mid nineteenth century

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

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

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a clean-shaven man wearing a turtleneck sweater and tweed jacket

Heysen, Sir Wilhelm

Sir Hans Heysen was a masterly artist, the immortaliser of the gum tree on canvas, and a dedicated conservationist.

Historical Person | By Peter Heysen | North Terrace | 1960s, early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

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

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

Dumas, Sir Frederick

At the end of his long life, newspaperman Sir Lloyd Dumas described himself as simply ‘the luckiest man in the world’.

Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Oliphant, Sir Mark

Best known as a governor of South Australia, Sir Mark Oliphant was also a pioneering nuclear physicist, who became an outspoken anti-nuclear campaigner.

Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

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 man in stage make-up and costume dances on a stage with arms outstretched

Helpmann, Sir Robert

His versatility as actor, dancer, producer and choreographer, coupled with flamboyance and wit, made Sir Robert Helpmann a household name.

Historical Person | By Meg Denton | North Terrace, Parklands | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

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

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: A man with a chin-beard and wearing mid-Victorian era attire poses for a photograph. He stands next to a bannister and is holding a stove-pipe hat

Davenport, Sir Samuel

Davenport was a liberal-minded and literate parliamentarian and a promoter of industry, especially in the fields of horticulture and viniculture

Historical Person | By Dr Geoffrey Bishop | North Terrace | late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a white-haired man with goatee. He is wearing a suit and is standing with his arms crossed

Kidman, Sir Sidney

Abstemious but easy-going, Sir Sidney Kidman was a pastoralist and philanthropist who made friends easily.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century

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 middle-aged bearded man wearing a cravat and overcoat

Hughes, Sir Walter

A pastoralist and mine-owner once accused of fraud, Hughes stated shortly before his death: ‘I have been a sinner all my life’.

Historical Person | By Patricia Sumerling | North Terrace | 1840s, mid nineteenth century

Image: man sitting on rocky outcrop overlooking township

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

Image: stacks of wine bottles and large wine barrels with signs reading Hardy's

Hardy, Thomas

Thomas Hardy lectured and wrote on the wine business and olive growing, was a member of the Phylloxera Board, Wine Growers’ Association, South Australian Agricultural and Horticultural Society and the Chamber of Manufactures, judged local horticultural shows, published regularly in the local press and wrote two books, Notes on Vineyards in America and Europe (1885) and A Vigneron Abroad, Trip to South Africa (1899).

Historical Person | By Dr Geoffrey Bishop | late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century