A short chronicle of the sorrows of George Edwards: poet, playwright, prisoner

A short chronicle of the sorrows of George Edwards: poet, playwright, prisoner

June 20, 2025

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.

Strizic, Mark, Siemens Aust. Pty Ltd building, 189 William Street, Melbourne, H2008.11/2294

Online Collection Spotlight: Multi-subject databases

June 13, 2025

Collection spotlights, Research tips:

Delve into the vast array of online resources in our multi-subject category.

Detective Inspector Christie: Victoria’s master of disguise

Detective Inspector Christie: Victoria’s master of disguise

June 6, 2025

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.

The last theatre on Bourke Street: an archival history of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre

The last theatre on Bourke Street: an archival history of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre

May 28, 2025

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.

Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

May 22, 2025

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.

Radical Acts

Radical Acts

May 19, 2025

Our stories, Such was life:

Radical Acts is a project to address gender bias in Wikipedia and the Library’s records by improving the representation of Australian feminist activists and movements.

Passengers On the Deck of 'SS Ballarat' Arriving a..., 1925, © Museums Victoria. Migration to New Worlds

Online Collection Spotlight: Migration to New Worlds

May 16, 2025

Family matters:

Migration to New Worlds charts the emigration experience of those who travelled from Great Britain, Ireland and Europe to Australasia and North America in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Conserving a fascinating piece of book history: Fragment of a French Bible, c. 1150-1175

Conserving a fascinating piece of book history: Fragment of a French Bible, c. 1150-1175

May 2, 2025

Uncategorized:

In 2022, State Library Victoria added a fascinating piece of book history to its growing collection of fragments held within the Rare Books Collection. The item, a 315 x 265… Read More ›

Listening to the enemy: Melbourne’s radio listening post in World War II

Listening to the enemy: Melbourne’s radio listening post in World War II

April 21, 2025

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.

Make believe and misinformation: a guide for cutting through information overload

Make believe and misinformation: a guide for cutting through information overload

April 15, 2025

Ask a librarian, Research tips:

At a time when trust in news and media reporting in Australia is decreasing, misinformation is probably one of the most pressing issues for librarians today. State Library Victoria’s brand new Misinformation research guide gathers resources held in the Library’s collections, adjacent to the case studies examined in the new Make Believe: Encounters with Misinformation exhibition, as well as tools to help identify misinformation and fake news.

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Such was life

A short chronicle of the sorrows of George Edwards: poet, playwright, prisoner

A short chronicle of the sorrows of George Edwards: poet, playwright, prisoner

June 20, 2025 — 2 comments

‘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

The last theatre on Bourke Street: an archival history of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre

The last theatre on Bourke Street: an archival history of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre

May 28, 2025 — 2 comments

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.