Arthur Dobbs: ‘Curious in Everything’ Seminar in Carrickfergus

Explore the life, career and legacy of Arthur Dobbs at a special history seminar in Carrickfergus Town Hall on Saturday 22 August 2026.

Held as part of the American 250 commemorations, the event will examine Dobbs’s connections to Carrickfergus, colonial America, migration, politics and natural history.

Arthur Dobbs, who lived from 1689 to 1765, was an explorer, politician, colonial governor and early botanist. Born into an Ulster-Scots family, he represented Carrickfergus as an MP before becoming Governor of North Carolina.

Seminar Speakers
The programme features talks from historians and heritage experts from Northern Ireland and North Carolina.

Arthur Dobbs: Colonial Undertaker and Governor of North Carolina
Speaker: Trevor Parkhill MBE, author and historian

Trevor Parkhill will explore Dobbs’s political career, his work to develop Irish trade and the linen industry, and the influence of his Ulster-Scots background on his governorship of North Carolina.

The talk will also examine Dobbs’s efforts to attract settlers, including emigrants from Ulster, his concerns about French influence and his attempts to build relations with Indigenous communities.

Dobbs died in North Carolina in 1765 and is believed to have been buried there in an unmarked grave.

On Waves to the Backcountry: The Emigrant Experience
Speaker: David Hume, local historian

David Hume will explore the experiences of emigrants who left Ulster for colonial America and travelled onwards into the North American backcountry.

The talk will place Arthur Dobbs’s promotion of migration within the wider story of Ulster emigration during the eighteenth century.

Tippitiwitchet to Toiletry: Arthur Dobbs at Brunswick Town, North Carolina, 1758–1765
Speaker: Jim McKee, Site Manager at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site

Jim McKee will examine the later years of Dobbs’s governorship and his connections to Brunswick Town in North Carolina.

“The Best and Tenderest of Husbands”: Arthur Dobbs’s Marriage to Justina Davis
Speaker: Katie Hatton, North Carolina Colonial Records Project

In 1762, the 78-year-old Arthur Dobbs married Justina Davis, who was 63 years younger than him.

Using primary sources written by Dobbs and Davis, Katie Hatton will explore how the couple met, the nature of their marriage and what happened to Justina following Dobbs’s death.

Seminar Schedule
10.30am: Tea and coffee on arrival
11am–11.15am: Welcome and Mayor’s address
11.15am–11.40am: Trevor Parkhill MBE
11.40am–12.05pm: David Hume
12.05pm–1pm: Lunch break
1pm–1.25pm: Jim McKee
1.25pm–1.50pm: Katie Hatton
1.50pm–2.20pm: Panel discussion
2.30pm: Event concludes

Lunch and Live Music
Lunch is included in the ticket price.

Guests should advise the organisers of any dietary requirements when booking.

The lunch break will also feature a live performance by musician Dick Glasgow, who will play the Appalachian dulcimer.

Event Information
Date: Saturday 22 August 2026
Time: 11am to 2.30pm
Arrival refreshments: From 10.30am
Venue: Carrickfergus Town Hall
Ticket price: £8
Lunch: Included

Join historians, researchers and heritage specialists for an engaging exploration of Arthur Dobbs and his connections to Carrickfergus, Ulster emigration and colonial North Carolina.