News & Events Reading old newspapers

[Frank Bunn]

Lately, I've been getting a bit addicted to using the Trove website from the National Library of Australia to read the news from years ago. It's different from reading history written now in retrospect. This is the news as people saw it at the time. I've mainly been scanning the front page of The Age but there are heaps of publications to choose from and many of them go back to the mid 1800s.

So far, my main interest has been reading about the events around WWII. With Australia being part of the Empire much of the international news revolved round Britain. In the mid-1930s it seemed that Britain was more concerned with Japan than Germany. There were respectful references to Herr Hitler. There were reports of speeches and talks between the European parties but I didn't get the sense that they thought a huge war was about to start. Clicking forward to read the events of the war like you are at that time is fascinating. But at the same time ordinary life was going on. Then after the war ended there was still a lot of turmoil. France nearly had a civil war. The 1947 front pages were full of references to terrorists but it was Jewish gangs in Palestine attacking the British. The Cold War was beginning.

As I said WWII has been my main interest so far but I regularly run into little bits of unrelated treasure that is social commentary or significant world events.

eg

Ghandi's assasination

The start of atomic energy

nurses losing their jobs because they refused to wear stockings

I also found out that the Swastika was used by many organisations and countries including Australia as a symbol of good luck until WWII.

Sorry if TL;DR but if you are curious try delving into the old newspaper records and see what gems you find.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/

 

[Power Raid]

That's awesome.

I love stories like the Swastika and stockings. It just highlights our understanding and reference today doesn't always match all of history.

 

[Demosthenes]

You sound like a cool guy with an active social life.

 

[GreyCrow]

I do Family History searches using newspapers and one thing is to understand the social life of our ancestors. I like looking at the advertising and classifieds from 50-80 years ago and its very interesting.

I did not see this ad though

Should have bought this instead of walking and dieting

 

[kickazz]

You sound like a cool guy with an active social life.

You sound insecure

 

[kickazz]

Time really does change perspective on things. I think part of the reason is that we uncover more pieces of the puzzle after the fact, but also laziness and progressive group think, assumptions and 'common sense' take over as the years go by.

Did you get a sense of around WHEN in WW2 people started to think, "s**t, this is pretty *en serious"? What events were key in that?


There still exists a movement that wish to 'reclaim the swastika'.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

I mainly use those websites to look for family members' death notices to confirm details on my ancestors and distant cousins.

Google News, along with Trove, are treasure troves for such information for me.

Also interesting to see the progression of newspaper coverage.

 

[the fly]

I mainly use those websites to look for family members' death notices to confirm details on my ancestors and distant cousins.

Google News, along with Trove, are treasure troves for such information for me.

Also interesting to see the progression of newspaper coverage.

I did that with a possible ancestor, to find out that he was murdered.

 

[Frank Bunn]

A few other random things I found.

Ford looks into building an atomic powered car

Exploding toothpaste injures a dog

NSW's first pedigree bullfrog farm

 

[Gough]

I've got a couple of scrapbooks full of articles from the 1953 Ashes tour, and the Bodyline series, the old ads are pretty funny, and the language, most noticeably in the Bodyline one is particularly dated.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

I did that with a possible ancestor, to find out that he was murdered.

I found out a distant cousin died after drinking caustic soda (or sugar) and it fizzed inside him in Yea in 1933.

 

[Demosthenes]

You sound insecure

Was a bit tongue in cheek, but you have to admit this is pretty funny

People have some weird hobbies

 

[Power Raid]

Time really does change perspective on things. I think part of the reason is that we uncover more pieces of the puzzle after the fact, but also laziness and progressive group think, assumptions and 'common sense' take over as the years go by.

Did you get a sense of around WHEN in WW2 people started to think, "s**t, this is pretty ****en serious"? What events were key in that?


There still exists a movement that wish to 'reclaim the swastika'.

Last last thing Britain and France wanted post WW1 was another war. The scars were still deep and they were hoping that Hitler could be managed politically with a few concessions.

It was hard to stop the Austrian annexure given the warm welcoming by the Austrians and the germatic link. It was also hard to get upset about the German parts of the Czech republic given the poor treatment of the german minority by the Slovak majority. The fact he didn't stop at the germatic sections and took the whole nation was a concern.

Unfortunately for history the line in the sand became Poland, which Hitler thought he could cross and Britain would not honour the Polish treaty.

The rest is history but the UK PM stood aside for a PM more confident with war.


I don't think history could have played out any other way given WW1. but that's a benefit of hindsight rather than watching the 1930s play out.

 

[Dan Moody]

You sound like a cool guy with an active social life.

you sound like a w***er that should keep his opinions to himself

 

[Flash of power]

I actually used to love going to the state library and getting all the old newspapers out and reading about crimes, such as the beaumont children disappearing. It gives a really different perspective reading it from the time and in chronological order.

I didn't know this site existed, I fear i may waste a lot of time there.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Time really does change perspective on things. I think part of the reason is that we uncover more pieces of the puzzle after the fact, but also laziness and progressive group think, assumptions and 'common sense' take over as the years go by.

Did you get a sense of around WHEN in WW2 people started to think, "s**t, this is pretty ****en serious"? What events were key in that?

If you read this story from 5 March 1938 you would not guess a huge global war was just round the corner.

The British ambassador in Berlin (Sir Nevlle Henderson) has been received by the German Chancellor (Herr Hitler) for general conversation on subjects of interest to both countries.

The new United States ambassador conveyed President Roosevelt's wishes for Herr Hitler's well being and Germany's welfare and prosperity. Herr Hitler replied In cordial terms, especially to President Roosevelt's message.

The US was after a Germano-Amerlcan trade treaty.​

Austria was annexed by Germany seven days later. But look at the other stories that day.

Woman racegoers dressed for comfort at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Governor and Lady Huntingfleld were present at a meeting of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club.
The Traffic and Building Regulations committee will give consideration to a proposal to impose restrictions on kerbside parking.​

The Munich Agreement was 30 September 1938.

The Czech Government accepted the agreement reached by Herr Hitler, Mr. Chamberlain, M. Daladier and Signor Mussolini to preserve peace in Europe.
Under an agreement reached at the Four-Power Conference at Munich, Sudeten German territory in Czechoslovakia, will be handed over to Germany.
​

The headline is SAVIOUR OF WORLD PEACE.

The hero of the hour, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of Great Britain, who brought about the last-minute Four-Power peace conference at Munich. The great British statesman is here seen in cheerful mood as he acknowledges the cheers from anxious crowds as he drove from No. 10 Downing-street to interview the King on returning from his historic peace talks with Herr Hitler.​

You can understand why people might not be prepared for the oncoming war.

By 15th March 1939 the German occupation of Czechoslovakia was complete and we have stories like No Excuse for Conquest from the Manchester Guardian.

The terrible events of the last few hours should finally dissipate any remaining illusions about Herr Hitler's character, aims and methods. Whatever excuses there might have been for the Rhlneland, the Austrian and Sudetenland actions, there was none for' the conquest of Bohemia. He is not stopping now,- but looks to Roumania, the Black Sea, to Turkey and beyond; also to the Ukraine, to Poland and to Russia; or he might look not east, but west.

The situation has gone from bad to worse, sums up British opinion, and the question, again on everyone's lips is, "Where are we going to stop Hitler?" But the answer is not forthcoming. A leading article in the "Daily Teleggraph" describes the Munich Agreement as "a mockery".
​

I reckon this might have been about the time when people started to think, "s**t, this is pretty ****en serious".

 

[flashmanvc]

Thirty years ago the old man was doing renovations on the old house and found newspaper reporting the Gallipoli landings.

Last year I was doing the same at my joint and found a page on uni exam results from 1962, which included his results from biology.

 

[iluvparis]

Thirty years ago the old man was doing renovations on the old house and found newspaper reporting the Gallipoli landings.

Last year I was doing the same at my joint and found a page on uni exam results from 1962, which included his results from biology.

Both fairly somber moments I would think

 

[Frank Bunn]

Thirty years ago the old man was doing renovations on the old house and found newspaper reporting the Gallipoli landings.

Last year I was doing the same at my joint and found a page on uni exam results from 1962, which included his results from biology.

The events around Gallipoli as the Australian public read about them would be very interesting. How was the campaign reported at the time? How did traditions such as ANZAC Day, the dawn service and pilgrimages to Gallipoli come about?

 

[GreyCrow]

The events around Gallipoli as the Australian public read about them would be very interesting. How was the campaign reported at the time? How did traditions such as ANZAC Day, the dawn service and pilgrimages to Gallipoli come about?

From memory and ( I think ) Keith Murdoch had to smuggle his reports out to bypass the British censor. This is what began the start of the ANZAC/Gallipoli legend

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

I also use this site for family tree research and have found lots of information about family members on there ranging from ads for my great grandfather's business, reports about another great grandfather's activities as an MP, a description of a great Aunt's wedding in the society pages and reports on court cases various family members were involved in. I also love reading all the other articles and ads and, yes, it's easy to waste a lot of time on this site! It really is like travelling back in time.

 

[Frank Bunn]

I was looking for articles about ANZAC and I found a proposal to found an Australian Institute of Science and Industry - which later became the CSIRO.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Then the same day a story of a young Russian girl drugging 20 German soldiers. I wonder if it early Fake News. It sounds like something from a Tarantino movie.

A remarkable exploit by a Lettish girl of 17, for which she has been awarded the St. George's Cross, is recorded in advices from Petrograd.

Twenty Germans marched up to the farm of the girl's father, in Courland, and the lieutenant in charge threatened that she would be violated and the farm burnt unless she produced wine. The girl recalled the fact that there were two barrels of old liqueur in the cellar. Before she brought up the liqueur she dropped into it some powder made from bluebells, which brings on drowsiness.

The barrels were soon emptied and the Germans, becoming sleepy, quickly rolled on the floor one after another. The girl filled a bowl with the liqueur and gave it to the sentries, saying 'It is the lieutenant's order.' Then, returning, she disarmed the German soldiers, hiding their weapons in tihe cellar, while her father roped the limbs of the insensible men. Finally the girl traversed the swamps and found a Siberian outpost. A few pails of ice-cold water woke up the Germans, who were horrified to find themselves prisoners.

 

[GreyCrow]

I think this must be the first reference to ''Gone all Hitler'' in 1938!!

 

[Frank Bunn]

I think this must be the first reference to ''Gone all Hitler'' in 1938!!

Godwin's law in action even before Godwin was born!