The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.
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Annie Wyatt, heritage warrior
Membership Card No 1, belonging to Annie Forsyth Wyatt, courtesy of National Trust of Australia (NSW) The National Trust of Australia is celebrating its 75th anniversary this week, so it seemed like a perfect time to talk about the inspiring woman…
The last public hanging at Darlinghurst Gaol
The People's Advocate and New South Wales Vindicator, 25 September 1852, p2 via Trove On 21 September 1852, illicit grog dealer, snappy dresser and murderer Francis Green was the last man to be publicly hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol. Listen to the…
Fifty years of Kaldor Public Art Projects
View of Project 32: Jonathan Jones' barrangal dyara (skin and bones), Photo by Peter Greig, courtesy: Kaldor Public Art Projects This year Kaldor Public Art Projects is marking fifty years of challenging and surprising Sydneysiders with large scale, public and interactive…
Koori Knockout
PIX article on the Redfern All Blacks 'Aboriginal Footballers' 1946, PIX, 5 October 1946 p28 This week is NAIDOC week, and as it happens, the decider for the State of Origin rugby league, so what better topic then the Koori Knockout…
Thar She Blows!
Two whale's teeth scrimshaw c1800s, both depicting whaling scenes, Dixson Collection, State Library of NSW (SAFE/DR 40 / Item a and Item b) Whales have been in the news of late, given that it's the whale migration season and that Japan…
The Satyr and Five Bells
Life's Tragedy: announcement of Joe Lynch's death in Smith's Weekly, 21 May 1927, via Trove Today on 2SER Breakfast, historian Minna Muhlen-Schulte and Tess talked about the story behind Kenneth Slessor's moving and influential poem, Five Bells. Listen to the…
Customs House
Custom House and Circular Quay 1845 by GE Peacock, courtesy Dixson Galleries, State Library of NSW (DG 35) The City of Sydney have just announced that they have acquired Customs House from the Commonwealth Government, so today I thought we'd take…
Sydney’s pissoirs & underground conveniences
Urinal Observatory Hill 1968, Courtesy City of Sydney Archives (CRS 34/2401/71 ) Nicole Cama's been sharing stories from the Dictionary with 2SER listeners for five years. Sadly it's her last segment for a while today, so she thought she'd revisit one…
Street Photography
Today on 2SER Breakfast, Lisa and Tess talked about a fabulous new exhibition at the Museum of Sydney called Street Photography, that looks at the popularity of commercial street photographers in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Listen to Lisa and Tess…
Decorating the city
Christmas tree in Hyde Park 7 December 1962, City of Sydney Archives (NSCA CRS 48/3060) It's getting very festive around the city as Christmas approaches so today we thought we'd look at one of the city's biggest Christmas traditions! Listen to…