Artwork: Alison Alder

Forgotten Founder—George Houstoun Reid

Presented by David Headon

Date: Tuesday 4 December 2018
Time: 12:30pm
Location: Theatre, level 1
Cost: Free (no booking required)

In the centenary year of the death of Australia’s fourth Prime Minister, George Reid (1845-1918), this lecture will add to his rehabilitation for a 21st century audience—not only by focusing on the achievements of his long political life in the NSW Legislative Assembly and the Commonwealth Parliament, but by exploring the breadth of his contribution to his colony’s, and his country’s, cultural life. Today, Reid is all but forgotten. The best platform speaker of his generation, Australia’s first High Commissioner to London in testing times, and that rare breed of politician respected by both ally and opponent, he deserves better.  We should know far more about his life and significant legacy.

David Headon is a cultural consultant and historian. Formerly Director of the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies, Cultural Adviser to the National Capital Authority and History and Heritage Adviser for the Centenary of Canberra, he is now a Foundation Fellow at the Australian Studies Institute (ANU), a Parliamentary Library Associate and the Canberra Raiders club historian.

The First Eight Project is a collaborative project between the Australian Parliamentary Library, Australian Studies Institute (ANU), National Archives of Australia, National Museum of Australia, and Victorian Parliamentary Library.