In this episode, we learn about the work of Victor Burgmann who as a fresh Engineering uni graduate was sent to London during the Blitz of WWII to research RADAR. We hear about his life during the war and the enduring legacy of his wartime research. 

Voicing of Victor Burgmann performed by Associate Professor Nick Eckstein from the University of Sydney.

Interested to learn more?

https://csiropedia.csiro.au/burgmann-victor-dudley/

Obituary: VICTOR BURGMANN CSIRO stalwart was radar pioneer (1991, February 9). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 13. Retrieved September 20, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129095260

A history of RADAR in Australia: https://csiropedia.csiro.au/radar/

A brief history of the Blitz: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-blitz-around-britain

Visit the University of Sydney Archives: https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/
Listen to the full interview with Victor:
https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/91726 

In this episode, we listen to Arts graduate Nancy Osborne, talk about what it was like to be an independent career woman in the twentieth century. We hear about her uni days, career in London during the 1930s and work as a WREN during World War II. 

Host - Dr Gabrielle Kemmis

Dulcie Barr voiced by Dr Vanessa Witton

Producer - Peter Adams

Producer - Professor Julia Horne

Interested to learn more? 

More on Nancy’s career in the UK before WWII: SYDNEY GRADUATE. (1935, July 11). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 14 (Women's Supplement). Retrieved September 7, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17178137

Brief history of the WRENS: https://ornc.org/our-history/royal-naval-college/the-wrens/ 

Longer history of the WRENS: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a6650048.shtml 

A promotional film for the WRENS held by the Australian War Memorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zzijXZlzT4 Visit the University of

Sydney Archives: https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/

Listen to the full interview with Nancy: https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/92146 

Garfield Barwick is perhaps best known due to his work as the longest serving Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1964-1981. Yet we all start somewhere. In this episode we hear Barwick talk about his memories of being a law student at the University of Sydney in the 1920s, and his early days as a barrister in Sydney. 

Interested to learn more? 

https://www.hcourt.gov.au/artworks/portraits-of-chief-justices/the-rt-hon-sir-garfield-barwick

https://www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament/Art/Stories_and_Histories/HMC/Chief_Justice/Sir_Garfield_Edward_John_Barwick

Article - The Rise of Sir Garfield Barwick "There is always an answer" http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-700352346 Visit the University of Sydney

Archives: https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/ 

Listen to the full interview with Garfield: https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/91650

Photo By National Library of Australia - https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136609576, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66301284

In this episode, we listen to Dulcie Barr, one of only two women enrolled in the dentistry course in 1919. She talks about her time as a student and how she faced every challenge thrown at her with aplomb.

Dulcie Barr is voiced by Dr Vanessa Witton.

Interested to learn more? 

A history of dentistry in NSW: https://slhd.health.nsw.gov.au/sydney-dental/about/history

Some more info about Sydney’s Dental Hospital: https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/dental_hospital_of_sydney

Visit the University of Sydney Archives: https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/users/login

Listen to the full interview with Dulcie: https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/91647 

In this episode, we take a listen to marine zoologist Elizabeth Carrington Pope, who reflects on her time as a student at the University of Sydney in the 1930s, and on her mentor W. J. Dakin, professor of zoology. In a profession dominated by men, Pope was a successful female scientist who became the first university graduate to land a job at the Australian Museum. 

Want to know more about Pope’s career?
https://untoldstories.net/1932/11/elizabeth-pope-marine-biologist/
https://australian.museum/about/history/people/elizabeth-carrington-pope/ 

Visit the University of Sydney Archives: https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/users/login

Listen to the full interview with Elizabeth: https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/92163

Episode Photo Credit: Zoology Department Staff Undertaking Field Work 2 (1930s), [REF-00070251]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 26/07/2023, https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/nodes/view/119111 

In this episode, we listen to University of Sydney stalwart Hermann Black talk about his memories of censorship in Australian media during World War II, and how he ensured the public knew the truth. 

Interested to learn more? 

A brief history of Censorship in Australia during WWII: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/Media_ownership/1939-1949

A briefer history of censorship in WWII:
https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/kids/sydney-education/loose-lips-sink-ships

What’s a roneo?
https://collection.maas.museum/object/11318

Visit the University of Sydney Archives:
https://usydarchives.recollectcms.com/

Listen to the full interview with Hermann:
https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/91681 

Professor Julia Horne introduces a new History of University Life podcast series, Speaking of History, presented by Dr Gabrielle Kemmis. The series draws on recently digitized cassette tapes of interviews conducted in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s with former University of Sydney staff and students. 

Six people feature in this series: Elizabeth Pope, Sir Garfield Barwick, Dulcie Barr, Nancy Osborne, Hermann Black, and Victor Burgmann, all students at the University between the wars, who went on to interesting and varied careers.

The series is supported by the School of Humanities in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. This promotional episode features Julia Horne, Gabrielle Kemmis and Elizabeth Pope. Technical production by Peter Adams