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Historian Mélanie Méthot will share the incredible story of Holt's Matrimonial Agency in Australia, and reflect on the experiences of those who decided to use their services.
Matrimonial agencies started appearing in Australia towards the end of the nineteenth century. Annie and her husband James Holt, recognizing the potential of such a venture, penetrated the market early, rapidly dominating the field by innovating and adopting novel business practices.
Their agency became one of the most famous marriage agencies in Australia with branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. By the 1940s, local branches advertised the agency ‘had been responsible for 50 000 marriages.'
Professor Méthot has been researching bigamy in Canada and in Australia for many years. In 2020 she received a grant for her research project "Marrying too Much: Bigamy in Australia". She has recently developed a website featuring bigamy stories and their relevance - https://mmethot2.wixsite.com/melanie-methot
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Workshops & Lectures | Heritage | Author Talks |
TAGS: | recommended |
| Mon, Jul 28 | 9:00AM to 5:30PM |
| Tue, Jul 29 | 9:00AM to 8:00PM |
| Wed, Jul 30 | 9:00AM to 5:30PM |
| Thu, Jul 31 | 9:00AM to 5:30PM |
| Fri, Aug 01 | 9:00AM to 5:30PM |
| Sat, Aug 02 | 9:00AM to 5:00PM |
| Sun, Aug 03 | Closed |
Library services first began in Belmont in 1885. Our current library was officially opened on 28 October 1982 by the Hon FN Wilkes MP, Minister for Local Government and his Worship the Mayor, Cr PF Ward JP. The building was renovated in 2010 making it a modern, pleasing and community-centric library environment. The renovated library was officially opened by the Hon Richard Wynne MP, Minister for Local Government. Belmont Library is a large and busy hub within easy reach of the High Street commercial precinct.
The Geelong Regional Library Corporation acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin nation, and the Gulidjan and Gadubanud Peoples of the Maar nations as the Original Owners of the lands on which our library services operate. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge and celebrate First Nations Peoples of this land as the custodians of learning, literacy, knowledge and story.
