KHS 2023 AGM
Followed by Guest Speaker:
Dr Judith Godden
after which Dr Judith Godden presents...
Our guest speaker following our AGM will be Dr Judith Godden, professional historian, Secretary of Ku-ring-gai Historical Society, and honorary associate of the Department of History at the University of Sydney.
Judith will talk about the controversial subject of her first book, Lucy Osburn, a Lady Displaced: Florence Nightingale’s Envoy to Australia (Sydney University Press, 2006) which was short-listed for the National Biography Award.
Osburn learned her vocation at Florence Nightingale's school of nursing in London, but her relationship with Nightingale was not the smooth discourse of 'Victorian ladies'.
Celebrated as the founder of modern Australian nursing, Lucy Osburn (1836-91) was sent to Sydney by Florence Nightingale to reform nursing in Australia. After arriving here in 1868, followed by 16 tumultuous years at Sydney Hospital, Lucy Osburn eventually succeeded, thanks to her immense resilience – despite considerable mistakes that led to her being repudiated by Florence Nightingale.
In her enthralling and enlightening biography, Judith Godden has collected Lucy Osburn’s extensive and frank correspondence, which is used to build an intriguing picture of life for an independent middle-class woman.
Lucy Osburn also pioneered the employment of high status professional women in public institutions. Her triumphs and trials in NSW typify the struggles the colony faced in its relations with Britain, and with new roles in the workplace for women.
In this presentation, you'll find out about the tumultuous 16 years Lucy Osburn spent at Sydney Hospital, and why she is celebrated as the founder of modern Australian nursing - even though Florence Nightingale effectively disowned her!
Find out too, why Judith thinks we should all know her story.
As always, please keep an eye on our website in case of any last-minute changes.
The venue is Gordon Library Meeting Room No. 1, in the Old Gordon Public School, which adjoins the Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon (corner Pacific Highway and Park Avenue).
It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon Station.
For a map and parking information, see our Contact page.
