Sunday 15 March 2026, 2 pm
at the Meeting Room, Queen Victoria Museum, Inveresk

Guest speaker Historical Archaeologist Brad Williams

will present the thirty-eighth lecture on

 Exhumations at the former Queenborough Cemetery at Hutchins School, Hobart

This John West Memorial Lecture will provide an overview of the former Queenborough Cemetery exhumations and reburials 2024-25. The lecture will detail the planning process and implementation of the exhumation project undertaken for The Hutchins School between March 2024 and June 2025.  The project involved the exhumation of 1,981 individuals from the cemetery, the process resulting in the identification of 90% of those exhumed and their reburial and commemoration. It will also include a discussion on what remains of the former Queenborough Cemetery, and case studies of other disused (and often forgotten) cemeteries around Tasmania.

Brad Williams is a heritage practitioner, historical archaeologist and paleoanthropologist.  During the last twenty years Brad has worked as a Research Officer for Heritage Tasmania, Cultural Heritage Officer for Glenorchy City Council, Heritage Projects Manager for Southern Midlands Council and Heritage Manager for the Heritage Education and Skills Centre (Oatlands) as well as in private heritage and archaeological consultancy.  He served four years as a member of the Tasmanian Heritage Council, and six years as Archaeological representative on Council’s Works Application Assessment Committee, as well as chairing the Council’s Archaeological Advisory Panel.  He has served as a member of Arts Tasmania’s Cultural Heritage Advisory Panel and is currently Chair of the Tasmanian Wool Centre (Museum) Board.

All welcome

Afternoon tea will be served

This is a free event for Launceston Historical Society members, visitors $5 

  Organised by the Launceston Historical Society in partnership with the QVMAG