Members Hour: Caroline Simpson Library
Welcome to Members Hour: Caroline Simpson Library
The Caroline Simpson Library is a specialised library dedicated to the history of the home in NSW. Its collection spans from the late 1700s to the present, encompassing homes, gardens, and domestic life of Australia.
This year is a significant one for the Caroline Simpson Library, marking both a 40- and a 20-year anniversary. Established in 1984 as the Lyndhurst Conservation Resource Centre, the library was renamed in 2004 in recognition of the extraordinary cultural gift donated by the children of Caroline Simpson OAM (1930–2003) to the Historic Houses Trust of NSW (now Museums of History NSW).
Members will be treated to a special viewing of material from Mrs Simpson’s collection relating to the voyage of Rose de Freycinet aboard the French scientific vessel Uranie in 1817–20. There will also be a chance to view rare books, trade catalogues and objects from the library’s unique collection.
Members enjoy 10% off dining and retail at the Bullion Store.
Caroline Simpson Library
The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000- Cafe
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wednesday 29 May 10am–11am
Caroline Simpson Collection stories
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Wallpaper
Wallpaper printing rollers: from machine printing to 3D capture
In December 2022, Phyllis Murphy AM generously donated to the Caroline Simpson Library more than 3,000 wallpaper samples. While the bulk of the donation consists of wallpaper rolls, lengths and sample books, it also includes two printing rollers

House photo albums
These specially produced photograph albums (some in published form and others consisting of photographs pasted into an album) comprise images of one or more domestic dwellings and depict exteriors, interiors and gardens in NSW mostly from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries

Richard Stringer’s architectural photographs, 1968–2003
This portfolio contains 55 photo prints taken by architectural photographer Richard Stringer, dating from 1968 to 2003, documenting significant Australian domestic buildings

Barry Wollaston: historic buildings in the county of Cumberland (NSW), 1954
This collection consists of 232 photo negatives by architect and photographer Barry Wollaston of buildings in the Sydney region considered by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in the early 1950s to be of architectural and historical value