Government Printing Office Glass Negatives
Photography was a major activity of the Government Printing Office from the late 19th Century until well into the 20th, resulting in an extensive and diverse collection of photographs of life in New South Wales.
Many of these were originally captured on glass plate negatives, and selected images from this series will be progressively made available via Collection Search. The initial selection of images covers a variety of subjects, for example, street scenes (particularly around The Rocks), Gladesville Hospital, Randwick Racecourse, and the training ship N.S.S. Sobraon. The images of The Rocks in particular provide a vivid picture of inner-city Sydney at the turn of the 20th century.
A selection from the collection
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Electricity Commission
These photos record the power generation and transmission assets of the organisation and document the working conditions and social events of its employees
Fire Commissioners travels
This photo series offers a visual record of the Commissioners' travels across NSW, as well as parts of Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. The two albums span the years 1928 to 1935
Lantern slides shown at the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition
Part of this collection of lantern slides was shown at the Franco-British Exhibition in London, 1908. Many of the slides are of typical country scenes such as saw mills, dairy farms, mining, and timber felling and hauling
Maritime Services Board
A sample of the 4000+ digitised glass plate negatives from the Maritime Services Board
Photos from the railways
With around 30,000 photos from various series, you can delve into a visual history of the railways, the workers, and the stunning landscapes of Sydney and New South Wales
Public buildings in NSW
This album, dating from c1880 to c1940, was created by the Government Architect's office and includes a diverse array of important public and institutional structures
Purging pestilence – plague!
The Bubonic Plague hit Sydney in January 1900. Spreading from the waterfront, the rats carried the plague throughout the city. Within eight months 303 cases were reported and 103 people were dead
Royal National Park
Many of the photos in this series depict recreational activities around Audley, showcasing people boating, playing sports, bushwalking, picnicking, and taking part in ceremonies
Scheyville Training Farm
Scheyville was a training farm for young men selected from the Sydney area and those arriving under various British immigration schemes
Sydney Harbour Bridge
This photo series captures the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, from turning the first sod to completion, including the official opening and its initial use by the public