ALEXANDER LAING'S FIDDLE EXCURSION

The Friends of Willow Court Special Committee are a volunteer group of Tasmania's who have an interest in sharing the long and complex history of Australia's oldest Asylum, which is located in the Derwent Valley Township of New Norfolk, Tasmania.

Friends of Willow Court Special Committee of the Derwent Valley Council. Tasmania

THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW COURT PRESENT A NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE MONTH EVENT. 
A Fiddle Excursion led by prominent historian Peter MacFie and the folk trio Green Hills Gathering’ Travel by bus to historic locations around New Norfolk, and hear original pre 1863 Tasmanian melodies composed by Scottish emancipist Alexander Laing
LUNCH AND DEVONSHIRE TEA PROVIDED.
V I S I T . . .
 ST MATTHEWS ANGLICAN CHURCH WILLOW COURT BARRACKS FRESCATI HOUSE STEPHEN STREET CEMETERY ST PAULS UNITING CHURCH LACHLAN HALL GLENLEITH GLEN DERWENT
Contact Details: ANNE: 0419213232
The theme for this year’s Heritage Festival is ‘Having a Voice’, and the National Trust is inviting communities across Tasmania to tell their stories through different voices, recognizing the many narratives that have shaped Tasmania.
The event Friends of Willow Court is holding traces the history of Alexander Laing and the fiddle tunes he composed when he resided and worked in New Norfolk,
Alexander Laing was born in Scotland, and was transported to Sydney in 1814, then after moving to Hobart Town and eventually marrying, he became a police constable at Sorell. In 1851 he was appointed New Norfolk Gaoler, and resigned from that position to become ‘upper wards man in 1856 at the New Norfolk asylum, a position he held until his dismissal in 1862 for drunkenness.
Alexander Laing wrote 242 tunes for the fiddle, including 60 original compositions named after his family and well known identities, with 25 of these tunes written during the period he lived in New Norfolk, and a number of these were written for the asylum’s superintendents and family members, as well as local community members and visitors.
The Alexander Laing fiddle trail hosted by FoWC involves travelling by bus to selected properties around New Norfolk that are identified as relevant to Laing’s fiddle tunes, and while at each property the fiddle tunes that are relevant to that property are played, and the history of Alexander Laing’s connection to the site is told, along with a short history of the property.
Lunch is at the Lachlan hall in the beautiful Lachlan valley just south of New Norfolk, and the event concludes at historic Glen Derwent homestead, with a Devonshire tea and tour included.
The bus will transport participants back to Bathurst St at conclusion of the event at 3.30 pm.
 
Warm clothes, enclosed shoes and an umbrella are advised, as part of this event is held in the open. Enclosed shoes are required for entry to Willow Court Barracks.
 
 
Refund Policy: Tickets are refundable (minus booking fee) 48 hour before the event.
There are no provisions for ticket sales on the day.

Outside New Norfolk Police station, Bathurst St (next to St Matthew’s Anglican church), Derwent Valley Tas (Start)

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