This blog is one of a series that explores in greater depth some of the fascinating stories that we uncovered while researching Duck Trousers, Straw Bonnets, and Bluey: Stories of fabrics and clothing in Tasmania, an exhibition currently on display in the State Library of Tasmania and Tasmanian Archives Reading Room in Hobart. These blogs are designed to complement the exhibition, expanding some elements of the exhibition story walls to provide more context and different perspectives.
Continue reading “Manufacturing Reform: Female Convicts and Straw Bonnets”Category: Colonial Tasmania
Introducing our new exhibition: Duck Trousers, Straw Bonnets, and Bluey: Stories of Fabrics and Clothing in Tasmania
Duck trousers, straw bonnets, and bluey: the history of Tasmanian textiles and clothing is filled with colourful and unique garments, characters, and stories. Stories like that of Joseph Bidencope, a skilful tailor and milliner from Poland, whose popular hats made in Battery Point were exhibited to great success at the Philadelphia International Exhibition in 1876. Or the many stories of the female convicts housed in the factories at Cascades and Ross – some of whom were imprisoned for stealing aprons, bonnets, and jackets – who made, embroidered, and laundered clothing.
These stories- and many more- are at the heart of a new free exhibition Duck Trousers, straw bonnets, and Bluey: Stories of Fabrics and Clothing in Tasmania currently on display in the State Library of Tasmania and Tasmanian Archives Reading Room in Hobart. The exhibition has original records and heritage books from the Tasmanian Archive and State Library collection on display, along with information and images in our new exhibition space.
Continue reading “Introducing our new exhibition: Duck Trousers, Straw Bonnets, and Bluey: Stories of Fabrics and Clothing in Tasmania”Tasmania Reads: Sir John Franklin and his Expedition of 1845 (Part Two: The Answer and Historical Background)
The State Library and Archive Service is issuing a challenge to Tasmanians to read five different examples of nineteenth century handwriting from our Heritage Collections, each featuring a different set of records held in the State Archives.
Continue reading “Tasmania Reads: Sir John Franklin and his Expedition of 1845 (Part Two: The Answer and Historical Background)”Tasmania Reads: Sir John Franklin and his Expedition of 1845 (Part One: The Challenge)
The State Library and Archive Service is issuing a challenge to Tasmanians to read five different examples of nineteenth century handwriting from our Heritage Collections, each featuring a different set of records held in the State Archives.
The scripts are selected to give you insights into some of the key strengths of our collection and we hope they will pique your interest to explore further.
Continue reading “Tasmania Reads: Sir John Franklin and his Expedition of 1845 (Part One: The Challenge)”Tasmania Reads: Reading an entry from the Log of the Whaling Ship Chance (Part Two: The Answer and Historical Background)
The State Library and Archive Service is issuing a challenge to Tasmanians to read five different examples of nineteenth-century handwriting from our Heritage Collections, each featuring a different set of records held in the State Archives.
Continue reading “Tasmania Reads: Reading an entry from the Log of the Whaling Ship Chance (Part Two: The Answer and Historical Background)”91 Stories: Cabinet of Curiosities
Natural history collections are not only useful to scientists. They also reflect the life of the collector, his or her family, their connections, and the worlds they inhabited – even the state of their digestion! Ruth Mollison’s story about Morton Allport’s shell collection is a piece of detective work, a personal history, and an insightful (and sometimes unnerving) exploration of how one Tasmanian family intertwined art, science, reputation and obsession.
Continue reading “91 Stories: Cabinet of Curiosities”Recently Digitised Material: January-June 2022
This blog features some of the recently digitised items from the Tasmanian Archives and the State Library of Tasmania heritage collections.
Read on to find out about new additions to our digital collections! To discover even more, you can also search our catalogue and Tasmanian Names Index or visit us on Flickr, YouTube and Instagram.
In this blog:
- Thomas Bock’s notes on photography, including Talbot’s calotype process and daguerreotypes – Ref: ALL34/1/1
- Star of Tasmanian shipboard journal (1859-60) – Ref: NS7221/1/1
- Journals of Separate Prison wardens, Tasman Peninsula (1860, 1863) – Ref CON91/1/2-3
- Descriptive Lists of Male and Female Convicts to Be Embarked for Van Diemen’s Land from Various Prisons in the United Kingdom, (1839-50). Ref: CON114/1/1-8
- Convict credit and gratuity books, Tasman Peninsula (1865-68). Ref: CON130/1/1-3
- Register of Convicts for Whom Enquiries were Made (1850-68). Ref: GO121/1/1
- Tasmanian Birth Registers (1921) – RGD33/2/5 to 8
- Female Admissions, Royal Derwent Hospital (1898-1903) – Ref: AB365/1/13
- Copies of Wills Recording Granting of Probate (1868-1874) – Ref: AD960/1/8, AD960/1/9
- Daguerreotype and ambrotype portraits – Ref: NS5465/1/1-3
- Launceston Collection of Photographs of Ships – Ref: LMSS761/1/1-490
- Hobart Town by Ensign Kemp from behind my quarters / W.H. Kemp
- Artworks by Knud Geelmuyden Bull
- Mount Wellington from Bellerive, artist unknown
- Mount Lyell mines map,1896
- Glass plate negatives from AA Rollings Collection – Ref: NS1553/2/1 to 34
Recently Digitised Material: October-December 2021
This blog features some of the recently digitised items from the Tasmanian Archives and the State Library of Tasmania.
Read on to find out more about our new additions to our digital collections! To discover even more, you can also search our catalogue and Tasmanian Names Index or visit us on Flickr, YouTube and Instagram.
In this blog:
- Photographs of Tasmanian Cricket Teams – Ref: PH40/1/3625-27
- Photographs of Launceston and Perth– Ref: NS7193/1/5-8
- Artwork of Launceston Mechanics Institute – Ref: LPIC41/1/1
- Artwork of Hobart Town, on the River Derwent, Van Diemen’s Land by W.J. Huggins (Allport)
- Photograph of Twin Ferry Kangaroo, Hobart – Ref: PH30/1/3269
- Advertisement for Weaver and Co, Wellington Bridge Hobart by T Midwood – Ref: NS6760/1/7
- Glass Plate Negatives by A Rollings of Sorell Area – Ref: NS1553/1/1010-1099
- Register of Convicts B, M-Z 1835-47 – Ref: CON22/1/4
- Register of payment of salaries to officers of the police, 1855-57 – Ref: AUD45/1/1-3
- Journal of a voyage from Liverpool to VDL, 1833 – Ref: NS5739/1/1
- Copies of Wills Recording Granting of Probate – Ref: AD960/1/6, AD960/1/7
- Film of opening of Launceston library after refit – Ref: AG279/1/2
- Film of the Launceston children’s library – Ref: AG279/1/1
Recently Digitised Material: July-September 2021
This blog features some of the recently digitised items from the Tasmanian Archives and the State Library of Tasmania.
Read on to find out more about our new additions to our digital collections! To discover even more, you can also search our catalogue and Tasmanian Names Index or visit us on Flickr, YouTube and Instagram.
In this blog:
- Richard Simson Photographic Collection – Ref: NS6351/1/1-95
- Albums of Gladys Midwood – Ref: NS6759/1/2-3
- Photographic Albums by Margaret Smithies, Ernest George Record and the McDowell family
- Tasmanian Government Railways
- 1920s aerial view of Hobart city block bounded by Murray, Harrington, Liverpool and Melville Street looking North from behind His Majesty’s Theatre and Hobart Rivulet – Ref: NS892/1/61
- Artworks of Launceston
- Emu Bay by Thomas Unwin
- The Pests of the Prince by Henry Manly
- TGR Williams glass plate negatives – Ref: NS1409/1/46-48
- Judges notes on capital offences committed at Norfolk Island, 1846 – Ref: CSO20/1/449
- Burial Plot Maps, Cornelian Bay Cemetery 1915-16 – Ref: AF86/1/1
- Wills from AD960/1/5
- 1829 journal written from London to Van Diemans Land by John Owen Lord – Ref: NS301/1/2
Recently Digitised Material: October-December 2020
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this post contains images and voices of deceased persons.
This blog features some of the recently digitised items from the Tasmanian Archives and the State Library of Tasmania. Each year, we place items online to help promote and preserve our rare and special collections. These images and films are just a tiny sample of an amazing treasure trove of Tasmania’s heritage. From colonial artwork to convict records, fragile glass plate negatives to rare films, private letters to government records, our collections (including the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts and the W L Crowther Collection) tell millions of stories from Tasmania and around the world.
Read on to find out more about our new additions to our digital collections! To discover even more, you can also search our catalogue or visit us on Flickr and YouTube.
In this blog:
- Peter Laurie Reid Carte-De-Visite Collection, c1860 – Ref: NS1442/1/1 to 53
- Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 – Ref: NS6607/1/1 to 14
- Stereoscopic Photographs of Emu Bay Burnie, c1890 – Ref: NS6664/1/1 to 5
- Stereoscopic photographs taken by George Benjamin Davies for submission to the Postal Stereoscopic Society of Australia, c1921 – Ref: NS6538/1/1 to 33
- Tasmanian Government Tourist Bureau photographs – AA375
- Photograph of Fanny Cochrane Smith and Horace Watson recording Tasmanian Aboriginal Songs: NS1553/1/1798
- Illustrated Travelogue July 1919 – Ref: NS6853
- Fountain in Governor’s garden, Port Arthur – Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts
- Drawing of George Meredith, Senior – Ref: LMSS12/1/72
- Photographs from the Trustees of the Tasmanian Public Library – Ref: SLT23
- Wills Image Replacement Project: AD960/1/1
- Diary of Police Duties kept by Charles H. Brown, District Constable, Coal Mines, Tasman Peninsula 1853 – Ref: CON129/1/1
- Index to General Correspondence, 1836-7 – Ref: CSO4
Continue reading “Recently Digitised Material: October-December 2020”
