow-up blog on Maud's later life and will talk about it with you. Regards VKH