In generations past, families used to gather & share history over dinner. These days, we can live anywhere in the world. It’s harder to pass stories onto the next generation.
History Over Dinner
Our mission is to share stories from history with future generations, so they aren’t lost.
We believe the past matters – not just as dates and facts but as lived experiences that shape who we are now. Tasmania’s people, places, and ordinary moments reveal extraordinary stories when we slow down and listen. From family histories to local character sketches, each article is a conversation starter for remembering, honouring, and learning from the past.
Latest Articles
Dive into stories that make Tasmania, its people, and its history unforgettable.
Whether it’s family tales, regional history, wartime memories, or unique local characters, there’s a story waiting for you.
- McGiveron Family
James McGiveron (1823-1889) and Sarah Jane Goodyer (1846-1927) James McGiveron, sometimes known as McGivern, arrived in… Read more: McGiveron Family - IVAN JOHN BADCOCK – Church Life
Sunday School I grew up in a Methodist family and have remained a member all my… Read more: IVAN JOHN BADCOCK – Church Life - William & Susan Ann (nee Scrivener) Badcock
William Badcock (1 August 1841 – 18 May 1911) and Susan Badcock (nee Scrivener) (22 July 1843 –… Read more: William & Susan Ann (nee Scrivener) Badcock - Ivan John Badcock at work – Launceston Benevolent Society
For 7 years, 2001 to 2008, I worked as Administrator for the Launceston Benevolent Society. The… Read more: Ivan John Badcock at work – Launceston Benevolent Society - Henry Reed (1806 – 1880)
Landowner, Shipowner, Merchant, Philanthropist, Evangelist “…… everything he touched turned to gold” The history includes extracts… Read more: Henry Reed (1806 – 1880) - The Second World War 1939-1945
The Second World War commenced on the 1st September 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Two… Read more: The Second World War 1939-1945 - Ploughing in Tasmania
The plough is an important implement in farming and has been so for centuries. Its purpose… Read more: Ploughing in Tasmania - M.V. Cartela – An Historic Vessel
The Cartela (the Tasmanian Aboriginal name for a bull seal) became well known to me when… Read more: M.V. Cartela – An Historic Vessel - Uncle Tom’s “T”
Uncle Tom (Thomas Parsons), as he was locally known, was the proud owner of a “T”… Read more: Uncle Tom’s “T” - Cornwall, England
A history written c1988 for inclusion in the French-Badcock family history book Go ….. Be Fruitful… Read more: Cornwall, England - Ivan John Badcock at Work in Banking
Towards the end of the 1960 year, my Secondary Schooling education was ending, with the focus… Read more: Ivan John Badcock at Work in Banking - Ivan John Badcock’s Early Years
On 19 May, over 80 years ago, my father, Eric, recorded my birth in his diary… Read more: Ivan John Badcock’s Early Years - Eskleigh, Perth (Home of Peace)
Eskleigh, previously named Scone, was provided by William Gibson Jnr in 1944 to be a home… Read more: Eskleigh, Perth (Home of Peace) - Members of Rosebery Methodist Church in 1963
Rosebery Methodist Church On arrival at Rosebery in 1963, I soon joined in with the Methodist… Read more: Members of Rosebery Methodist Church in 1963 - A Strasburg Clock Replica built by Sidney Roy Boon (1893-1944)
Around 1915, 22-year-old Sid Boon of Longford visited a display touring Tasmania, where a replica of… Read more: A Strasburg Clock Replica built by Sidney Roy Boon (1893-1944)
About History Over Dinner
This project grew from a simple idea: that history lives in stories, and stories are often handed down around the dinner table.
History Over Dinner brings together articles by historian Ivan Badcock, capturing family memories, Tasmanian life, and personal histories. Curated and published online by his daughter, Bec Badcock, these stories are shared so they can be found – and carried forward.
Ivan Badcock
A family historian, author and father of 10 children. Ivan was part of the committee that wrote and published the French and Badcock family history book ‘Go! Be fruitful and multiply.’
Join the conversation
Your memories, questions, and reflections make these stories richer. Leave a comment on a post — you never know whose story you’re connected to. Below are the latest voices from our community of history lovers.
Thank you for your story on the Walker family and their home Vron.
Hi Ivan, This is great research. I am in Tasmania and involved with Woolmers Estate. We are updating our interpretation…
I too am descended from Mary Ann Kirkham and William Lyons. Their youngest son Alfred emigrated as a young man…
I too am descended from Mary Ann Kirkham and William Lyons. Their youngest son Alfred emigrated as a young man…
More comments can be found on the blog.
Visiting Northern Tasmania? Follow Ivan’s self-drive tour guide from Longford to the magnificent Liffey Falls.
Wonderful!