Memories on Glass: the Macpherson family collection

Extraordinary images of late 19th and early 20th century Sydney in transition, captured by the Macpherson family over a 50-year period.

PAST EXHIBITION

Exhibition

Saturday 6 October 2018 to Sunday 5 May 2019

View opening hours

Admission: Free

Download exhibition guide

Location

Exhibition Galleries

State Library of New South Wales

1 Shakespeare Place

Sydney

NSW

2000

Australia

Memories on Glass: the Macpherson family collection

Extraordinary images of late 19th and early 20th century Sydney in transition, captured by the Macpherson family over a 50-year period. The recently acquired Macpherson photonegative collection provides a rare personal record of one Australian family’s life and the world around them. Over 70 images, including original glass-plate negatives, will be on public display for the first time.

A family's memories, captured on glass.

Photograph of blue latex gloved hands, holding a glass plate negative. — A Library conservator holds one of the Macpherson glass plate negatives, during the exhibition documentation process.

Black and white photograph of family sitting on the grass next to a sandstone homestead. — **Macpherson group (right) with the Samora family (left), Warringah Lodge, North Cremorne, c 1886** {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/macpherson-group-right-samora-family-left-warringah-lodge-north-cremorne-c-1886","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=VHBM3y6g","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=In-roPTb","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=VHBM3y6g","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=In-roPTb","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=WxVgi9Wi","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=XsqWCo1X","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/public\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg?itok=mOapjRef"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/1.09_c071770002_box_17_macpherson_family_group.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":3500,"height":2673}
c 1886
William Joseph Macpherson
Call # ON 588/Boxes 1-6
Digital ID:
c071770002
View collection item detail

Black and white photograph of a man with an old camera on a tripod photographing a site where whale bones lie on the ground. — **Edward Hume Macpherson photographing whale processing works at Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island, c 1904** {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/edward-hume-macpherson-photographing-whale-processing-works-cascade-bay-norfolk","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=QChJ_Kfr","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=LZ290fhZ","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=QChJ_Kfr","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=LZ290fhZ","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=b3S5UuQr","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=qRStz2o5","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/public\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg?itok=jccqFaEX"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/2.01_c071670001_box_12_macpherson_photographer_norfolk_is.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":3500,"height":2553}
c 1904
William Joseph Macpherson
Call # ON 588/Boxes 7-28
Digital ID:
c071670001
View collection item detail

A black and white photograph of a crowded beach. Most people are fully clothed in 19th Century dress. — **Beach scene, with man in bowler hat and tram on horizon, Bondi, c 1900** {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/beach-scene-man-bowler-hat-and-tram-horizon-bondi-c-1900","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=--HvXhhb","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=HxRzWrfN","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=--HvXhhb","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=HxRzWrfN","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=5vXU99tH","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=Abimiu39","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/public\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg?itok=nkp2qjPV"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/4.07_c071150010_box_2_children_paddling_poss._bondi.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":3500,"height":2595}
c 1900
Call # ON 588/BOX 02/10
Digital ID:
c071150010
View collection item detail

Black and white photograph of a cascading waterfall. A man sits on a rock in the foreground. — **Waterfall cascade, with [Macpherson] male seated on rock, c 1905** {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/waterfall-cascade-macpherson-male-seated-rock-c-1905","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=jVGbSPvN","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=zLyyNRaz","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=jVGbSPvN","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=zLyyNRaz","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=Vh7bhRK1","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=PH6-RoeA","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/public\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg?itok=VK-BwuJQ"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/5.05_c071850013_box_20_waterfall_male_on_rock.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":3500,"height":2455}
c 1905
William Joseph Macpherson
Call # ON 588/Boxes 7-28
Digital ID:
c071850013
View collection item detail

Black and white photograph of tall ships moored in a harbour. — **East Circular Quay, looking south to tall-masted ships, wharves, and Hill, Clark & Co wool store, 1890** {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/east-circular-quay-looking-south-tall-masted-ships-wharves-and-hill-clark-co-wool","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=GVoOO93J","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=7IPvEK3d","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=GVoOO93J","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=7IPvEK3d","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=VvgdYV7i","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=ru1AL80W","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/public\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg?itok=tqvA_5ZZ"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/6.07_c071150013_box_2_shipping_east_cq.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":3500,"height":2644}
c 1890
William Joseph Macpherson
Call # ON 588/BOX 02/13
Digital ID:
c071150013
View collection item detail

Meet the curator

Photographic portrait of a red haired smiling woman, wearing glasses.

Margot Riley

Margot has curated numerous exhibitions and displays for the Library and contributes expertise across a variety of collection functions including research, acquisition and interpretation. She is a cultural historian with a special interest in popular culture, photography and dress and has written and lectured extensively about the Library's collections.