Going out in style: the hidden meanings of headstones

You’ll often see grave markers or headstones in Australian cemeteries.

The headstone designs were chosen by loved ones as a personal, yet public, expression of the person’s religious beliefs, values and social aspirations. The shape, style and material of a headstone are all pointers to different periods in history. These trends tell us about patterns of consumerism, values, tastes and fashion. In this illustrated talk, Dr Lisa Murray will introduce you to the styles you can see in 19th-century Australian cemetery memorials and the craftsmen who made them.

Dr Murray is the City of Sydney Historian and the author of Sydney Cemeteries: A Field Guide. She is the 2021 Hertzberg Fellow at the State Library of NSW. Please read your booking confirmation carefully for instructions on how to join the event on Zoom. You’ll need to install the free Zoom software on your own or computer or device to participate.

This event will be Auslan interpreted. To access the Auslan interpreting, you will need to use Zoom on a computer for this event.

Register here.