If you’ve ever wondered about the voices, places, or lives that came before you, you’re in the right place. Here, we preserve and share stories that connect us to the lives that came before us.

History Over Dinner began in February 2020. Historian and author Ivan Badcock visited his daughter, Bec Badcock, in Sydney from Tasmania. During that visit, Ivan reflected on how living so far apart made it difficult to gather for traditional family dinners. At those dinners, families once shared stories from one generation to the next.

Over the years, Ivan has written many articles. Some appeared in publications. Others he shared only with his children, hoping they might one day become a book. At the time, Bec knew very little about publishing, but she understood the digital world well. She decided to help her father by creating the next best thing – a website to share those stories.

By bringing together their different passions, Ivan and Bec continue to share stories on History Over Dinner. They help readers find, remember, and carry these stories forward. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy writing and sharing them.

We welcome you to the table. History lives through conversation. If a story sparks a memory, a question, or a connection, we invite you to linger – to read, reflect, and join the conversation. You never know where a shared story might lead.