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humour and humourous stories

Pleasure [17 September 1921]

4 December 2022 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This tongue-in-cheek short story was published in “The Moving Picture Show” section of The Sun (Sydney, NSW), 17 September 1921.] Pleasure “Manly Council was indignant at a suggestion read into the remarks of the Chief Harbor Trust Commissioner that Manly was … [Read more...] about Pleasure [17 September 1921]

Filed Under: short stories and anecdotes Tagged With: 500x500, Circular Quay (Sydney), ferries, humour and humourous stories, Manly ferry (Sydney), short story, SourceTrove, year1921

[Proclaim it from the Steeple] [poem by “Dryblower” Murphy, 23 January 1921]

21 April 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A poem printed in “Dryblower” Murphy’s “Verse and Worse” column. Published in The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), 23 January 1921.] [Proclaim it from the steeple] In a recent court case over East a boarding-house keeper refused to pay a housemaid’s wages on the ground … [Read more...] about [Proclaim it from the Steeple] [poem by “Dryblower” Murphy, 23 January 1921]

Filed Under: poetry Tagged With: Bushells Tea, Dryblower Murphy (1866-1939) (author), humour and humourous stories, poem, SourceTrove, year1921

That Museum [8 March 1918]

8 April 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A humourous item published in Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, no. 3, 8 March 1918.] That Museum. I had a dream the other night. I was walking through the Australian War Museum in the year 3018. The principal exhibit was an Aussie tunic, to which this … [Read more...] about That Museum [8 March 1918]

Filed Under: jokes and humour Tagged With: Aussie magazine issue 3, humour and humourous stories, publication Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, SourceIACLibrary, year1918

Getting his own back [8 March 1918]

8 April 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A humourous tale published in Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, no. 3, 8 March 1918.] Getting his own back. Two Aussies on leave from France were occupying a first-class non-smoking compartment of an English train, when an irascible old bloke blew … [Read more...] about Getting his own back [8 March 1918]

Filed Under: short stories and anecdotes Tagged With: Aussie magazine issue 3, humour and humourous stories, publication Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, SourceIACLibrary, year1918

The Flea Farm [humour, 8 March 1918]

8 April 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A humourous story published in Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, no. 3, 8 March 1918.] The Flea Farm. I’ve heard Aussies tell stories to the unsophisticated of many different kinds of farms we have “out there” — there’s the Jackeroo farm, the Nullanulla … [Read more...] about The Flea Farm [humour, 8 March 1918]

Filed Under: jokes and humour Tagged With: Aussie magazine issue 3, humour and humourous stories, publication Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, SourceIACLibrary, year1918

Some abbreviations explained [8 March 1918]

8 April 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A humourous look at some abbreviations used by Australian soldiers during World War One. Published in Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, no. 3, 8 March 1918.] Some abbreviations explained. “M.B.,” French Interpreter on Corps H.Q., sends this:— Of … [Read more...] about Some abbreviations explained [8 March 1918]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: Aussie magazine issue 3, humour and humourous stories, publication Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, SourceIACLibrary, year1918

Man from Ironbark: Charged 1/6 for haircut: Complains to police [25 February 1924]

22 March 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: An amusing human interest story. Published in The Morning Bulletin, 25 February 1924.] Man from Ironbark. Charged 1/6 for haircut. Complains to police. A favourite recitation years ago was a poem entitled “The Man from Ironbark,” the author being Banjo … [Read more...] about Man from Ironbark: Charged 1/6 for haircut: Complains to police [25 February 1924]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1924

The Critic [12 October 1918]

22 March 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: Extracts from “The Critic” column in Truth, 12 October 1918, including some humour, poetry, and current events.] The Critic Who can undaunted brave the Critic’s rage, Or note unmoved his mention in the Critic’s page, Parade his errors in the public eye, And … [Read more...] about The Critic [12 October 1918]

Filed Under: poetry Tagged With: humorous poetry, humour and humourous stories, poem, SourceTrove, word pommy, year1918

An unkind suggestion [letter to the editor, 17 February 1885]

22 March 2014 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A tongue-in-cheek letter regarding Australia’s military contribution to Great Britain’s war in the Sudan. Published in The South Australian Advertiser, 17 February 1885.] An unkind suggestion. To the Editor. Sir — The burning patriotism of Australia is worthy … [Read more...] about An unkind suggestion [letter to the editor, 17 February 1885]

Filed Under: letters to the editor Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1885

Life on the diggings [12 April 1864]

16 September 2013 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A report on an amusing incident. Published in The Star (Ballarat), 12 April 1864.] Life on the diggings. — A somewhat extraordinary incident happened on Saturday evening, at the Emu Hotel, Oxley. An inebriate, in a spirit of liberality, determined to treat his … [Read more...] about Life on the diggings [12 April 1864]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1864

The bottle and the beauty [12 April 1864]

16 September 2013 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A report on an amusing incident. Published in The Star (Ballarat), 12 April 1864.] The bottle and the beauty. — An amusing incident has formed the topic of conversation in Sandhurst the last few days. A certain gentleman, who shall be nameless, an attendant on a … [Read more...] about The bottle and the beauty [12 April 1864]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1864

Jacko [23 May 1931]

15 September 2013 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A light-hearted article about a pet magpie. Published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 May 1931.] Jacko. It was a frightened, baby magpie which travelled from Dubbo in a small box, looking as though its hold on life was frail. But “we have changed all that.” … [Read more...] about Jacko [23 May 1931]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, magpies, SourceTrove, year1931

A Chinaman in a queer fix [10 July 1866]

29 April 2013 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: An article about an odd incident. Published in the The Bendigo Advertiser, 10 July 1866.] A Chinaman in a queer fix. — On Saturday afternoon, about five o’clock, two miners left their work at Havelock, and made their way homewards. Having to go a distance, and it … [Read more...] about A Chinaman in a queer fix [10 July 1866]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1866

[An amusing incident] [26 April 1887]

15 November 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: An extract from the news section of The Age, 26 April 1887.] [An amusing incident] An amusing incident which happened at the King-street police station last week is the subject of conversation amongst the city force, and is to be enquired into at … [Read more...] about [An amusing incident] [26 April 1887]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: crime law and punishment, humour and humourous stories, police, SourceGoogleNews, SourceTrove, year1887

The Teetotaler [6 May 1923]

2 November 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A humorous anecdote. Published in The Sunday Times, 6 May 1923.] The Teetotaler She loved her medicine By Adohr. Some years ago mum was “run down,” so obtained the services of a household worker who had been recommended as a particularly reliable young … [Read more...] about The Teetotaler [6 May 1923]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, temperance movement, year1923

Algernon the farmer [story, 24 June 1932]

28 October 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This story is from Bill Bowyang’s column, “On The Track”, in the The Townsville Daily Bulletin, 1932.] [Algernon the farmer] “Clemona” writes: Cyril and Algernon were two brothers who had a station in Western N.S.W. Because of a college education they considered … [Read more...] about Algernon the farmer [story, 24 June 1932]

Filed Under: short stories and anecdotes Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, short story, SourceTrove, year1932

A dream of Death [story, 24 June 1932]

28 October 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This story is from Bill Bowyang’s column, “On the Track”, in the The Townsville Daily Bulletin, 1932.] [A dream of Death] “Lana Siding” has stiff luck : I am the most sad and lonely man this side of the Gulf. I have been turned out of a good home by a woman who … [Read more...] about A dream of Death [story, 24 June 1932]

Filed Under: short stories and anecdotes Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, short story, SourceTrove, year1932

Not what he thought [31 January 1935]

11 May 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This anecdote is from the “So They Say” column in the The Queenslander.] Not what he thought An old Western identity, whom I will call Tom Blank, was having a spree at an hotel and went to sleep in the bar. We picked him up and laid him on the sofa in the … [Read more...] about Not what he thought [31 January 1935]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humour and humourous stories, SourceTrove, year1935

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Advance Australia Fair: How the song became the Australian national anthem
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Recent Posts

  • To Australia [poem by Ruby Jean Stephenson, 18 November 1943]
  • [General news items] [4 April 1912]
  • [Australia has had more than its share of shipping disasters of late] [4 April 1912]
  • [Probably Professor Marshall Hall was right] [4 April 1912]
  • Gold-seekers of the Fifties [1 July 1899]

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  • The Bridge Across the Crick [poem by C. J. Dennis]
  • The Foundations of Culture in Australia: An Essay towards National Self-Respect [by P. R. Stephensen, 1936]
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Posts of note

The Bastard from the Bush [poem, circa 1900]
A Book for Kids [by C. J. Dennis, 1921]
Click Go the Shears [traditional Australian song, 1890s]
Core of My Heart [“My Country”, poem by Dorothea Mackellar, 24 October 1908]
Freedom on the Wallaby [poem by Henry Lawson, 16 May 1891]
The Man from Ironbark [poem by Banjo Paterson]
Nationality [poem by Mary Gilmore, 12 May 1942]
The Newcastle song [music video, sung by Bob Hudson]
No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest [poem by Mary Gilmore, 29 June 1940]
Our pipes [short story by Henry Lawson]
Rommel’s comments on Australian soldiers [1941-1942]
Shooting the moon [short story by Henry Lawson]

Recent Comments

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  • Percy Delouche on Freedom on the Wallaby [poem by Henry Lawson, 16 May 1891]
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