Our stories, Victorian history:
It is Library week and some or our librarians have picked some favourite photographs from our collections. Our collection of images is varied, eclectic and endlessly fascinating and many have been digitised and are often available to download as high resolution TIFF files
Ask a librarian, Health, Such was life, Victorian history, Visual arts:
Let’s explore the advertising history of Victorian winter tonics that were promoted through captivating campaigns, featuring everything from racing cars to bombing planes and involving everyone from VFL footballers to Indian Maharajas!
People & professions, Victorian history:
The Library has hosted two Wikimedians this year as they worked on improving the visibility of Australian feminist activists, organisations, and movements.
Our stories, Victorian history:
In the 1880s Melbourne’s men of science formed a committee to revive interest in Antarctic exploration. They canvassed the colonies and the world in attempts to raise an expedition. Ultimately unsuccessful, they did though inspire the first publicly recorded landing on the Antarctic continent by Henrik Bull and the crew of his whaling expedition.
Ask a librarian, Buildings & streets, Social life & customs, Victorian history:
‘The Block’ was a section of Collins street bounded by Elizabeth and Swanson streets. As early as the 1860s is was considered one of the primary places to see and be seen in the Melbourne CBD, but it reached its zenith during the economic boom years in the 1880s and 1890s. ‘Doing the Block’ was a common term to describe the endless promenading of Melbournians up and down Collins street, often dressed in their finest as they frequented the fashionable cafes, tea houses and shops
People & professions, Victorian history:
‘A short chronicle of the sorrows of George Edwards’ is a unique set of papers in our manuscripts collection that documents the prison life and creative output of George Edwards, a prisoner at Pentridge Prison in the 1870s. His secret papers were wrapped in strips of prison sheets and wedged within the walls of the prison to avoid detection. Find out how they made their way to the State Library collection.
Arts & literature, Ask a librarian, People & professions, Victorian history:
Detective Inspector John Christie was one of Victoria’s most well-known detectives. His use of disguises to catch opium smugglers, diamond thieves, moonshiners, and murderers saw him hailed as the Sherlock Holmes of Australia.
Arts & literature, Ask a librarian, Buildings & streets, Music, Performing Arts, Theatre, Victorian history:
Take a trip through the State Library archives to remember the many incarnations of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre from 1854 until it closed its doors in May 2014.
Arts & literature, People & professions, Victorian history:
Dust off your deerstalkers and polish your magnifying glasses! Today (22nd May) is Sherlock Holmes Day, where the world celebrates the birthday of this super-sleuth’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
During World War II, radio broadcasts were used to convey military news and to boost morale. Radio was also the perfect medium to spread propaganda to the enemy, with the aim of belittling or demoralising enemy forces and civilian populations. Read the intriguing story of how a Melbourne short wave station recorded Japanese propaganda messages to help the allied war effort.
