The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.
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Australia’s first public sculpture: Richard Bourke
Governor Bourke's statue, Domain 1871, by Charles Pickering, courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (SPF/1056) The State Library of NSW recently announced work is underway to conserve and restore Australia's first public sculpture, the Sir Richard Bourke statue that is located…
The Bridge Street Affray: an incident that changed policing in New South Wales
Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1894, p9 This morning on 2SER Breakfast, Dr Rachel Franks talked to Tess Connery about the 'murderous' Bridge Street Affray in 1894. Listen to Rachel and Tess on 2SER here. In the very early morning of Friday 2…
The Shaftesbury Reformatory in Vaucluse
Shaftesbury, Vaucluse c1925 by EG Shaw, courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (a7806 Online, 2) This week on 2SER Breakfast, Nicole Cama talked to Tess Connery about the Shaftesbury Reformatory on New South Head Road in Vaucluse that…
What Sick Shark Revealed
Cover of book 'The Shark Arm Case' by Vince Kelly, published by Horwitz Publications 1963, courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (ML 343.1/30A1) This week on 2SER Breakfast, the Dictionary's special guest Minna Muhlen-Schulte talked to new breakfast host Tess…
The Rum Rebellion and the Madness of Colonial New South Wales
The arrest of Governor Bligh 1808, courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (a128113 / Safe 4/5) This week on 2SER Breakfast, the Dictionary's special guest Dr James Dunk talked to new breakfast host Tess Connery about the mental health of…
The Pierre Loti
A regular visitor from New Caledonia, Pierre Loti voyaged to Sydney from 1937 until its seizure in 1940. Photograph courtesy of Jean-Paul Fontanon. This week on 2SER Breakfast, Dr Peter Hobbins talked to new breakfast host Tess Connery about French Nazis…
Australia’s First Bank Robbery
'Our first and gayest bank robbery', The Sun, 29 March 1948, p7 via Trove Did you know Australia’s first bank robbery occurred in Sydney in 1828 and most of the £14,000 was never recovered? This week we'll look at the crime that…
Women commemorated by Sydney's suburbs
Elizabeth Macquarie c1819, courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (MIN 237) As an historian, I'm always interested in how we shape our cities and how we get the names we get. Earlier this week I was looking at the city's…
William Castell: ‘professor of dancing’
Advertisement for Mr Cavendish de Castell's Dancing Academy, 9 March 1833, The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 9 March 1833, p3 One of the many fascinating people on the Dictionary of Sydney is William Castell, ‘professor of dancing’, musician…
21st Biennale of Sydney
Ai Weiwei, Law of the Journey, 2017 reinforced PVC with aluminium frame, 312 figures 60 x 6 x 3 m Installation view (2018) at Cockatoo Island for the 21st Biennale of Sydney Courtesy the artist and neugerriemschneider, Berlin Presentation at the…