1. Image: silhouette of a woman's head with white question mark on top

    Simpson, Mrs. Janet

    Janet Simpson was Mayoress of the City of Adelaide from 1913-1915.

    Historical Person | By Lee Clark, HerStory Project | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

  2. Image: Three elderly Caucasian men in late Victorian-era attire pose for a photograph outside a bluestone building. Two are seated while another stands.

    Simpson, Mr. Alfred

    Not content with being the nation’s biggest metal goods manufacturer, Alfred Muller Simpson was prominent in public life too.

    Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  3. Image: a bearded man in three quarter profile and wearing a hat and sword sits at his writing desk.

    Smith, Sir Edwin

    Sir Edwin Thomas Smith was a brewer, parliamentarian and, thanks to his philanthropy, Adelaide’s favourite millionaire.

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  4. Image: An elderly man with a cane sits in a chair within a garden

    Smith, Robert

    Robert Barr Smith had a genius for business. He was also a generous philanthropist, though his modesty dictated that much of the funding was dispensed anonymously.

    Historical Person | By Pamela Oborn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  5. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing a light-coloured, late-Victorian era suit and sporting a very large handlebar moustache

    Smith, Mr. Tom

    A proverbial chip off the old block, Tom Elder Barr Smith was an astute businessman and generous philanthropist.

    Historical Person | By Pamela Oborn | North Terrace | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

  6. Image: Woman, dressed as the Queen, standing holding a curtain

    Smith, Lady Elizabeth

    Lady Elizabeth Smith was twice the Mayoress of the City of Adelaide (married to the Mayor), from 1879-1882 and 1886-1888.

    Historical Person | By Cheryl Williss, HerStory Project | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  7. Image: A photographic portrait of an elderly Caucasian man with a white goatee. He is wearing a Stetson hat and a dark-coloured overcoat

    Smith, Mr. Richard

    Richard Bowyer Smith and his brother Clarence could both rightfully claim distinction as the inventors of the stump-jump plough. 

    Historical Person | By Ros Paterson | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

  8. Image: silhouette of a woman's head with white question mark on top

    Solomon, Mrs. Adela

    Adela Solomon was the Mayoress of Adelaide between 1869-1871.

    Historical Person | By Cheryl Williss, HerStory Project | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

  9. Catherine Helen Spence, 1900

    Spence, Catherine Helen

    Writer and social reformer Catherine Helen Spence was also the first woman to write a novel about Australia.

    Historical Person | By Susan Magarey | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

  10. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing a late-Victorian era suit and sporting a very large handlebar moustache

    Stirling, Sir Edward

    Sir Edward Stirling was (among other things) a surgeon, scientist, educationist, curator, lecturer and parliamentarian; in short, a Renaissance Man.

    Historical Person | By Anna Stirling Pope | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  11. Image: Photographic portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in the clothing of a Christian minister. He is sitting in an high-backed chair and has his right hand resting on a book--possibly a bible

    Stow, Thomas

    Founder of the Congregational Church in South Australia, Thomas Stow was a strenuous minister and a dedicated opponent of state aid to religion.

    Historical Person | By Brian Jones | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  12. Strange, Mr. Arthur

    Kind-hearted and single-minded, 'Padre' Arthur Strange was the founder of the Helping Hand Centre.

    Historical Person | By Rev. Keith Smith | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  13. Image: man sitting on rocky outcrop overlooking township

    Strehlow, Theodor

    Theodor George Henry Strehlow (1908–1978) was brought up by his parents, Carl and Frieda Strehlow at the Hermannsburg Mission near Alice Springs. His work as linguist and ethnologist contributed extensively to white understanding of Aboriginal culture and music, but provoked ongoing dispute between settler and Indigenous cultures.

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Image: Illustration of a bearded man leaning on a rifle and armed with two pistols attached to his belt, c.1855

    Stuart, John McDouall

    Explorer and surveyor John McDouall Stuart was celebrated as a hero for leading the first European expedition to cross Australia from south to north.

    Historical Person | By Peter Bowyer | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  15. Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in mid-nineteenth century attire. He is clean-shaven and wearing a dark neck cravat

    Sturt, Captain Charles

    A soldier and explorer, Captain Charles Sturt was first to chart the River Murray.

    Historical Person | By Valerie Sitters | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  16. Image: portrait of woman

    Sym Choon, Miss Gladys

    A pioneering businesswoman, Gladys Sym Choon was a well known member of South Australian society.

    Historical Person | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  17. Image: A middle-aged Caucasian woman sits in a wheelchair and is wearing a fur stole and horn-rimmed glasses. Around her are seated three younger Caucasian women in formal dress

    Taylor, Ms. Doris

    Doris Taylor was the founder and organizer of Meals on Wheels, despite spending most of her life in a wheelchair.

    Historical Person | By Michael Cudmore | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  18. Image: head and shoulders portrait of a man with a beard

    Tennant, Mr. Andrew

    Andrew Tennant was the son of a Scottish shepherd who became a pastoralist and counted mining and the Adelaide Steamship Co. among his business investments. 

    Historical Person | By Dirk van Dissel | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  19. Image: women in dress with hat sitting down next to man in suit and top hat

    Tennyson , Audrey

    Audrey Tennyson (1854-1916), wife of South Australian governor Hallam Tennyson, took a particular interest in the conditions of South Australia’s poor and sick. 

    Historical Person | By Dirk van Dissel | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  20. Image: woman gazing into distance surrounded by embroidered floral feature

    Theseira-Haese , Ms. Genevieve

    Genevieve Theseira-Haese is the former Lady Mayoress of the City of Adelaide (2014-2018). She is the instigator of the HerStory project recording the history of past Lady Mayoresses. 

    Historical Person | By Serafina Tané, HerStory Project

  21. Image: A large group of Caucasian men and women in early Edwardian attire pose for a photograph in front of a large stone building. They are flanked by an Australian flag and British Union Jack

    Tindale, Dr. Norman

    Norman Tindale was a prodigious anthropologist and polymath who chronicled aboriginal culture, studied butterflies and moths, and broke Japanese wartime codes. 

    Historical Person | By Philip Jones | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  22. Image: man standing in 19th century dress

    Todd, Sir Charles

    Sir Charles Todd was a leader in the fields of meteorology, astronomy and communications, and is best remembered for masterminding the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.

    Historical Person | By John Jenkin | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

  23. Image: A well-dressed man with a moustache poses for a photograph. His right arm rests on a table

    Tolmer, Mr. Alexander

    Alexander Tolmer was a Police Commissioner, initiator of the gold escorts, and by all accounts a colourful character with a thirst for action and adventure.

    Historical Person | By Robert Clyne | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  24. Image: Photograph of the committee members for the John McDouall Stuart Statue

    Torode, Mr. Walter

    Once a prominent builder in Adelaide, Unley and the Adelaide Hills, some of Walter Torode’s constructions have stood the test of time

    Historical Person | By Peter Bell | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century

  25. Image: A lithographic portrait of a middle-aged balding man with a large, full beard. He is wearing mid-Victorian attire, including an overcoat, waistcoat, and pocket watch chain with fob

    Torrens, Sir Robert

    Land titles reformer Sir Robert Richard Torrens reformed, amended and even radicalised the land trade system.

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  26. Image: silhouette of a woman's head with white question mark on top

    Townsend, Mrs. Jane

    Jane Townsend was Mayoress of the City of Adelaide (married to the Mayor) from 1864-1866.

    Historical Person | By Cheryl Williss, HerStory Project | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  27. Image: A middle-aged clean-shaven Caucasian man wearing a suit and wire-rimmed spectacles sits in a chair next to a desk. On the desk is a large pedal-powered radio, the handset of which is held by the man

    Traeger, Mr. Alfred

    Alf Traeger was friendly but self-effacing, and is perhaps best known as the inventor of the pedal wireless. 

    Historical Person | By John Healey | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  28. Image: Black and white photograph of two men in suits. They are standing around a just unwrapped painting of a ship

    Tregenza, John

    John Tregenza's work has helped the South Australian public appreciate just how interesting and important their own history can be.

    Historical Person | By Wilfrid Prest | late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

  29. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly Aboriginal man. He is clean-shaven, sporting a short haircut and is wearing a suit jacket and tie

    Unaipon, David

    David Unaipon was an Aboriginal leader, writer, gatherer of legends, and inventor who was referred to in the press as 'the Black Leonardo'.

    Historical Person | By Philip Jones | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  30. Man sitting in small archive room with pictures behind him

    Vanagas, Mr. Jonas

    A quiet unassuming immigrant to Australia, Jonas Vanagas gave his free time to collect the history of Lobethal and the Lithuanian community.

    Historical Person | By Daina Pocius, Lithuanians in South Australia | 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Second World War

Pages