The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.
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Sydney’s modernists
The Australian Women's Weekly, September 7 1946, p48 via Trove Sydney Living Museums has an interesting exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, The Moderns: European Designers in Sydney. This exhibition seems to come at a time where this city’s built environment…
The mysterious Mr Eternity
Arthur Stace writing his message, Eternity in Sydney Courtesy National Library of Australia (nla.pic-vn3107050) The 30 July 2017 marks 50 years since the death of a mysterious identity who inscribed the word ‘Eternity’ on Sydney’s pavements for 34 years. The Dictionary…
Barangaroo
NAIDOC Week is in full swing, celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples so we thought we'd take the opportunity to celebrate someone a very powerful woman in Sydney’s history - Barangaroo. …
Isaac Nathan - ‘Australia’s first composer’
Isaac Nathan, Australia's first composer c1820 Courtesy National Library of Australia (nla.pic-an2292675) The Dictionary of Sydney chronicles the lives of some of Sydney’s most fascinating people. Isaac Nathan, who was hailed as ‘Australia’s first composer’ despite being the English-born son of…
Sydney’s grand General Post Office
Martin Place and General Post Office Courtesy City of Sydney Archives (SRC20098) It was announced recently that Australia Post has secured a deal to sell one of Sydney’s grandest heritage buildings - the General Post Office in Martin Place, a Renaissance style building…
Convict travels
These leaves are held by the State Library of NSW and were among a store taken by Mary Bryant when she escaped and which she gave to James Boswell. The plant is Smilax glyciphylla, commonly known as wild sarsaparilla; "a small…
On the buses
'6 o'clock - Rush home' from 'The Hours of the Day in Sydney' , Illustrated Sydney News, 6 September 1879, p12 There’s been a lot of talk this week about Sydney’s buses and the NSW Government’s plans to privatise a section…
The Australian Blondin: The dangerous adventures of Henri L’Estrange
Harry L'Estrange c1877 Pic: Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (a928408 / P1/987) There are some very colourful characters to be found in the Dictionary of Sydney. The showman, aeronaut and tightrope walker, Henri L’Estrange, wowed Sydney audiences in the 1870s…
Our oldest museum turns 190!
Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney 1860-63 by William Hetzer Courtesy Powerhouse Museum 87/1019-8 Last Thursday it was the 190 years since the Australian Museum was established so today we thought we'd have a very quick look at the long history of…
The Sydney Harbour Bridge turns 85!
View from pulley-wheels of north side creeper-crane looking into box section of south side arch, Sydney Harbour Bridge May 1930 by Ted Hood, Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (hood_02964 / Home and Away 2964) Last Sunday was the 85th…