History Or Hoarding? With Annabel Crabb
History Or Hoarding? With Annabel Crabb

History Or Hoarding? With Annabel Crabb

ABC Australia

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Annabel Crabb — who personally struggles to declutter, just ask her husband — visits Australia's oldest library and immediately feels better about her own habits. Above ground, this place is all books. But below? There are letters, maps, old restaurant menus, military antiques, coin collections, stamps, walking sticks, an upsetting amount of HUMAN HAIR and — most importantly — some incredible stories that capture our history in unique ways. Join Annabel as she dives into the secret stacks and collections of Australia's oldest library, State Library of NSW, uncovering strange, forgotten and fascinating National treasures. Episode 1 of the podcast will be available from 22 April 2026, tap 'favourite' or 'follow' now to add it to your podcast playlist on the ABC listen app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Annabel Crabb Researcher: Julia O'Shea Audio Engineer: Harvey O'Sullivan Supervising Producer: Rachael Cusick Executive Producers: Eric George and Carmel Rooney Head of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn

Recent Episodes

Fabulous nobodies
JUN 9, 2026
Fabulous nobodies
Nestled alongside the Library's famous treasures — their First Fleet journals, Shakespeare folios, mementos of writers from Henry Lawson to Charlotte Wood – are millions of seemingly simple objects. Old menus, bus timetables, Valentine's Day cards… capturing an era, and the lives of some truly fabulous nobodies. Annabel Crabb explores the lives of the lesser-known people that curators have chosen to preserve. This episode's speakers: Margot Riley – Curator Maggie Patton — Head of Collection Acquisition & Curation Damien Webb — Manager of the Indigenous Engagement Branch Richard Neville — Mitchell Librarian This episode's treasures from the SLNSW collection: Fruit stickers collected between 26 April 2008 — 1 August 2009 in the Sydney suburb of Mona Vale Mrs G. B. Moore family notebook regarding the construction of their house in the Kogarah area of Sydney, 1913 Snuggle Bunny Frank and Princess Dorothy Valentine's Day cards are housed within the Library's Greeting Card collection as part of the overall Ephemera Collection Special thanks to Dr Caroline Butler-Bowden and everyone at the State Library of NSW who gave their time and shared their stories. Presenter: Annabel Crabb Researcher: Julia O'Shea Audio Engineer: Harvey O'Sullivan Supervising Producer: Rachael Cusick Executive Producers: Eric George and Carmel Rooney Head of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn   To hear the rest of the History Or Hoarding? podcast series, or for more of the best history podcasts covering Australian history, global history, including war, politics, literature and some of the most interesting people, moments and turning points in history, go to ABC listen Australia's history tab or the ABC Australia channel or wherever you get your podcasts. To add the History Or Hoarding? podcast to your playlist, just tap 'favourite' or 'follow' on your app and you'll never miss an episode.
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24 MIN