Parramatta Female Factory Friends

09/06/2025

BI-MONTHLY SPEAKER PROGRAMME

This is one not to be missed, if you have ever done any family history and a trying to find your colonial ancestors Farm or Residence, it can be so hard to navigate the Land Records. Well with 40 years of experience, Stephen is going to be interesting, practical and show how easy it can be to access these records with a LIVE screen.

Please note we are having a General Meeting at 12 noon and a scrumptious Afternoon Tea at 1 pm with the Talk starting at 1.30 pm. Please arrive early so we can help you to the seating in the hall. Remember there is 4 hour free parking in Fleet Street and the Light Rail station - Ngara is about 100 metres from the Female Factory.

CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR TICKETS:
https://bit.ly/PFFF-TracingColonialLandholders

On the 22 February 1792 the first Land Grant was provided to James Ruse. This was for 30 acres of land and was to be known as ‘Experiment Farm’. This presentation will look at the Land Records used in NSW during the early colonial period and provide some practical tips in using various websites to trace land ownership during this time.

Stephen Ford is an independent land researcher with over 40 years’ experience in using the records available through the NSW Land Registry Services. He first gained experience working for a major Bank and then used these skills while conducting his own family history research. In recent years he has provided talks to Family History groups and assisted individuals in seeking land records relating to their relatives. In early 2019 he was asked to work on an episode of the TV program ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, and this association has continued through the 2020 to 2025 seasons.

23/04/2025

EARLY EVENT NOTIFICATION - HERITAGE DAY - TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON.
Heritage Day is just around the corner with anticipation for another great day at the Parramatta Female Factory and Institutions Precinct. There are FREE Guided Walking Tours, FREE Talks during the day.
CLICK HERE TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST:

https://bit.ly/PFFIP_Heritage_Day

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends will have available:
• PFFF Research Centre & Babette Smith Collection - look up that elusive convict ancestor; share your stories
• Browse the unique Sarah & Hannah’s Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe and view the History - Herstory - OurStory displays
• Rest a while with a well-earned cup of tea or coffee and delicious scones at the
Matron Ann Gordon’s Pop-Up Café located near the Friends’ Rooms.
• Talks include “Banished Beyond the Seas” by PFFF’s Ronda Gaffey,
“Punishments in the Parramatta Female Factory and Beyond” by PFFF’s Kevin Dodds and “Family History Archives” by MHNSW.

16/04/2025

WORKSHOPS
The Parramatta Female Factory is hosting another sellout workshop called A Colonial Craft Workshop 2 - Straw Plaiting and Braiding.

Conducted by the talented Lyn Watkins, who brings her expertise in craft to be shared among those who are keen to learn this fascinating colonial craft.

You will have the chance to make a sun bonnet, similar to those worn by the female convicts in the Parramatta Female Factory.

WHEN: SATURDAY, 10th May 2025 - 10 am to 1 pm.
WHERE: Parramatta Female Factory Friends Room
5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta
No parking onsite - street parking available

Bookings essential - places are limited
Click this link: https://bit.ly/Lynscraftworkshop
Enquiries to Lyn: [email protected]

25/03/2025

17/03/2025

BIMONTHLY SPEAKERS' PROGRAMME 2025

In April we have been lucky enough to have Dr. Mark Dunn whose topic is 'The Convict Valley'.

To secure a spot please click on this link:
https://bit.ly/theconvictvalley

Newcastle, at the mouth of the Hunter River is largely a forgotten convict town, despite its foundation story being a convict story and its first twenty years being one of convict toil, punishment and endeavour. The talk will focus on the story of Newcastle in the years before1830, including its foundation as a convict penal station, interactions with Aboriginal people and the exploitation of the area’s coal and timber resources. The talk will also touch on the establishment of the Newcastle Female Factory with the transportation of women from Parramatta.

Dr. Mark Dunn is a professional historian with broad-based historical research over 25 years. He has a PhD in history from the University of New South Wales focusing on the colonial interactions of Newcastle. He is author of ‘The Convict Valley: The Bloody Struggle for Australia’s Early Frontier’ (2020) which was short-listed for the Prime Minister’s Award for Australian History, 2021. Mark is a member of ICOMOS Australia and sits on the editorial board for the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

03/03/2025

WORKSHOP

Part 2 of the sellout - Keeping Your Family History Alive with EHive.

President of the Parramatta Female Factory Friends will be conducting Part 2 of the Keeping Your Family History Alive with EHive.

Make sure you get your tickets before they sell out:

https://bit.ly/AlivewithEHive.

You may have enjoyed the Workshop, Home Curator part 1 which covered the basics of caring for your family history collections. Part 2 goes into more depth and gives you skills in cataloguing and sharing your family history collections, learning how to use the eHive collection management tool.

Track your objects, keep their provenance and stories, and cover their condition in one easy tool and save them for family and future generations. Learn how to use this easy professional tool that anyone can use and help ensure that those important family connections to your treasures survive.
For this workshop you will need to bring an object, your laptop and a digital photograph of your object. This session does not depend on having attended part 1.

Gay Hendriksen is currently President, Parramatta Female Factory Friends and Coordinator of the ‘Friends’ Research Centre. She has worked as a TAFE cultural history teacher and as an art and history curator, a writer and educator. She has worked in museums for over 30 years as curator and collections manager. Her museum work has included Parramatta Heritage Centre, Museums of History NSW, State Archives of NSW and several local government areas.

26/02/2025

Big shout out to our newest top fans! 💎 Joy Nandan, Victoria Burke, Joanne-Peter Hart, Nicola Noakes

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community,

22/02/2025

IWD (International Women's Day) Event on 8 March 2025

Change of Speaker
We are thrilled to have Ronda Gaffey speaking on the topic of 'Banished Beyond the Seas' as our guest speaker on IWD on the 8th March 2025.

Ticketing remains the same at Eventbrite by clicking on this link:

bit.ly/PFFF-IWD-8-Mar-2025

It's shaping up to be a momentous day. ☺️

14/02/2025

Big shout out to a new rising fan! Sussan Marisa Hollis

14/02/2025

IWD 2025 - 8 MARCH 2025 - COME AND JOIN US

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends are hosting a special event on International Women's Day on 8 March 2025 with a Talk, a Tour, a Tea.

Please check out the flyer for our special event.

Bookings are essential through - https://bit.ly/PFFF-IWD2025

Bookings are for the talk and the guided walking tour will be offered for a special IWD discount of $10 which can only be purchased at the event.

Our amazing Ann Gordon Tea Room will be open for refreshments of tea and scones or coffee and cake.

The impressive Research Centre will be open for those who are searching for their ancestors. We have researchers who can help you finding your resilient, strong, and tenacious female convicts.

25/01/2025

BI-MONTHLY GUEST SPEAKERS' PROGRAMME - 2025.

We start the year with a much-anticipated talk from Gary Carter, author of two books on Parramatta.

Gary did extensive research into Parramatta's history and has put together a book called The Colonial Nation's FIRST BIG STEPS, Parramatta the Cradle City—List of the Hundred Firsts.

It is on Friday, February 21st, at 1 p.m. in our 'Friends' room inside the 1918 Francis Greenway-designed Matron's Quarters, Administration, and Stores building.

Here is the link to book tickets:
https://tinyurl.com/PFFF-Feb2025

Please book early as there is limited seating and try the new Light Rail (the Station is only 100 m from our rooms or come by car and park in the Parramatta Leagues Club carpark - it's FREE.

Don't forget to stick around for a lovely AFTERNOON TEA in our Matron Ann Gordon Tea Rooms.

See you there!

18/01/2025

WRITERS AWARD PROGRAM - APPLY NOW

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends Inc is offering a Writer in Residence Program
in 2025. This is in acknowledgement of the World Heritage value of the Parramatta
Female Factory. Our organization is looking for a creative response to the
significance of the site and social history of the Parramatta Female Factory,
associated histories and its contribution to the Australian Identity. The sections are:
1. Writer in Residence Award $3,000
2. Highly Commended Award $1,500
3. Student Writing Award $ 500

The successful applicants will be elected by an expert panel, according to specific
criteria: historic subject relevance, originality, excellence, authenticity.

1. The Writer in Residence Award recipient will have access to the Parramatta
Female Factory Friends Research Centre by arrangement on Fridays and access to
our hard copy collection (general book collection and rare books), our digital
resources and onsite access to our research subscriptions and six months of public
programs free (talks, workshops, tours). The recipient will also receive free
Parramatta Female Factory Friends membership for one year. From research to final
product will be six months, culminating in a presentation at our Annual It’s a Riot
Day event commemoration and a written publishable result.

2. The Writer in Residence Highly Commended Award will have the same access to
the Parramatta Female Factory Friends Research Centre resources, public programs
and membership. From research to final product will be six months, culminating in a
presentation at one of our public program talks and a written publishable result.
3. The Student Writing Award will have the same access to the Parramatta Female
Factory Friends Research Centre resources, public programs and membership. The
period of the research to final product will be six months with a written publishable
result.

To apply, email us at [email protected] and we can send you an Application Form. For more information, please contact Gay Hendriksen, President and Research Coordinator on 0447189137.