President Louise Owens opened the meeting – attended by 63 members and friends  – drawing our attention to our new logo, followed by details of the confirmed plans for the Dickens Fellowship International Conference Boz in Oz: Charles Dickens’ Colonial Connections to take place in Sydney 25-30 October 2018.

The actor Eamon Moses gave the reading from our Book of the Year Oliver Twist bringing to life Oliver’s terrifying ordeal when he is forced to take part in a robbery with Bill Sikes.

Then NSWDS member Sarah Burns – who had brought along some of her prized Dickens memorabilia – gave the ‘show and tell’ section of the meeting together with a Powerpoint presentation of her visit to Rochester.

Photos by Anthony Fretwell; http://fretwellphotography.com.au/

This was followed by our main speaker Jacqui Newling – the Sydney Living Museum’s ‘Colonial Gastronomer’ and food historian – who spoke about Catherine Dicken’s book What Shall We Have For Dinner? written under the pseudonym Lady Maria Clutterbuck. Jacqui showed us the formal table settings Victorian society expected and how Catherine Dickens’ book was received in Australia. She also bought along copies of her book Eat Your History for sale following the meeting. The meeting over Louise thanked Jacqui for her interesting talk, presented her with some  beautiful potted geraniums after which our guest speaker, along with various members and friends, stayed on for lunch to enjoy more Dickensian friendship.

Photos by Anthony Fretwell; http://fretwellphotography.com.au/