1980s

Kingston, Sir George

By turns architect, engineer, surveyor and parliamentarian, Sir George Kingston was also Speaker of the House of Assembly for almost two decades.

Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

Ayers, Sir Henry

A businessman, banker and parliamentarian, Henry Ayers was astute, hard-headed and politically adroit.

Historical Person | By Robyn Taylor | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Image: Pencil sketch of the upper torso of an elderly man wearing a suit and academic robes

Newland, Sir Henry

Sir Henry Newland gained an international reputation as a pioneer plastic surgeon.

Historical Person | By Ian L.D. Forbes | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Melrose, Sir John

Pastoralist and philanthropist Sir John Melrose continued to work with stock and managed properties – despite going blind.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s

Bonython, Sir John

Sir Langdon Bonython was a progressive liberal whose long life encompassed being a parliamentarian, newspaper proprietor and philanthropist.

Historical Person | By Warren Bonython | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s

Sir Lawrence Bragg bust

The bust of Sir Lawrence Bragg commemorates a South Australian Nobel Laureate

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1970s, 2000-2010, 2010s

The bronze bust of Sir Mellis Napier, sculpted by eminent South Australian artist John Dowie, commemorates his distinguished community service, including to the law and legal profession in South Australia

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1880s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a man in suit and tie sporting a large handlebar moustache. The frame surrounding the portrait identifies the man as Richard Chaffey Baker

Baker, Sir Richard

An influential conservative politician and a supporter of Federation, Sir Richard Baker was the first President of the Senate.

Historical Person | By Rob van den Hoorn | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

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

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: crowd of people around large bronze statue of seated man

Sir Walter Watson Hughes statue

The bronze figure of Sir Walter Watson Hughes by Francis Williamson stands on a massive block of red granite.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton and James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 2000-2010

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

South Australian Land Commission

Acquiring and developing land holdings in a coordinated way assists in orderly expansion and growth

Historical Organisation | By Judith Jeffery | 1970s, 1980s

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

Street Naming Committee

Colonial factions struggled over the names to bestow on Adelaide's streets

Historical Organisation | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

Susan Grace Benny Plaque

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 Thing | By Laura Sherwood, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 2000-2010

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

Image: bronze sculpture of family group with suitcase

The Immigrants

The Immigrants sculpture has been climbed on, sat on, stood next to and embraced by many people who have walked through the gates of the Migration Museum since 2006.

Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | North Terrace | 2000-2010

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

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

Image: group stand in front of a tavern building with four women standing on a balcony in the tavern

United Trades and Labor Council

Carpenters, tailors, bakers, carriers, cordwainers and coachmakers had formed unions within ten years of European settlement of South Australia, and by the 1870s there were thousands of union members in the colony.

Historical Organisation | By Tom Sheridan | 1890s, 1910s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s