Names in the Margins

Behind Melbourne’s fading advertisements lie stories that were never meant to survive. In this talk, author and historian Sean Reynolds uncovers the hidden lives of women revealed through his Melbourne Ghost Signs research - stories found not only on walls, but in rate books, police files, directories, inquests, and the deep holdings of PROV - Victoria's State Archives.

From motor-garage pioneers and migrant shopkeepers to reinvention artists and women misrecorded or misunderstood by history, Sean traces how small archival fragments can illuminate extraordinary lives. A lively journey through the city’s social history and the archive’s overlooked corners.

Join us live at the Victorian Archives Centre, or watch online via Zoom. All ticket holders will also receive a copy of the recording.

About the Speaker
Sean Reynolds is the author of Melbourne Ghost Signs (Scribe, 2024) and creator of the Melbourne Ghost Signs project, where he explores the city’s fading signage and the overlooked histories behind it. His research spans directories, rate books, Trove, and PROV collections, uncovering stories of everyday Melburnians - especially those written out of the record. Before this, Sean worked in marketing for major entertainment and consumer brands in the US. He now writes at the intersection of culture, history, and social memory.

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Host or Publisher Public Record Office Victoria