History and Heritage Function

Join us for a captivating journey into the rich history and heritage of Katharine Susannah Prichard and her son Ric Throssell, as we delve into their remarkable lives with acclaimed author Nathan Hobby, writer of "The Red Witch: A Biography of Katharine Susannah Prichard".

Then, listen to an introduction to Karen Throssell's book "The Crime of Not Knowing Your Crime", by historian and the Director of Centre of Western Australian History at UWA, Bobbie Oliver, before having a chance to purchase your copy!

Book your spot to attend an unforgettable experience celebrating the enduring legacy of Katharine Susannah Prichard and Ric Throssell and indulge in a delightful afternoon tea as you immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Australian history.

This is a FREE event, but bookings are essential.

About Nathan Hobby:

Nathan is a writer, scholar, and librarian living in Perth, Western Australia. His novel, The Fur, won the T.A.G. Hungerford Award and was published by Fremantle Press in 2004. His second book, The Red Witch: A Biography of Katharine Susannah Prichard, was published by Miegunyah Press in 2022 and won the 2023 WA Premier’s Prize for Book of the Year. Nathan works as the special collections librarian / archivist at Curtin University’s John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. He is a honorary research fellow in the School of Humanities at the University of Western Australia and has completed his PhD there in 2019. He also holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and a Graduate Diploma in Information Science.

About 'The Red Witch: A Biography of Katharine Susannah Prichard'

Novelist, journalist and activist Katharine Susannah Prichard won fame for vivid novels that broke new ground depicting distinctly Australian ways of life and work - from Gippsland pioneers and West Australian prospectors to Pilbara station hands and outback opal miners. Her prize-winning debut The Pioneers made her a celebrity but she turned away from jaunty romances to write a trio of inter-war classics, Working Bullocks, Coonardoo and Haxby's Circus. Heralded in her time as the 'hope of the Australian novel', her good friend Miles Franklin called Prichard 'Australia's most distinguished tragedian'. This biography of a literary giant traces Prichard's journey from the genteel poverty of her Melbourne childhood to her impulsive marriage to Victoria Cross winner Hugo Throssell, and finally on to her long widowhood as a 'red witch', marked out from society by her loyalty to the Soviet Union and her unconventional ways. Through meticulous archival research and historical detective work, Nathan Hobby reveals many unknown aspects of Prichard's life, including the likely identity of the mysterious lover who influenced her deeply in her twenties, her withdrawal from politics during her remarkable five-year literary peak and an intimate friendship with poet Hugh McCrae. Lively and detailed, The Red Witch is a gripping narrative alert to the drama and tragedy of Prichard's remarkable life.

About 'The Crime of Not Knowing Your Crime: Ric Throssell against ASIO'

My grandmother was one of Australia's greatest novelists, my grandfather won the Victoria Cross for gallantry and my father was hounded all his life as a spy.

This is a three generational story. It's about my life; it's about my father, Ric; it's about my grandparents, the writer Katharine Susannah Prichard and the war hero Hugo Throssell. It's a study of the psychology of spies and those who obsess about them, a narrative of guilt and innocence told through poetry, prose and historical documents. It's a tale from another time - but one with obvious relevance, given how regularly governments rely on fear and scapegoating today.

Let me tell you what was done to my family.

"Through entwined poetry and prose, Karen Throssell illuminates ASIO's persecution of her extraordinary family. In the post 9/11 era, too many Australians have forgotten what happened in the Cold War. That's why this story matters".