The scope of works for this project is to prepare an annotated bibliography of sources relating to Strawberry Hill. Emphasis should be given to primary sources and be broad in scope including archival material such as diaries and correspondence, photographs, illustrations, moveable heritage and oral histories.
Reference quality copies of images held outside the Trust’s collections will be required (naming appropriate details of source, copyright, date etc). If moveable heritage provenanced to Strawberry Hill is identified (in private and public collections) then reference quality images of those objects will also be required.
An Executive Summary is to be prepared summarising the findings of the project. It should identify gaps and propose additional avenues for future research.
It is anticipated this project will be carried out within an agreed budget in the region of $10,000+gst inclusive of all fees, travel and disbursements. A fee proposal is to be provided in the submission showing the fee allocation and the hourly rate charged.
The project will commence on the appointment of the historian and is expected to be completed by December 2019.
Project Aims
In recent years the National Trust has undertaken considerable planning and conservation works at Strawberry Hill. The next phase is to focus on interpretation and to continue its conservation. It has become increasingly obvious that continued reliance on secondary sources for this work is far from satisfactory and that enormous knowledge gaps exist.
There is also a strong belief that Strawberry Hill is likely to meet the threshold for national heritage listing but this needs to be interrogated and assessed. With the bicentenary of British settlement on the horizon in 2026 it is timely that this project is undertaken to support enhanced understanding of the history and significance of the place, and to inform and guide the presentation of its stories.
Of particular interest is material relating to the period of the Government Farm and the Spencer family period of occupation; the farming operations and later market gardens at Strawberry Hill; and the interiors, furnishings and previous uses of the buildings.
The aim of the project is to produce an annotated bibliography/ historical sources review that will support conservation, interpretation and community engagement relating to the heritage values associated with this significant heritage place.