Week beginning May 1 2024

Linda Stewart Henley Kate’s War She Writes Press, April 2024.

Linda Stewart Henley was inspired by an event in which her father featured when she wrote Kate’s War. In 1940, CORB was one plan of evacuation in which children and their voluntary escorts were sent overseas to safety.  It was short lived because the dangers proved too much. The SS Volendam on which Kate, the main character, travels with fifteen children under her care is a fictional representation of the one in which Stewart Henley’s father featured in  similar role. The book ends with that journey and a short aftermath in September 1940, just as the blitz begins. Leading up to this event is Kate’s life as a schoolgirl, a young woman with singing aspirations, a desire for freedom from her home, some romance and the early months of the second world war in a town close to London.

The diverse outcomes of evacuations to the country, the building of Anderson shelters and need for backouts and rationing provide the war time background to Kate’s personal story. This includes her battle with her mother, where she believes she is a second-best daughter; her work to overcome a nervous reaction when she sings in public; the impact of war on romance and decisions about marriage; and, a more public dilemma, where she becomes aware of the treatment of Jews in Britain and sympathy with Nazi Germany amongst the aristocracy.  See Books: Reviews for the complete review.

 

Charlotte Booth Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages A Historical Guide, Pen & Sword, Pen & Sword History, March 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Charlotte Booth’s Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages, A Historical Guide, is an absolute joy to read. It is a guide, a history, a story of tourism, a narrative about those who have spent their time travelling in Egypt, and amongst these most engaging aspects, those who have used Egypt as the location for their fiction. Booth’s approach is not only accessible as the narrative moves along seamlessly, combining humour, perspicacity and attention to detail, but is clearly based on the most meticulous of wide-ranging research. See Books: Reviews for the complete review.

Covid Update for Canberra

CMAG Exhibitions

Whenever I visit CMAG I find something of interest. On this occasion there were several exhibitions.

The local history section is always of interest. And, in conjunction with the domestic archeological exhibition demonstrated the variety of ideas that inform the gallery and interpretation of history, visual art and aspects of life deemed worthy of displaying in a museum. CMAG fulfils its brief with work that not only informs but encourages viewers to consider what they may contribute to the museum, in particular. One such idea occurred to me, as I still have a Maggie Sheperd garment, bought from her shop in Canberra soon after my arrival in the early 1980s.

And yes, before postingI know I should have ironed this example of the Maggie Sheperd line sold in Canberra in 1981!

I also found the following:

Robert Pengilley Maggie Shepherd at home

Maggie Shepherd is designer and managing director of a clothing company with outlets throughout Australia and America. She designed the Australian costumes for the 1990 Commonwealth Games and is an official designer for the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Robert Pengilley says: ‘I painted her in her house which has a very pleasant leafy garden. I paint a lot of landscapes and so, in this picture, I was very concerned with the link between the figure and the landscape, and the way in which these two can be brought together compositionally.’

When creating his paintings, Pengilley continually redraughts and redesigns on the canvas rather than thinking everything out in advance. ‘The light was very complicated and constantly changing – this made it a challenging picture to paint. I wanted to keep the focus on Maggie and the light and the garden. It is a very happy painting.’

And, the opportunity to follow up this information at the National Library.

Maggie Shepherd at home, Canberra, 1995 [picture] / Robert Pengilley

Biography/History:

Maggie Shepherd was a fashion designer and business person of national renown. Her fashion company, which was founded in Canberra, grew from a home-based company to, at its height, operating eight stores in Australia and eleven in the United States. She was awarded the Small Buisness Award and a Bicentennial Achievement Award in 1988, and subsequently an Order of Australia and Advanced Australia Award–Information from acquisitions documentation. See Television, Film and Popular Culture: Comments: for the National Library information.

Canberra Exhibition at CMAG

Backyard Archelogy Exhibition at CMAG

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Last week I wrote about my experience of the play, RBG, Of Many, One and added some reviews. That the play should go worldwide is worth serious consideration – after all, why shouldn’t everyone share the amazing presence of RBG as depicted by Heather Mitchell. MSNBC is playing the advertisement, above, which shows the American interest in RBG, and in this instance, the relationship between her and the first woman on the Supreme Court, referred to in the play, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Hi Robin The urgent National Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister to discuss gender-based violence has just wrapped up.   Men’s violence against women is an issue that I have received a lot of correspondence on in the past few weeks and I know continues to be an issue on the minds of many Canberrans.   I wanted to assure you that the government is doing its job and is taking action. Today the Prime Minister made some important announcements which I have summarised below for you: 1. The Albanese Government will invest $925.2 million over five years to permanently establish the Leaving Violence Program We want women to know that if they want to leave a violent relationship, they will be supported to do so. The new Leaving Violence Program will provide payments of up to $5000  along with referral services, risk assessments and safety planning. The payment amount will be indexed annually to keep in pace with the rising cost of living, ensuring recipients are given the best support when leaving violent relationships. 2.  All governments will work together to strengthen accountability and consequences for perpetrators This will involve work across governments and jurisdictions, with all states and territories agreeing that system responses need to be strengthened, with a focus on high-risk perpetrators and serial offenders to prevent homicides. As Minister for Women, I’ll work with states and territories to improve information sharing about perpetrators across systems and jurisdictions. And Police Ministers and Attorney Generals will develop options for improving police responses to high risk and serial perpetrators. All of this work will be undertaken this year, with Premiers and Chief Ministers reporting back to National Cabinet later this year. 3. The Albanese Government will work to combat toxic male extremist views about women online. We’ll run targeted campaigns in the places that these harmful views appear. The campaign will run from mid-June to May next year and will counter the corrosive influence of online content targeted at teens that condones violence against women. It will raise awareness about a rise of misogynistic influencers and content and encourage conversations within families about the damaging impact of the material. 4. The Albanese Government will ban deepfake pornography Creating and sharing non-consensual sexually explicit material using AI technology will be subject to serious criminal penalties. This content is deeply harmful towards women and girls and there should be zero tolerance for it. 5. The Albanese Government will reduce kids’ access to pornography and inappropriate material We need to make sure our laws keep up with the digital age – which is why we’re piloting age assurance technology to protect children from harmful content, like pornography and other age-restricted online services. The pilot will identify available age assurance products to protect children from online harm and test if they work. The outcomes will inform the existing work of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner under the Online Safety Act – including through the development of industry codes or standards – to reduce children’s exposure to age-inappropriate material.

National Cabinet also agreed to strengthen prevention efforts through targeted, evidence-based approaches and to be informed by an expert led rapid review of best practice approaches. This will allow further and effective action on preventing gender-based violence, building on the considerable work under way.   We will continue to listen and learn from those with lived experience of violence.   We recognise they have intimate first-hand knowledge of services, systems, and structures that are meant to support. They know from experience the weaknesses and strengths of interventions in practice.   For some of us, this is deeply personal. But for all of us, this is incredibly important.   I can assure you that the determination around the National Cabinet table today was equal to the determination around the nation.   We are listening and acting with urgency to put an end to this crisis of violence against women and children.

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If you or someone you know needs support or assistance, there are several services available that are just a phone call away. 1800RESPECT Call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 Chat online via 1800RESPECT.org.au Or text 0458 737 732 No to Violence ntv.org.au Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN Call 13 92 76 (24 hours/7days)

This recital at the Albert Hall was a very pleasant part of the Canberra International Music Festival, and I was pleased to attend. The venue provided quite a contrast with Wigmore Hall in London with the beautiful Canberra skies seen through the windows.

Photo: Julien Hanck

C3 Trio Karénine

It was once said that Ravel picked up the first tune of his Piano Trio while watching ice-cream vendors dancing a fandango in the Basque border town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Whatever the origins, Ravel embraced this Basque connection as he worked feverishly on the piece throughout the summer of 1914. For a true Spaniard such as Turina, all of the many and varied sounds of Spain provided inspiration. In his Trio he forged a series of variations, each based on the musical footprint of a Spanish region.

At home in classic Parisian elegance, Julien, Louis and Paloma begin with the clearly chiselled melodic lines that are Sains-Saëns’ trademark.

Witness the consummate skill of this leading French ensemble on their first tour down under: the acclaimed Trio Karénine.

“Le brio (brilliance) Karénine” – CHOC Classica

PROGRAM

Camille Saint-Saëns, Piano Trio No. 1 Op 18 (1863)

Joaquín Turina, Theme and Variations from Trio No. 1  Op 35 (1926)

Maurice Ravel, Trio in A (1914)

ARTISTS

Trio Karénine:
Julien Dieudegard (violin)
Louis Rodde (cello)
Paloma Kouider (piano)