Last Thursday 8 June, historian and author Babette Smith OAM delivered a talk at Ashfield Library as part of the History Council of NSW’s 2017 Speaker Connect series. By shifting focus away from traditional historical sources and the ‘crimes’ committed by convicts, Babette examined Australia’s penal conditions, and the prisoners’ reactions to them, as the crucial factors behind the making of the Australian working class. The event drew a large crowd, and the dedicated team at Ashfield Library collected some fantastic audience feedback.
On Sunday 11 June, Babette recapped her talk on ABC Radio National as part of their Sunday Extra program, presented by Tom Switzer. If you missed Babette at Ashfield, or would simply like to tune in again, you can listen to her interview below, or at the Sunday Extra website.
Image courtesy Ashfield Library.