By Jude Paul, from Bulletin 1/2026 (March)
Lyn Collingwood, well-known to Glebe Society members for her Mystery Photo and Who Lived in Your Street? articles and Players in the Pub, received an OAM on Australia Day 2026 for ‘service to community history and to the arts’.
Where to start …..?
New Theatre
Lyn’s Wikipedia entry outlines her many appearances as a professional actor in film, television and theatre, including her long-running role as resident sticky-beak Colleen Smart in Home and Away. However, closest to her heart has been her association with New Theatre in Newtown, one of Australia’s oldest theatre companies and a hub for productions of socially progressive works.
Lyn first performed at New Theatre in 1980 in a political revue and has been involved in the theatre’s activities ever since—as actor, director, secretary, social secretary, playreader, committee member, archivist and Life Member. Her History of New Theatre was launched online in 2017 at newtheatrehistory.org.au which preserves and makes easily accessible the theatre’s rich history.
Historian Lyn
Lyn’s Who Lived in Your Street? articles appear regularly in the Glebe Society’s Bulletin. Each story documents the histories of former Glebe residents from all walks of life, their fortunes and foibles, in the social and political context of their day. Who Lived in Your Street? began as a competition in 2004. Local historian Max Solling was the judge and noted that Lyn’s winning entry – a story about 19th century landowner Michael Golden (Bulletin 10/2004) – drew on a broad array of source materials including shipping records, land title documents and Parliamentary papers.
The Society’s nominations for NSW Blue Plaques were suggested and researched by Lyn. These nominations identified both famous and infamous people and/or activities particular to Glebe and Forest Lodge. Three have been successful to date – journalist Dorothy Drain, cricketer Albert ‘Tibby’ Cotter and Bessie Guthrie, the pioneering feminist and advocate for women and children’s rights.
Lyn’s contribution to the Glebe Society’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2019 reflected her interest in historical research and her love of theatre. She was co-author of the Villas of Glebe and Forest Lodge pre 1870 catalogue that accompanied an exhibition of maps, watercolours and photos of old Glebe. And she devised two theatrical presentations – a potted history of the Mayors and Lord Mayors of the City of Sydney since 1842 and a dramatic interpretation of the exploits of various colourful characters in Glebe’s history.
Players in the Pub
Another extension of Lyn’s interest in theatre was her idea to present theatre in an accessible, low-key community setting using actors from the New Theatre ensemble in a style referred to as a ‘moved reading’ – a step between a playreading and a fully staged performance. The first Players in the Pub was held at the Toxteth Hotel in 2009; today they are held at The Harold. In the early years Lyn chose the plays herself, cast them, found a director or directed herself and did the publicity. In recent years the running of the program has been shared, but Lyn remains the key organiser.
Glebe is not the only suburb to benefit from Lyn’s expertise. She is a long-term member of the Marrickville Heritage Society – she lived there before moving back to Glebe. Her work with this society is similar to her Glebe Society contribution – dramatised presentations relating to the history and heritage of the area and thoroughly researched articles about people and place for Marrickville Heritage Society publications. Lyn grew up in Dover Heights – of course she’s written a book about its history too, Rocks and Sand They Couldn’t Sell, about its transformation from the windswept scrub of her childhood into one of Australia’s most affluent suburbs.
Thank you, Lyn, for all the services you have provided to our community and let’s hope you never leave Glebe.
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