The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.
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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…
Atmospheric cinema
The Sydney Film Festival starts tonight so I thought we'd talk about recreating an authentic early cinema experience! Frontage to Market Street of the State Theatre and shopping block, Sydney, Australia, c1929 Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (PXA…
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…
Bricks!
Brick chimneys St Peters 2008 by Paul Howard They are one of the most ubiquitous building materials in Sydney, so you probably haven't given them much thought, but the history of bricks in Sydney is actually rather fascinating! Listen…
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…
Deborah Beck, Rayner Hoff: The Life of a Sculptor
Deborah Beck, Rayner Hoff: The Life of a Sculptor. NewSouth Publishing, NSW: 2017 272 pages. Ills. (B/W and sepia) ISBN: 9781742235325 (paperback); 978174228080 (ePDF). RRP A$49.99 As ANZAC day approaches on 25 April 2017, commemorative services will be held around Australia. Many…
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 old Commodore, Billy Blue
Billy Blue 1834 by JB East Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (a928634 / ML 560) 29 March 2017 Lisa Murray A few weeks back, we looked at the early history of Americans in Sydney. At the time, I…
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…
Kick up your heels on St Patrick's Day with the Dictionary of Sydney
St Patrick's Day in the new land 1880, Illustrated Sydney News, 20 March 1880, p5 A few years ago the Dictionary of Sydney worked with the Consulate General of Ireland in Sydney to produce a fantastic suite of entries on the…