Stories
Explore fascinating stories from the collections of the State Library of South Australia.
We also have extended stories from the collection for you to read and explore.
Spence speaks: rediscovering her annotations
The stories that make us.The State Library of South Australia has existed in various forms since the establishment of the South Australian Literary Association on 29 August 1834, and the...
Spinning back time: the Edison Voicewriter and its Diamond Discs
The stories that make us.In recent years, our Audiovisual Preservation officers at the State Library have concentrated their efforts on magnetic media and Deadline 2025. But we recently paused...
When Adelaide trams went ‘Kaboom’ for a good cause
The stories that make us.If you’ve been grumbling about the trams being out-of-action between South Terrace and Glenelg lately, spare a thought for the two unlucky trams from 1915...
Dam the Torrens! We want a lake.
The River Torrens runs 85 kilometres from the Adelaide Hills, through the Adelaide Plains to the sea. Before the first European settlers, the Torrens waterway...
The Mortlock clock
The stories that make us.Step inside the Mortlock Chamber at the State Library of South Australia and you’ll be surrounded by history. Once home to a museum, an art...
Motteram & Sons: A family biscuit company
The stories that make us.Motteram & Sons, a family run b iscuit company , was a successful South Australian business operating between 1880 and 1962. It began business as...
Mount Breckan – from the beginning
The stories that make us.In 1870 Alexander Hay’s first wife, Agnes (nee Kelly), died of Bright’s Disease leaving four teenage children, a son and three daughters. Two years later...
A man of many hats: Alexander Hay
The stories that make us.Alexander Hay was a merchant, farmer, pastoralist, newspaper proprietor ( South Australian Register) and Member of Parliament, in both the upper and lower houses. Who...
What’s in the oven?
The stories that make us.Did you know the State Library has a special ‘oven’ that is critical to preserving our magnetic tape collections? Our AV (Audio-Visual) Preservation team is...
Having a quiet one
The stories that make us.Step back in time and explore the colourful history of Adelaide's hotel scene through fascinating stories of the SP illegal betting, after-hours drinking, lurk merchants...
‘Australia’s Titanic' - the sinking of the SS Waratah
The stories that make us.The fate of the SS Waratah remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the sea. 'It is almost like a Greek tragedy, a story...
The Mortlock Chamber
The stories that make us.We invite you to journey back in time and experience the splendour of the Mortlock Chamber.
A Brief History of Balfours
The stories that make us.Anyone who has ever tried one of their famous Frog Cakes knows about Balfour’s. But did you know it began as the City Steam Biscuit...
Adelaide Modernism: 101 Houses
The stories that make us.Experience the impact of modernism on Adelaide's architecture with award-winning author Tim Reeves. His latest book delves into 101 modernist houses built between 1939 and...
The fabric of war
The stories that make us.The First and Second World Wars impacted every aspect of everyday life in South Australia, including clothing and fashion in South Australia. Australian women on...
A lifetime of stitching
The stories that make us.Embroidery samplers stand out as the most enduring evidence of the needlework skills cultivated by young women in 19th-century Australia. Through these intricate creations, we...
Adventures in the archives
The stories that make us.If you have ever examined archival material at the Library, it is likely that they were presented to you in one of our standard archival...
Speaking our history
The stories that make us.Written by Dr Nicholas A. Sparks is Team Leader of Archival Collection Development, State Library of South Australia, and Visiting Research Fellow, School of Humanities...
The remarkable story of General Motors Holden
The stories that make us.Discover the fascinating history of General Motors Holden, from its humble beginnings as a leather supply store to its key role in World War II...
Finding 'Johnnies' in the archive
The stories that make us.Guest writer: Paul Flavel, researcher and author of John Martin's Book The love I have, as thousands of South Australians share, for John Martin’s made...