The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

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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…

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…

New tour! Sydney Harbour Islands

Bennelong Point c1804, Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (a1528483 / V1/1810/1) The Dictionary of Sydney has launched a new tour! Following on from Convict Parramatta, we can now explore Sydney’s harbour islands on our mobile devices, from the Royal Australian…

Sydney’s cultural life

Hyde Park, St James Parsonage Dispensary, afterwards the Mint, and Emigration Barracks 1842 by John Rae Credit: Dixson Galleries, State Library of NSW (a928373 / DG SV*/Sp Coll/Rae/16) We’re coming into the festival season, when our city seems to come alive…

Sydney's ocean pools

Bronte Baths c1880-1900 Credit: Tyrrell Photographic Collection, Powerhouse Museum (85/1285-223) It’s summertime and as the temperatures rise, Sydneysiders will no doubt be flocking to the city’s famous beaches. This morning for 2SER Breakfast, I thought I’d talk to Mitch about our love…

Woodford Academy

Staff and pupils of Woodford Academy c1910. Contributed by Blue Mountains City Library [Local Studies Collection PF1028] It’s holidaying season and a good time to venture beyond Sydney. A trip to the Blue Mountains is always a great idea, and the…

Bodgies and African American Influences in Sydney

If you're a square you'll have to get hep to bodgey language, March 1951. Bodgies and widgies have added to the headaches of the English language by inventing a whole tribe of new expressions. From the collection of the State…

Sydney Open

Catch up with Lisa Murray's segment on 2SER earlier today and get the lowdown on Sydney Open:   by Lisa Murray Tiles in the disused train tunnels under St James Station. The tunnels will be open to a lucky few Golden Ticket…

Iris Webber: 'the most violent woman in Sydney'

size-full wp-image-10596 'Sensational Incidents At Holmes Shooting Inquest', Truth in Sydney, 13 May 1945.National Library of Australia [news-article169358891 via Trove] (Truth, 13 May 1945, p16) http://trust.dictionaryofsydney.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Iris.jpg300183/> 'Sensational Incidents At Holmes Shooting Inquest', Truth in Sydney, 13 May 1945. National Library…

History Week 2015: War, Nationalism and Identity

Women lay wreaths on the wharf at Woolloomooloo where the WW I troops departed, c1931. By Hood, Ted. From the collection of the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, hood_02026 / Home and Away 2026 History Week has been…