Home in St George 1920-1960

For many people, the Great Australian Dream during the 20th century was to buy and own a home. During this time, the design and use of houses changed substantially from the 19th century Victorian era, both in terms of scale and social patterns. Fewer families had large homes or employed domestic servants. Although suburbs in the Georges River area such as Hurstville and Kogarah were established in the 1880s, the region experienced large growth in housing between the 1920s to 1940s.

Unlike today, houses during these eras often fed the families who lived in them, with vegetable gardens, fruit trees and poultry commonplace. Changing technology in the home affected people’s lives, impacting on everything from day-to-day activities through to household chores and recreation.

This exhibition explores and presents fresh perspectives on notions of home and domestic life in the Georges River area from the 1920s to the 1960s. How were homes designed, built, and made in the local area during these decades? What made a house a ‘home’furnishings, equipment, tools, gardens, recreation, hobbies? What were the lives of women, men and children in these homes like during these decades?

Showcasing Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s extensive collections, the exhibition aims to present aspects of the diverse and important collections held by Hurstville Museum & Gallery, reflecting the social, cultural and family lives of residents in the St George region during the first half of the 20th century.

Exhibition dates: 6 May – 23 July 2023

Location: Hurstville Museum & Gallery, 14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville

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