For my first meet the speaker interview I would like to introduce Dr Lynne Hume, Anthropologist and Associate Professor with The University of Queensland. Lynne will be presenting at the Waves in Time Family & Local History Conference that will be held in May 2019 on the Sunshine Coast.
Dr Hume’s talk, Convict Women Ride the Waves, will be presented on the Saturday of the conference.
Meet the Speaker: Dr Lynne Hume
Here goes with the interview:
Could tell us a little about your background?
I have a PhD in Anthropology. I have done fieldwork in the areas of ethnography, religion and spirituality, ritual, the body and dress, and alternative spiritualities.
Are you a genealogist, researcher, historian or representing your organisation?
Researcher
How has genealogy/family history/history/heraldry improved or changed your life?
Researching convict women has led to an interest in my own family background and to investigating this, mainly through Ancestry.com.
What do you love most about genealogy/family history/history/heraldry?
All the different avenues researching genealogy can take (through maternal or paternal line; moving only through the female/male line), and the desire to re-visit Scotland.
Researching convicts also meant that I have learned much more about Australian history than I ever have before, especially things not usually in history books, but only found through archival material, newspaper searches, visiting sites of significance, seeing re-enactments and so on.
Have you attended the Queensland Family and Local History Conference in previous years?
No.
What are your key topics for the Waves in Time Conference?
The everyday lives of convicts sent to Australia. What our ancestors might have had to deal with, and their resilience.
How do you think your topic/s will help the family & local historians at the Waves in Time Conference 2015?
I think my topic will give participants a wider view of their own family history, and the backgrounds and lives of early Australians.
What do you think are the benefits of attending a large conference like this, for you personally and for others attending?
Meeting other speakers and participants; learning from others, and learning more about what local history groups are engaged in.
Do you have a favourite piece of advice or a tip or trick you can share with conference attendees?
Listen carefully to everything! I always take notes myself and try to meet as many people as I can in order to follow up on anything that really interests me.
If you could pick one new project to do, what would it be? (Assuming no funding issues)
I’d like to follow through on writing solely about the historical background to all the interesting research information I had to truncate for the historical novel I’ve written and given talks.
Is there somewhere we can connect with you online?
https://uq.academia.edu/LynneHUME
Publications
Dr Lynne Hume has produced a number of books and other publications. I found some interesting books on different topics and areas of expertise to the “convict” one she is presenting at the conference. The Religious Life of Dress, Global Fashion and Faith is one that looks worthwhile following up.
Disclaimer: As a Waves in Time Ambassador I receive a free registration in return for promoting the conference in various social media forums and on my blog.