census, census records, British records, Family matters, Uncategorized:
Great news for anyone interested in British history. The 1921 census for England and Wales can now be accessed onsite at State Library Victoria through both the FindMyPast and Ancestry databases.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
What was it like being a debutante on the lookout for a husband in the 1800s? Or serving in the Women’s Land Army in the Second World War? This database provides access to a treasure trove of manuscripts, diaries and oral histories, offering a unique insight into the lives of women, their thoughts, feelings and experiences, told in their own words.
Collection Care, Conservation, Uncategorized:
At State Library Victoria we have close to 1000 pop-up and movable books, ranging from the mid-1600s to present day. These items represent one of few three-dimensional, interactive mediums in history that has enduring appeal. However, with great ingenuity come considerable conservation challenges. Learn about the factors that make pop-up and movable books so captivating, yet uniquely susceptible to physical wear and tear.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
From consumer culture and conservatism to subculture and socialism, the AM 1980s Culture and Society database paints a vivid portrait of life in this dynamic decade.
Social life & customs, Victorian history:
The course of true love never did run smooth, but what was it like finding love in early colonial Australia?
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
What could be considered Australia’s first major amusement park – Princes Court – opened in 1904 on the banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River. Visitors had a range of amusements to choose from, including the 70-foot-high water chute ride, toboggan tracks and a Japanese tea house.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Where can I learn about the American whaling industry? What would a ship’s master have in his chest? What would the dying words of a pirate be? And can anyone help me to tell the flags of the Union and Orient shipping lines apart? Find out all of this and more in the AM Digital database Life at Sea: Seafaring in the Anglo-American Maritime World, 1600-1900.
In 1922 Agatha Christie accompanied her husband on an around the world tour to promote the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. On her travels, she spent 10 days in Victoria- find out what she thought…
Arts & literature, Our stories, Social life & customs, Victorian history:
Colonial Australians have always battled to bring British and European traditions to the Christmas season. Roast meat and gravy, puddings and finery can still be found at many Christmas events. What is less likely to be found is the curious tradition of the Christmas Eve ghost story.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:
Ever wanted to peer inside a penny dreadful? Or wondered who the Wandering Minstrels were? Join us as we explore the arts world of Victorian-era Britain with Gale’s British Theatre, Music, and Literature: High and Popular Culture database.
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.
