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Local history resources

Cumberland City Library Service houses an excellent range of historic government documents, files, reports, and newspapers for the local area.
Research historical documents

Local history collections

The Cumberland Local and Family History Collections are housed at Auburn and Merrylands Libraries.

Material relating to the local history of the Auburn area is held at Auburn Library on Level 2 next to the Reference Collection while material relating to the history of the Holroyd area is held in the Tony Maston Room, located on Level 3 of Merrylands Library.

A selection of Local History resources covering the Granville area are available at both Auburn and Merrylands Libraries while the remainder are available at the Parramatta Heritage Centre, for example, Minutes for the former Granville Council which was part of Parramatta City Council from 1949 to 2016.

Local Studies resources available at both Auburn and Merrylands include general histories, thematic histories, specific histories for example local church and school histories, selected maps, cemetery publications, heritage studies, vertical files, council reports and related documents such as Local Environment Plans (LEP).

A summary of Cumberland City Library Service's Local History Collection can be viewed in Local History Resources for Cumberland City Council Area.

Resources at Auburn and Merrylands Libraries

Newspapers

Many of Cumberland’s historic newspapers have now been digitised and are freely available to view on the National Library of Australia’s TROVE platform. Please note some newspapers were only shortlived while others ran for many years. Access TROVE Digitised Newspapers

Local Titles on TROVE include:

  • Auburn & District News - 1929 
  • The Auburn & Lidcombe Advance - 1925 to 1939 
  • Auburn News & Granville Electorate Gazetteer - 1903 to 1905 
  • The Biz - 1928 to 1972
  • The Broadcaster - 1935 to 1978 
  • The Cumberland Argus & Fruitgrowers’ Advocate - 1888 to 1950 
  • The Cumberland Argus - 1950 to 1962
  • The Cumberland Free Press - 1895 to 1897 
  • The Cumberland Mercury - 1875 to 1895
  • The Express (Granville) - 1933 to 1935 
  • Granville Independent & Parramatta Advertiser - 1900 to 1901 

Current and recent newspapers are available to view on microfilm. Microfilms for The Auburn Review are available at Auburn Library and microfilms for The Parramatta Advertiser are available at Merrylands Library.

There are also bound copies of the following newspaper titles held at Auburn Library:

  • Auburn News - 1903 to 1905
  • Auburn Lidcombe Advertiser - 1962 to 1974
  • Lidcombe to City of Parramatta Press / City of Parramatta and Districts Press - 1974 to 1975
  • The News - 1962 to 1977
  • Auburn Lidcombe Advance - 1925 to 1939
  • Auburn Review - 1962 to 1994

Publications

Pictorial History Holroyd

pictorial history holroyd 0

Available for purchase from Merrylands Library

Softcover - $28

Hardback - $38


The Prospect & Sherwood Soldiers’ Memorial, Arcadia Street, Merrylands

local history publication prospect sherwood soldiers memorial

Available for purchase from Holroyd Local History Research

Phone: 0412 606 644 or 0419 009 190

Email:  holroydresearch@optusnet.com.au


A Historical Tour of Lidcombe Hospital

local histroy publication historical tour lidcombe hospital

Available for purchase from the Lidcombe Heritage Group

Email: info@lidcombeheritagegroup.com.au

Website: https://lidcombeheritagegroup.com.au/books/

Download an electronic copy of this publication from TROVE


Lidcombe Hospital Centenary – A Pictorial History

local history publication lidcombe hospital centenary

Available for purchase from the Lidcombe Heritage Group

Email: info@lidcombeheritagegroup.com.au

Website: https://lidcombeheritagegroup.com.au/books/

Oral History Project

Hear what the region used to be like from those who lived here. The Cumberland Oral History Project provides digital recordings of older locals telling their stories.

  • Available for listening to in the Tony Maston Room
  • Interview logs are summarised and itemised in a dedicated folder
  • Interviews involved local residents, community workers, business people, students and volunteers discussing lifestyle, structures and the natural environment of the past
  • Interviews were recorded on audio tape by the Cumberland Senior Citizens Week Committee in conjunction with Merrylands Community Health Centre, between 1990 and 1992
  • Tapes were digitised in 2007
  • Recordings are unavailable outside the library building

 

Add to our History

Cumberland City Council is expanding its Oral History collection and is looking for contributions from residents, business owners, workers or volunteers from the region, past and present.

If you would like to describe what the suburbs, homes, schools, businesses, transport and people were like in the area, please contact Council to contribute to this project.

For more information about Oral History Project, or to take part in an interview, please contact Council’s Local Studies Librarian on 02 8757 9375.