Who are Colourful Histories?

Deborah Lee-Talbot is a historian fascinated with places like archives and libraries, and the manuscripts and materials that exist within them. Deborah mostly uses her time in these historic places to pursue stories about women, Pacific-Australian histories, and how we preserve the past. She seeks opportunities for community engagement by creating presentations, articles or digital content.

Deborah has consistently demonstrated her dedication to historical research, community linkages, and achieving project outcomes. In 2023, she completed research at the State Library of New South Wales as CH Currey Fellow. The project was ‘Archives of the Archivist: Phyllis Mander-Jones and the Keeping of Australian-Pacific records, 1896-1957’. She received a National Library of Australia Summer Scholarship in 2022 to analyse records concerning the Australian Joint Copying Project. Her research paper on women’s leadership in Pacific missions was highly commended at the 2021 Pacific Historians Association conference. For her academic record and contribution to Deakin University and the wider community while studying, Deborah was awarded the Alfred Deakin Medal in 2018.

Published research and book reviews are available in History Today, Journal of Pacific History, Limina, Australian Policy and History, and the Professional Historians Association (Vic & Tas). Deborah’s research has also been presented at public events, seminars and conferences.

Enquiries are welcomed for commissioned histories, public speaking events, podcast appearances and research contracts.