Meet Mark Derby - Author of 'Rock College'
June 22, 2021
Meet Mark Derby: Author of ‘Rock College: An unofficial history of Mount Eden Prison’
Uptown was the place to be on Tuesday night, hosting renowned author Mark Derby as he shared his wealth of knowledge of the history of Mount Eden Prison – an iconic place located right here in Uptown.
Grim, Victorian, and notorious for 150 years, the night was full of stories; of the history of the prison, of the people behind the walls, the conditions they lived in, Aotearoa’s past and present penal system, and the future of the towering building that remains.
Mark drew from the knowledge presented in his recent book: ‘Rock College: An unofficial history of Mount Eden Prison’. As former Mount Eden inmate James “Diamond Jim” Shepard said, “if you want to know what it’s like inside that place, this book is the next best thing to a ten-year stretch.”
The local community in attendance enjoyed free nibbles and drinks, the opportunity to meet Uptown neighbours, as well chat with Mark Derby. A few even came away with signed copies of his book!
If you missed this fantastic free event, be sure to grab a copy of his book here. And keep an eye out on the Uptown events calendar for all our upcoming local events. See you at the next one!
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