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Muslims in Sydney
Letter of eligibility for Saiyid Mahomet Shah Banuri for Certificate of Exemption 1904, from the Correspondence of the Collector of Customs relating to Immigration Restriction and Passports) Source: National Archives of Australia SP42/1, C1905/3746 Page 28 of 29 It was Harmony…
Sydney's Royal Easter Show
wp-image-12160https://home.dictionaryofsydney.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SideShowAlley1957.jpgSideshow alley at the Royal Sydney Easter Show 1957 By Raymond Morris. Contributed by National Museum of Australia [Slide 164, via NMA's Flickr set] (Raymond Morris Collection, courtesy of the photographer)600386/> Sideshow alley at the Royal Sydney Easter Show 1957…
The Trocadero: Sydney’s most glamorous dance hall
Radio station 2CH's children's Christmas party, Trocadero 1936, Credit: State Library of New South Wales (hood_20090 / Home and Away 30090) There’s been a lot of talk about Sydney’s night life lately so I thought I'd look at one of the city's most…
International Women's Day
Violet McKenzie with wireless c1922. 1920 - 1926 Reproduced courtesy of the Ex-Wrans Association NSW. March 8 is International Women's Day. And what better way to celebrate the day than to look back and acknowledge the extraordinary contribution women have made…
200 years of public architecture
Convict Barrack Sydney N.S. Wales c1819, attributed to GW Evans Credit: Mitchell LIbrary, State Library of NSW (a1120005 / PX*D 41, 5) The State Library of NSW has just opened a new exhibition - Imagine a City: 200 Years of Public…
Elsie Refuge Glebe - an icon of Sydney feminism
Elsie Women's Refuge, Glebe 1974. By Drusilla Modjeska. Contributed by National Library of Australia (nla.pic-vn3997705) There has been a lot of discussion in the last 12 months about domestic violence and how it is everyone's responsibility to put an end to…
Farewell Kim
Kim Hanna, former Executive Officer, Dictionary of Sydney On Friday 29th January, the staff, volunteers and Board of the Dictionary of Sydney bid a fond farewell to our friend and colleague Kim Hanna. Kim has been at the helm of the Dictionary…
William Chidley: an eccentric campaigner
'Mr W J Chidley will lecture to men and women on health, diet and clothing', Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (a128079 / V/120) Speakers’ Corner in Sydney’s Domain has become known as a place where individuals can share…
Soldier's Riot of 1916
'Unionism in Excelsis - Soldiers on Strike', Liverpool 14 February 1916, Daily Telegraph, 15 February 1916, p 7 The soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force who fought in WW1 are usually remembered as heroic and patriotic. But they weren't always compliant…
Colonial scandal and murder
John Jenkins 1834. By John Gardiner Austin. Contributed by National Library There is nothing like reading about a colourful historical figure to remind ourselves how rich and complicated our society actually is. This week I was struck by the story of…