The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

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The Bogle-Chandler mystery

The Canberra Times, 10 May 1963, p3 via Trove This week on 2SER Breakfast, the Dictionary's special guest historian Minna Muhlen-Schulte talked to breakfast host Tess Connery about a suburban mystery that has intrigued Sydneysiders since 1963. Listen to Minna and Tess…

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…

Maintenance

There's some essential maintenance being done on the Dictionary today, which might result in some delays and difficulties searching the site. You should still be able to use Browse menus (listed in the brown column on the right hand side of…

International Day for Monuments and Sites

The Parramatta River with Searle's monument c1915 by GN Wilson, courtesy National Library of Australia (nla.pic-an24616593) Today, April 18, is International Day for Monuments and Sites, a time when people around the world celebrate historical, spiritual , and cultural heritage. It's…

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…