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Bodgies and African American culture in Sydney

Ever heard of the term bodgie? What about widgie? When we think of great social change, people often cite the 1960s as a decade of transformation. But toward the end of World War II in the 1940s, a subculture emerged among Sydney’s youth – they called themselves...

Flashback to Sydney’s old trams

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the new light rail project and the disruption being caused by the closure of George Street in Sydney. In a case of history repeating itself, Sydney’s seen it all happen before from when the first line for horse-drawn trams...

Iris Webber: ‘the most violent woman in Sydney’

When you think of Sydney’s dangerous crime queens of the 1920s-30s, the names Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh might come to mind. But there was another woman who earned a reputation as ‘the most violent woman in Sydney’. Her name was Iris Webber – a petty thief and...

History Week 2015: War, Nationalism and Identity

History Week has been going for 18 years and there will be many interesting events being held in Sydney and across NSW with the theme: ‘War, Nationalism and Identity’. One of the key issues being discussed is how Australians commemorate war. For instance, did you know...

Sydney’s ‘pissoirs’ and public lavatories

It’s a thing we all need, take for granted and is perhaps one of the more awkward topics to discuss, but when did Sydney first see public lavatories in its streets? This morning I spoke with Mitch on 2SER Breakfast about Christa Ludlow’s fascinating entry in the...