The Hassall Family History Association is convened a reunion in May 2023 to mark 225 years since the arrival of Rowland and Elizabeth Hassall in Sydney in 1798. The main programme was on the weekend of Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th May, but there were also optional events on Friday 5th and Monday 8th.
The Reunion provided an amazing opportunity to connect with relatives spread across the vast expanse of Australasia (we anticipate members from New Zealand as well as Australia), and to gain a sense of this family’s role in these two countries from the early 1800s to the present time.
Schedule of Events
01
Friday 5th May
Parramatta / Camden / Cobbitty
The first day includes a self-drive tour of historic sites in Camden, Cobbitty, and Narellan, including morning tea at Denbigh.
Late Friday afternoon a welcome reception will take place at Phive, in Parramatta Square, with members of Parramatta City Council.
02
Saturday 6th May
THAC – Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Saturday’s daytime and evening activities are all at the Thomas Hassall Anglican College (THAC) at Middleton Grange.
The program includes guest speakers, and break-out sessions at which you can meet other members of your “family line”, and finishes with the “Triple Wedding Pageant”.
03
Sunday 7th May
Parramatta History Walks
Sunday’s programme in Parramatta includes a history walk past the site of Rowland and Elizabeth’s home and shop in George Street, a walk past “Hassall Street”, a tour of St John’s Cemetery, and a service at St John’s Cathedral.
04
Monday 8th May
Windsor and O’Connell Plains
The final day gives a choice of self-drive tours of historic sites at O’Connell Plains near Bathurst, or at Windsor and Rouse Hill.
Official Program – Reunion 2023
Download the official program in PDF form.
Reunion Activities
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We wish to acknowledge the significant contributions made to the evolution of the Hassall Family History Association over the years.
The Hassall Family Bicentenary Com¬mittee (Huon Hassall, David J. Hassall, David N.H. Hassall, Rowland J. Hassall, and Robert Wiles), established in 1992 to organize the 1998 celebration of 200 years in Australia.
Family researchers and writers, who have collectively laboured in archives, libraries, and family papers, in search of significant genealogical records, letters, memoirs, pho¬tos, and other historically significant items: Richard Clark, David J. Hassall, David N.H. Hassall, Merryll Hope, Peter Procter, Jean Stewart, Robert Wiles, amongst others.
Family Line Coordinators: who have worked at extending the reach of the Asso¬ciation: Alison Shaw ( Thomas Hassall & Anne Marsden); Melissa Blanks & James Daniel ( Samuel Hassall & Lucy Mile¬ham); John Brooks ( Jonathan Hassall & Mary Rouse); Barbara Scott ( Mary Hassall & Rev Walter Lawry); Rowland J Hassall ( James Hassall & Catherine Lloyd); Jenni¬fer Walton-Smith ( Eliza Hassall & Rev William Walker); Anne Dudzinski ( Su¬sannah Hassall & William Shelley Jr); and Ann Brockhurst ( Ann Hassall & Robert Campbell).
The Thomas Hassall Anglican College: whose past and present principals Brian Cowling and Ross Whelan, together with past and present staff members (Christine Klomp, Carmen Pasapera, Trudie Wilson, and Michael Clisdell), have given continuous and generous support over the years.
The State Library of New South Wales: Geoff Barker, Senior Curator, who has assist¬ed the Association with planning Research Meetings held at the Library.
Parramatta City Council staff: notably Jes¬sica Wheat, Julie Lockhart, Bronwyn Pullen, Janelle Blucher, Christine Glasson, Keith Fong, Zana Lopez and Juan Perez, all of whom helped guide our planning of Reunion activities in Parramatta.
Denbigh: Ian and Susan McIntosh
Friends of St John’s Cemetery: Judith Dunn, Jennifer Follers, Linda Bradley, Anne and Wayne Mathews
Graphics and Photography: Hyde Hassall
2023 Reunion Committee:
- Melissa Blanks
- John Brookes
- Graham Hassall
- Rowland Hassall
- Margaret Hassall
- John Hassall
- Alison Shaw
Photos and Videos
Open the Reunion Photo Gallery to view and download images.