Family matters, Research tips & tricks:
Welfare records can be a great tool for a family historian! This blog explores the welfare collections held at the State Library, including the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum, Melbourne Orphan Asylum, Gordon Homes for Boys and Girls and more
Such was life, Victorian history:
William Strutt’s painting of the Burke and Wills expedition captures the daunting task facing the explorers.
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.
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)
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In 1934, Australian aviator, Freda Thompson, made history as the first Australian woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Thompson was a pioneer who believed the sky was the limit – she wanted to reach that limit, to feel the adrenaline, to just fly.
Ailsa O’Connor (1921-1980) was a political activist, painter, sculptor, author and teacher. Throughout her art career she was a member of the Communist Party and associated with the Socialist Realist Group.
