They are the most magnificent and emblematic monuments around the world without question. Instantly recognisable, many monuments have become national treasures and symbolise the country itself to the rest of the world. Each famous monument has a story behind its creation, giving each building a soul, and Identity. So here are some facts about some…
Matchbox Holder A rectangular, three-sided case or holder made from one piece of metal bent into a U shape. The three-sided design allows the matchbox to be opened at either end, and the long open side exposes the sandpaper-striking edge. Matchbox holders were relatively easy and quick to make, and they could commemorate events that…
Along Drummoyne’s main thoroughfares there are signs attached to some of the street furniture. They are not advertising, as one might expect, but an apparent jumble of words suggesting what some of our senior citizens remember about the Drummoyne they knew as children. The word association triggers a compilation of images that reminds us of…
A grave marker is how people will remember you long after everyone you know has passed. When done well, it can provide a sense of one’s style in life. The epitaph should be pithy, the shape and style memorable. You could go for the classic granite slab or opt for something a little more memorable. As…
March 1, 1975: COLOUR TELEVISION officially began in Australia. The ABC launched colour TV with a 5-minute special, AUNTY JACK INTRODUCES COLOUR.March 3 – 1911: PALMERSTON in the Northern Territory was renamed DARWIN in honour of Charles Darwin.March 5 – 1854: ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY was established in Australia.March 8 – 1828: AUSTRALIAN STAMPS…
My mother tended to keep messy drawers and cupboards in our family home. The dressing table drawers were chock a block with all sorts of things. The dining room sideboard drawers virtually bulged at the seams. The sideboard had three large drawers which contained a variety of tablecloths, lace doilies, small cases of spoons and…
Another year has passedAnd we’re all a little older.Last summer felt hotterAnd winter seems much colder. There was a time not long agoWhen life was quite a blast.Now I fully understandAbout “living in the past”. We used to go to weddings,Football games and lunches . . .Now we go to funeral homesAnd after-funeral brunches. We…
In July 2023, Mattel Films released its first highly anticipated movie, Barbie, with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the stars. It has put the iconic doll back in the spotlight in a big way. But the doll has been around for more than 60 years, so there’s a lot of history — and it’s not all…
A guy was getting ready to tee off on the first hole when a second golfer approached and asked if he could join him. The first said that he usually played alone, but agreed to the twosome. They were even after the first few holes when the second guy said, “We’re about evenly matched, how…
Driving through the Canada Bay suburb of Rhodes, it is easy to conclude that anything related to heritage has long since been over-ridden by factories and apartment blocks, and what remains is a soul-less landscape and an anonymous past. Too often one reads of areas of historical interest being swept away in the haste to…
The curious history of Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay and Kings-Bloody-Cross. The 2011 postcode of Sydney’s inner east offers a fascinating history of highlife, low life and, sometimes, very low life. All five precincts are alive with history and surprising stories. Ride the scenic railway over snow-capped mountains of the forgotten White City…
The melody of this song is based on traditional Irish folk music. Although it has had many iterations, the tune remains easily recognisable and has endured in popular memory. Over the centuries the lyrics and their intent have changed. It has been a drinking song, (“Johnny Fill the Cup”) a love ballad (using the words…