1890s

Chapman, Sir Robert

Sir Robert Chapman was an engineer with a gift for recognising the fundamentals of any problem.

Historical Person | By Philip Fargher | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s

Jacobs, Sir Roland

Jacobs was a businessman, but also a warm and generous philanthropist with no interest in personal wealth.

Historical Person | By The Hon S.J. Jacobs | North Terrace | 1970s, early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Bronze statue of a man atop a granite pillar

Sir Ross Smith Memorial

The Sir Ross Smith Memorial commemorates the achievements of aviator Sir Ross Smith and the first flight from England to Australia.

Historical Thing | By Madeleine Ryan, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1920s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a bearded middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a judicial wig and vestments. He is also wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and looking to his left

Way, Sir Samuel

A Chief Justice of South Australia, Sir Samuel Way was polished, cultured and proud.

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

Sir Samuel Way Memorial Statue

A statue of Sir Samuel Way reflects his towering presence in legal, political and cultural circles in the last decades of the nineteenth century.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

Image: Black and white photograph of man wearing formal clothes and livery collar

Elder GCMG, Sir Thomas

A pastoralist, philanthropist and businessman, Elder supported numerous outback expeditions and Adelaide institutions.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace, Parklands | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Bronze statue of Sir Thomas Elder by Alfred Drury, 1903 outside Elder Hall, University of Adelaide

Sir Thomas Elder statue

The sculpture of Elder is at the University of Adelaide, a major beneficiary of his philanthropy

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1890s, 1900-1910

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young, clean-shaven man in a dark, pinstriped suit

Playford, Sir Thomas

Premier for 26 years, Playford managed the industrialisation of South Australia while maintaining a conservative social agenda.

Historical Person | By Gaye Brown | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Image: A formal photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a balding, moustachioed middle-aged man in a suit and tie

Crocker , Walter

A true internationalist, Sir Walter Crocker was a diplomat and Australian ambassador to many countries, a writer, and a centenarian.

Historical Person | By Ron Gibbs | 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 2000-2010

Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a mid-twentieth century suit and academic regalia

Mitchell, Sir William

Philosopher, Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, and a teacher of economics, psychology and literature, Sir William Mitchell was nothing if not a polymath.

Historical Person | By Dr W. Martin Davies | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Image: The statue of a horse and rider mounting the crest of a hill

South African War Memorial

The mounted trooper reining in his horse commemorates South Australians who served in the South African War (1899-1902).

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1930s, 2000-2010

Spheres

Balancing and still among the bustle of Rundle Mall, Spheres is among Adelaide's favourite public artworks

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Mall | 1970s

Image: head and shoulders shot of woman looking at camera

Benny, Susan

The first female local government councillor in Australia, Benny was a Justice of the Peace, a businesswoman and a lobbyist for women’s equality.

Historical Person | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1870s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

The Eternal Question

Word artist Richard Tipping prompts us to consider big ideas in his sculpture ‘The Eternal Question’

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

The hulk 'Fitzjames'

Between 1880 and 1891 the hulk Fitzjames, colloquially known as ‘Hell afloat’, served as a Reformatory for over 100 boys aged from 8 to 16 years of age.

Historical Thing | By Nikki Sullivan | 1880s, 1890s

The Slide

What fun! John Dowie’s work invigorates Rundle Mall

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Mall | 1970s

Image: large white cross next to smaller white tablet

The Smith Brothers' Grave

The Smith brothers’ grave is situated in a prominent position adjoining the Bishop Short Memorial Garden alongside the century-old Chapel of the Resurrection at North Road Cemetery.

Historical Thing | By Helen Stein, Cemetery Historian | 1920s

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

Image: A photographic portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man with a full beard and head of hair. He is wearing an Edwardian-era suit and tie

Price, Mr. Thomas

As the first Labor premier of South Australia, Tom Price established a minimum wage and electrified the tramways.

Historical Person | By Nick Ganzis | North Terrace | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

Image: two people walking through underground brick-walled rooms

Tunnels of Adelaide

Adelaide tunnel tales are a perennial favourite in the popular press, and are cheerfully perpetuated by tour operators and publicans everywhere.

Historical Thing | By Deb Morgan | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Venere di Canova

A startled Venus caused consternation as Adelaide’s first public statue in 1892

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1960s

Victor Richardson Gates

An outstanding all-round sportsman was provided with the rare honour of being memorialised during his lifetime

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | River Torrens | 1920s, 1930s, 1960s, early twenty–first century

Image: A simple line drawing of a man in cricket batsman attire swinging a cricket bat

Richardson, Mr. Victor

The term 'all-round sportsman' might have been coined for Victor York Richardson, who excelled at cricket, football, baseball, lacrosse, tennis and basketball.

Historical Person | By Dr Bernard Whimpress | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Bagot , Walter

Bagot was an architect whose work, including Bonython Hall and the Barr Smith Library, displays his preference for classical and traditional designs.

Historical Person | By Dr David Jones | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Image: carved grey granite horse trough memorial situated in the East parklands

War Horse Memorial

Remembering the role of horses in war.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1910s, 1920s, 1960s, early twenty–first century

War Memorial

Architect Louis Laybourne-Smith and sculptor George Rayner Hoff created a memorial that conveys the impact of the First World War

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 2000-2010

Image: Photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in the uniform of a high-ranking Australian Army officer

Veale, Mr. William

Soldier, engineer and Adelaide Town Clerk William Veale is celebrated for revitalising the city's parklands.

Historical Person | By Robert Thornton | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

William Gosse Hay was the son of a wealthy pastoralist, and a writer. Author of six novels which are stirring tales of noble heroes struggling to maintain moral honour in convict-era Tasmania. His unfinished work, ‘The Return of Robert Wasterton’, is set in 1890s Victor Harbor.

Historical Person | By Anthony Laube | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s