Wednesday 25 March 2009

Mad or Bad? Researching the life of Amy Bock

The Balclutha Library is delighted to announce it will host a session with Dr Jenny Coleman, the author of a biography on one of South Otago’s most notorious characters – Amy Bock.   

Amy Bock gained notoriety in 1909 when she disguised herself as a man and married a woman at Kaka Point, just south of Balclutha. Later the same day she was publicly exposed and arrested.

A century on, a series of events this April will mark the 100^th anniversary of the infamous wedding, including a presentation at the Balclutha Library by Dr Coleman, who has researched the life of Bock.

Dr Coleman is a senior lecturer and coordinator of the Women’s Studies Programme at Massey University, Palmerston North. She has published and presented numerous research papers in the areas of the nineteenth century women’s movement in New Zealand, female journalists, and feminist biography.

Her full length biography of Amy Bock is due for publication in 2010.

Researching the life of New Zealand’s most notorious female criminal confidence artist included forays into Bock’s convict heritage, as well as searching the archives of courts, education departments and mental asylums.

Council Library/Service Centre Manager Vicki Darling said Dr Coleman’s presentation would take the audience behind the scenes to the actual sources consulted in the writing of the biography.

“This will be a fascinating insight into the life and times of one of South Otago’s most well-known characters – albeit for the wrong reasons,” Ms Darling said. “There is a real sense of excitement starting to build around the events surrounding the Amy Bock wedding re-enactment and we’re delighted to be part of this.”

Dr Jenny Coleman will be at the Balclutha Library on Wednesday 8 April 2009 from 7.30pm. Anyone interested in attending should register with the library.

ENDS