Beacons of hope: Victorian lighthouses
Standing tall on rugged coastlines, lighthouses captivate the imagination. Dotting the Victorian coastline, they were lifesavers for ships navigating treacherous seas, seeking a safe harbour.
![The lighthouse, Cape Schanck, Vic., [ca.1917] Shirley Jones collection of Victorian postcards. H90.140/264.](https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/TheLighthouseCape-SchanckVic.-120x120.jpg)
How to research your ancestor’s occupation
Family matters, Research guides, Research tips & tricks:
Welcome to National Family History Month! Each week of August we will publish a new family history blog to help you with your research. In this week’s blog we look at how to trace your ancestor’s working life by exploring a range of occupational records.
Strange attractors: Australian science fiction at SLV
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Science fiction often focuses on the outward exploration of space and new worlds. In contrast, Australian science fiction writing is dominated by dystopic settings, featuring characters alienated from society. This blog post highlights some of the best Australian SF in the Library’s collection.
Hospital records for family history
Collections, Family matters, Research guides, Research tips & tricks:
Welcome to National Family History Month! Each week of August we will publish a new family history blog to help you with your research. In this week’s blog we look at how to research your ancestor’s health by exploring historical hospital records.
Online Collection Spotlight: Proquest Ebook Central: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collection
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Do you want to learn more about cultural appropriation and its impacts? Have you read Homer’s Odyssey and wondered ‘what about the women’s stories?’ Are you looking for histories and stories told from diverse perspectives? If you’ve asked these or other questions about diversity, equity and inclusion, then Proquest ebook central: Diversity, equity and inclusion is the database for you!
When the boat comes in: voyages to Victoria
Family matters, Research guides, Research tips & tricks:
Welcome to National Family History Month! Each week of August we will publish a new family history blog to help you with your research. In this week’s blog we look at how to research your ancestor’s journey to Victoria. We explore immigration records, shipboard diaries and how to track down an elusive ancestor.
Miss Anderson’s Motor Service
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
In 1918, at just 20 years of age, Alice Anderson founded what would go on to become Victoria’s first all-female motor garage. Her vision, as she would later tell magazine ‘Woman’s World’, was ‘to turn a trade into a profession for women.’
New Idea turns 120
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
On 1 August 1902, a magazine called ‘New Idea’ was published for the first time. Its aim was ‘to present the newest ideas continually arising in every branch of a woman’s life and interest.’
![Wedding ceremony and guests, [197-?]. Photo by Maggie Diaz. This work is in copyright. H2013.261/547](https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Wedding-guests-Diaz-120x120.jpg)
Researching births, deaths and marriages in Victoria
Branching Out, Family matters, Research tips & tricks:
Welcome to National Family History Month! Each week of August we will publish a new family history blog to help you with your research. In this week’s blog, we explore birth, death and marriage records in Victoria.
Neon magic!
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
There is something magical about the sight of neon against the backdrop of an evening sky. Whilst neon signs have fallen out of favour in recent years, many of those remaining have achieved iconic status. We look back at some of the highlights.
Such was life
Feasts of Christmas past
What are your favourite festive food memories? Have you ever enjoyed Christmas Day lunch on the beach, up a mountain or aboard a ship? Do you remember pineapple glazed ham? Would you like the 100-year-old recipe for walnut stuffing? The State Library’s historic menus, cookbooks, photos and magazines trace Christmas foods from early colonial tables to the festive flavours celebrated by our diverse migrant communities. Dive in and rediscover your favourite Christmas dishes — or find inspiration for this year’s feast.
Arts
Portraits of Melbourne artists in their studios
John Hinds, an artist, photographer and active ROAR member from 1986 to 1992 spent time capturing artists he personally knew and the spaces that they used to create their works. His photographs captured a unique and often unseen time and place, creating an invaluable insight into the art scene in Melbourne.
