Curator Conversation: One Free Woman

Join author Jane Smith for a powerful curator conversation as she shares the extraordinary story of Hannah Rigby — a convict, mother, and survivor whose life reflects the untold struggles of many women in colonial Australia. In her book One Free Woman, Jane uncovers the true story of a poor Liverpool seamstress turned serial offender, who defied the rigid expectations of her time. Exiled, impoverished, and repeatedly punished, Hannah remained the only female convict to stay in Moreton Bay after the penal settlement closed. With fresh historical insight and deep compassion, Jane brings Hannah’s remarkable journey to life — one shaped by hardship, injustice, and fleeting moments of joy. Don’t miss this chance to hear the voice of a woman history nearly forgot.

About the presenter

Jane Smith is a Queensland author, librarian/archivist and freelance book editor who loves bringing the stories of our past to life for readers of all ages. Jane writes fiction and non-fiction and has had more than twenty books with a historical focus published since 2014. Four of her books have been short- or long-listed for significant literary awards, including an ABIA in 2015 for Captain Thunderbolt from her much-loved ‘Australian Bushrangers’ series. More recently, her adult non-fiction Ship of Death came third in the 2021 Frank Broeze Memorial Maritime History Book prize. Jane was awarded a 2024 Visiting Fellowship with the Harry Gentle Resource Centre (Griffith University) to research and write the biography of the convict Hannah Rigby. Jane lives in regional Queensland and works part-time as a hospital archivist and part-time in her editing practice.