Slums of Melbourne
Social life & customs, Such was life:
As far back as the 1850s, slums existed in inner city Melbourne. In the 1930s, Frederick Barnett began taking photos of the slums, using them in a push for social reform.
Such was life
The great flood of 1891
Buildings & streets, Such was life:
In July 1891, non stop rain over a weekend saw the Yarra break its bank and flood surrounding suburbs- leaving thousands homeless.
Public images of World War I: myth & reality
Read an extract from a talk by war correspondent and author Jill Jolliffe on the reporting of World War I and, in particular, the work of official historian C.E.W. Bean.
Lights and shades of city life
People & professions, Such was life:
In the 1920s Reverend George Wong was a minister at the Collingwood Methodist Church, helping the poor, teaching at kindergarten and lecturing around Victoria about the life of Melbourne’s poor with the help of a limelight projector.
Tiger in the goldfields
People & professions, Such was life:
Ballarat: Sunday 8th July, 1855: ‘Got home and found the tent afloat and my blankets wet…Kindled fire and cleaned up tent. Boiled kettle and prepared supper. Ironing my blankets, I burned one of them.’
A Melbourne love affair
Social life & customs, Such was life:
Melbourne’s love affair with coffee has been long-term, passionate, and sometimes controversial.
The Alan K Jordan collection of photographs
Social life & customs, Such was life:
The Library has recently digitized a collection of photographs of homeless people from the 1960s and 1970s.
The Waler; a war horse
Walers became legendary with the Australian Light Horse for their feats of endurance and bravery on the battle field during WWI.
Dan Morgan: bushranger
People & professions, Such was life, Uncategorized:
It is 150 years since the death of the bushranger known as Dan Morgan.
A bohemian football match
The costume football match in 1881 featured players dressed as characters from opera, tragedy, comedy, farce and pantomime.
