History

Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nominations, Part 18: Harry Hopman
Posted on 5th October 2023
This month, the Society’s continuing series of nominations for a Blue Plaque recommends the home of Harry Hopman at Minerva Terrace, Wigram Road. Harry Hopman was the successful captain-coach of 22 Australian Davis Cup teams from 1939 to 1967. As architect of Australia’s post-war tennis supremacy, his stint as non-playing captain-coach became known as ‘the Hopman era’, during which he won the Davis Cup 15 times.

Lyndhurst St home of Robert Askin: Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nomination #17
Posted on 29th August 2023
NSW Premier Robert Askin lived in Glebe from 1920 to 1931. He’s probably not our favourite son, but the Glebe Society will nominate his home for a Blue Plaque.

This month’s mystery photo: September 2023
Posted on 28th August 2023
Try your hand at this month’s mystery photo. Where are we and what’s going on?

A letter from Lodge Street
Posted on 1st August 2023
His mother didn’t want him to go, but Glebe’s Frank Hurley persuaded Douglas Mawson to employ him as the official photographer on the 1911 Antarctic expedition.

This month’s mystery photo: August 2023
Posted on 30th July 2023
Try your hand at this month’s mystery photo. Where are we? And what on earth is going on?

Who lived in your street? John George Bryen and St Helen’s
Posted on 30th July 2023
What did John George Bryen have in common with Toad of Toad Hall? They were both terrible drivers, and as Lyn Collingwood recalls, Bryen lived in a well-known house in Glebe but was not a fictional character.

Mystery photo: July 2023
Posted on 26th June 2023
Try your hand at this month’s mystery photo. And find the answer to last month’s.

Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nominations, Part 15: 21 Ross St Forest Lodge
Posted on 30th June 2023
The Communist Party of Australia printed its newspaper Tribune in Forest Lodge from 1943 to 1981. The Glebe Society is nominating the building at 21 Ross Street for a Blue Plaque.

Who Lived in Your Street? The Herron and Ayre families of ‘alphabet’ house, Divo
Posted on 26th June 2023
The Herron then Ayre families occupied ‘Divo’, one of the ‘alphabet’ houses in the terrace at 433-445 Glebe Point Road. The other alphabet houses are Gaza, Favo, Edna, Cama and Boro.

This month’s mystery photo: June 2023
Posted on 31st May 2023
Try your hand at this month’s mystery photo. And find the answer to last month’s.

The Temple of the Tooth
Posted on 31st May 2023
A story about chemists, dentists and gastronomes …. in Glebe Point Road

Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nominations: ‘Mr One by One’ of Westmoreland St
Posted on 31st May 2023
In 1953 there was a spate of counterfeiting. Read how the discovery of a cache of 10 pound notes stuffed in the wall of a house in Westmoreland St Glebe, brought the culprit to justice.

Mystery photo competition – May 2023
Posted on 29th April 2023
Try your hand at this month’s mystery photo. It was taken in 1953, but where?

Glebe’s Blue Plaque nominations: Sir Douglas Mawson
Posted on 30th April 2023
Sir Douglas Mawson, a key figure in Antarctic exploration, lived in Glebe for much of his youth. 28 Toxteth Rd was his home while he was a student at Sydney University. This is the thirteenth site nominated by the Society for a Blue Plaque.

Max Solling’s 2023 ANZAC Day Address
Posted on 30th April 2023
Historian Max Solling spoke to a large gathering of residents at the Glebe War Memorial on 25 April. this year. He described the identity of Glebe during the World Wars and gave an insight into the daily lives of its residents. He also spoke of the evolution of war literature, in particular the memoirs of prisoners of war, stories he says ‘rarely rate a mention in the military histories of Australia.’

Glebe’s upcoming 2023 Anzac Day Service
Posted on 27th March 2023
Anzac Day this year will be observed in Glebe with a service at the Diggers’ Memorial in Foley Park commencing at 7.30 am. The service will be followed by morning tea. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Mystery photo – April 2023
Posted on 26th March 2023
Try your hand at the April 2023 Mystery Photo – from 1937.

Mystery Photo – March 2023
Posted on 5th March 2023
Each month Bulletin readers are invited to guess the location of a photo selected from various archives of Glebe and Forest Lodge. Can you guess where this photo was taken?

Mystery photo – December 2022
Posted on 18th December 2022
Not a mystery this time, but an undated photograph taken on the back steps of Ellangowan, a mansion in Stewart Street that was demolished around 1970. See also the answer to last month’s mystery photo.
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Blue Plaque Nomination – 23 Avenue Rd
Posted on 14th December 2022
The NSW Government has called nominations of places linked to notable personalities and events for recognition as part of the NSW Blue Plaques program. The Glebe Society made a number of nominations. The tenth site nominated by the Society is 23 Avenue Rd, Glebe. the former home of Bernard and Kate Smith and where the Glebe Society started from a meeting held on 27 February 1969.

Society nominates home of Dorothy Drain for a Blue Plaque
Posted on 30th November 2022
In September last year the NSW Government called for communities to nominate places linked to notable personalities and events for recognition as part of the NSW Blue Plaques program. The Glebe Society made a number of nominations. The ninth site nominated is 52 Toxteth Rd, Glebe, the former home of Dorothy Drain, once one of Australia’s best known journalists.

Mystery photo – November 2022
Posted on 4th November 2022
Where are we, and what’s changed? See also the answer to last month’s mystery photo.

Lake Northam, Victoria Park
Posted on 6th October 2022
Victoria Park – and Lake Northam – have a rich history. Have a look at some photos depicting Lake Northam at different periods in history.

Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nominations, Part 8: Etty Mace
Posted on 6th October 2022
by Lyn Collingwood, from Bulletin 8 of 2022, October The eighth site nominated by the Glebe Society for a Blue Plaque is 151 Glebe Point Rd, where the abortionist Etty Mace (1878-1950) lived. Although used for centuries as a means of preventing the birth of unwanted children, abortion in NSW was not fully decriminalised until […]

The Glebe Society Bulletin –a previous editor’s memories
Posted on 6th October 2022
Sadly, this is Virginia’s last Bulletin, at least for now. This has prompted former Bulletin editor Edwina Doe to look at all the Bulletins, since 1969, on the Glebe Society website.

Mystery photo – September 2022
Posted on 8th September 2022
Where are we? Somewhere in Glebe or Forest Lodge …

Glebe’s Blue Plaque Nominations, Part 7: Matilda Steer
Posted on 12th September 2022
by Lyn Collingwood, from Bulletin 7/2022, September The seventh site nominated for a Blue Plaque is 79 Glebe Point Rd where the clairvoyant Matilda Steer (1858-1931) lived. Married to a van driver and mother of six, Steer augmented the family income by charging for private consultations and admission to her public seances at the turn […]

‘Toby Tosspot’, Glebe resident and Australia’s first prime minister
Posted on 9th August 2022
Australia’s first Prime Minister was nicknamed ‘Toby Tosspot’, a reference to his love of long dinners with more than a few glasses of wine. Another prime minister was nicknamed the Silver Bodgie …

Who worked in your street? Missionary James Henry Mills
Posted on 9th August 2022
J.H. Mills was a missionary who worked in the Glebe-Pyrmont district for 35 years. He ran the Glebe branch of the Sydney City Mission from an office in the Mission Hall in Bay St, which opened in 1894. Drinking and gambling were viewed by Mills as major social evils. Read more about his life and his activities as a missionary.