History Links

History of Education in NSW

History of NSW Government Schools – searchable and very comprehensive

History of Australian Education – links to various sites

NSW Public Instruction Act of 1880, and Regulations, with Instructions to Teachers – (PDF 6.8MB). 1880 NSW syllabus 

NSW State Archives and Records – Index to Schools and Related Records – for school records and school photographs 

NSW State Archives and Records – School Student Records Guide – use this gateway for information on pupil records and early school photos

Tales Out of School: A Nostalgic Insight into Education for Parents, Teachers and All Those Who Attended School (PDF 23.9MB) – written by local historian Alex McAndrew, self-published by author in 2014

Teacher training requirements – a timeline by Carole Riley, genealogy researcher and author

Empire Day / Commonwealth Day – includes posters, programs and photographs, and supporting information, about Empire Day celebrations in schools and communities by NSW State Archives and Records

NSW Public Schools and WW1

Research and Adopt a Veteran – resource applying the historical inquiry process to research a local First World War veteran – NSW Department of Education

How to research a WW1 soldier – step-by-step guide to put people to the names on your school honour board or local First World War memorial – Australian War Memorial

Commemorating Anzac Through Engaging Learning – resource containing background information with images and teaching and learning activities K-10 across all KLAs – NSW Department of Education  

Empire Day Pageant c.1915 – Screen Australia

Patriotic Fundraising: Public School Children Help Out – digitised sources and information – State Records NSW

NSW Public School Educators in WW1 and WW2 by Thomas White (PDF 109.1MB). This original manuscript, written by Thomas White in the 1950s, details biographical details of NSW public school teachers and education department officers who served in the First and Second World Wars. In Part 1, from page 348, First World War contributions made by NSW public school students and staff are outlined. NSW Department of Education

North Ryde PS Empire Day Tableau 1934

Image: Empire Day tableau, North Ryde PS, 1934.  Empire Day in Australia

History of North Ryde 

Ryde Historical Society – information on the local area including a 1902 description of a North Ryde farm down the road from North Ryde PS, providing a vivid picture of the surrounding area.

Ryde Library Services – has a collection of historical photographs of the local area.

North Ryde Public School

North Ryde Public School class photos 1890-1954 on Flickr – NSW Schoolhouse Museum

North Ryde Public School Celebrating 125 Years 1877-2002 (PDF 14.5MB) – history of North Ryde Public School

North Ryde Public School website – the current school’s website

Museums Sector

Trove – a wealth of information online – National Library of Australia. Harvests from online collections and includes digitised newspapers, journals, diaries, photographs, maps, books, etc.

eHive – searchable museum collections (often smaller museums)

Museums and Galleries of NSW – state organisation for the museums sector

Australian Museums and Galleries Association – national organisation for the museums sector

Schoolhouse Museums in NSW – archived listing on Pandora Web Archive, National Library of Australia, originally published by the NSW Department of Education.