Burke and Wills and Strutt.
Such was life, Victorian history:
William Strutt’s painting of the Burke and Wills expedition captures the daunting task facing the explorers.
Vale Margaret Bourke (1945–2021)
Announcements, News, Rare Books & Arts:
Des Cowley, Principal Librarian, History of the Book and Arts, shares the story of the unique and treasured Margaret and Tim Bourke Bridge collection.
Researching your Chinese Victorian ancestors
Family matters, Research tips & tricks:
In the mid 19th century, a wave of Chinese migrants came to Australia in search of prosperity. By 1861, over 24,000 Chinese individuals were living in Victoria . Many resided… Read More ›
![Portrait of an unidentified young woman, photograph by Louis Grouzelle, (between 1880 and 1890?]](https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Portrait-of-an-unidentified-young-woman-1-120x120.jpg)
Who’s that girl? Dating a 19th century photograph
Family matters, Research tips & tricks:
When browsing through collections of old family photographs it’s not unusual to come across images of unknown people and places. But how do you discover who these nameless ancestors are?
One method is to work out when the photograph was taken – once you have a rough time frame, you can compare the details of the sitter to ancestors in your family tree and hopefully find a match. This can be a complicated task, but every family historian likes a good challenge!
Pigeon messengers of World War I
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:
It may be hard to believe today, but the humble pigeon played a heroic role as messenger in World War I, braving heavy artillery fire and poisonous gas to deliver messages between the front line and headquarters.
Robert Vere Scott’s photographic panoramas
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
Panoramic photographs have been around since the mid years of the 19th century when photographers strived to produce the arc of a wide vista in a single image. Check out some spectacular examples from the collection.
Catalogue upgrade: QR codes and search suggestions
Ask a librarian, Research tips & tricks, Tips and tricks:
Create QR codes, see recent search suggestions and view up 50 results at a time with these new features recently added to the Library catalogue.
Voices from the Great War
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Our Library has a vast collection of material relating to World War 1 including many original diaries and photographs. Two notable diaries were written by (Victor) Rupert Laidlaw and Alice Kitchin. Both were eyewitnesses to history and their diaries speak eloquently of their experiences, and reflect the horrors of the conflict.
Dancing above the tracks: The VRI Ballroom at Flinders Street Station
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
Many Melburnians are surprised to learn that high above the bustle of Flinders Street Station sits a ballroom that has been largely unused since the early 1980s.
Julie Murray on the magic of play-based learning
Written by Stanley Hong This winter, Julie Murray is the resident host for our weekly Playdate at the Library sessions. We interviewed Julie about her work from Sounds Like This,… Read More ›
Such was life
Melbourne’s Marvelous Madame Weigel
Madame Weigel’s Journal of Fashion became a staple of Australian life for those interested in being well dressed, well presented, and well informed. This treasure trove has recently be digitised and made available online.
Arts
‘It really belongs to you people anyway…’: The story of Ken Pound
To celebrate the Children’s Book Council of Australia Week, we pay tribute to the life of children’s literature collector, Ken Pound, and the collection he has left for us all.
