In this Christmas issue Alison Alexander writes a heartfelt obituary to one of our longest term members, and life member, Beth McLeod, Martin Stone wonders about Charles Darwin's route to ascend kunanyi/Mt Wellington, Malcolm Ward examines the legacy of Thomas Gregson on the early history of Hobart's eastern shore, Ros Escott hunts down a Tasmanian governor with a runaway past, Brian Rieusset captures the ultimate escape of Scipio Africanus, Bob Holderness-Roddam controls dog management legislation in Tasmania, Sally Bloomfield responds to John Currey's recent paper on Tasmania's first printing press, Alison Alexander finds descendants of enslaved Africans in Tasmania and Brian Agnew offers an addendum on the Tasmanian premier, Dr Agnew. There are also reviews by Ross Kelly, Stefan Petrow and Ian Terry.