mid nineteenth century

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

Image: Head shot of elderly man with beard and white hair.

Morphett, Sir John

John Morphett, namesake of the Adelaide suburb Morphettville, contributed widely to the cultural and economic support of early south Australia.

Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1830s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

Image: A painted head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly Caucasian man with a long white beard and equally long hair. He is wearing what appear to be ecclesiastical vestments and a hat

Ridley, Mr. John

A miller and inventor of the harvesting device that bears his name, John Ridley revolutionized the wheat industry in South Australia.

Historical Person | By Jack Reddin | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly man dressed in late-nineteenth century attire and sporting a long white beard

Bagshaw, John

‘If worth doing, do it well’ was the motto of John Bagshaw, pioneering designer and manufacturer of agricultural machinery.

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

Wainwright, John

John William Wainwright (1880–1948) was born in Naracoorte in the South East, studied accountancy at night and became South Australia’s auditor-general, 1934–45.

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged woman in Victorian attire

Farr, Mrs. Julia

The plight of the girls in the Destitute Asylum spurred on social worker Julia Farr.

Historical Person | By Joan Clift | North Terrace, Parklands | late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Bragg, William

Lawrence Bragg jointly won the 1915 Nobel Prize for Physics with his father, William Bragg for their work in X-Ray Crystallography.

Historical Person | By Robert George | 1890s, early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Logic (Pinba)

Logic (Pinba), a convicted murderer, was described in the Advertiser of 12 December 1885 as ‘one of the most popular men in the colony’.

Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged man sitting in a chair in front of a large bookcase. He is wearing wire-rimmed spectacles, a suit and tie, and academic gown

Florey, Sir Howard

Hundreds of millions of people have lived longer and healthier lives, thanks to medical scientist, Nobel Prize winner and penicillin pioneer Lord Florey.

Historical Person | By Pat Stretton | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A black and white image of Margaret Graham

Graham, Ms. Margaret

Margaret Graham was an outspoken and forthright nursing sister and army matron with a strong sense of justice.

Historical Person | By Joan Durdin | North Terrace | 1890s, early twentieth century

Image: A portrait of a young woman wearing a nun’s habit. She is holding a bible and a crucifix

MacKillop, Mary

An educationist and co-founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mary MacKillop is now famous as Australia’s only Catholic saint.

Historical Person | By Sister Marie Foale | Central Market, North Terrace | 1900-1910, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Moorhouse, Dr. Matthew

Matthew Moorhouse, a medical practitioner, arrived in South Australia from Staffordshire, England, in June 1839 to take up appointment as the colony’s first permanent protector of Aboriginals.

Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Methodist Church

Several of the brands of Methodism introduced to colonial South Australia merged in 1977 to become the Uniting Church.

Historical Organisation | By Arnold D Hunt | Hindley Street | 1830s, 1840s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Baby Evangeline Gabriel being being weighed by a nurse 1908

Mothers' and Babies' Health Association

Could the problem of infant mortality be dealt with by giving expert advice to mothers? The Mothers’ and Babies’ Health Association certainly thought so.

Historical Organisation | By Judith Raftery | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

National Council of Women of South Australia

The National Council of Women of South Australia argued for pensions for widows with children, raising the marriage age for girls from 12 and other reforms.

Historical Organisation | By Pat Stretton | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

National Trust of South Australia

With 50 branches, 138 properties and 4500 members, the National Trust of South Australia is the largest historical organisation in the state.

Historical Organisation | By Kerrie Round | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Jolly, Mr. Norman

A forestry scientist by profession, Norman Jolly was also an accomplished scholar known for his integrity and keen critical faculty.

Historical Person | By Dr David Jones | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Penfolds

From medicinal benefits to international stature, some of Dr Penfold’s wines have acquired legendary status.

Historical Organisation | By Anne Burrows | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A middle-aged, clean-shaven man in a suit poses for a full-length photographic portrait. An autograph on the photo reads ‘Best Wishes to Keith Wingrove from Peter Dawson, May 20th 1933, Brisbane’

Dawson, Mr. Peter

A singer of both bush ballads and classics, Dawson was the first to record ‘Waltzing Matilda’.

Historical Person | By Joyce Gibberd | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Black and white photograph of an Aboriginal man

Booboorowie, Mr. Poltpalingada

From the 1880s Tommy Walker, or Poltpalingada Booboorowie, was a leading figure among the community of Aboriginal people who lived on the fringes of white Adelaide society.

Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian Church has a long history in South Australia, owing much to the early Scotish community.

Historical Organisation | By John Love | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

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

Image: Black and white photographic portrait of a man with small round glasses and a large beard

Hanson, Sir Richard

Sir Richard Davies Hanson was a lawyer, politician, theologian and author who helped write in significant aspects of South Australia's Constitution

Historical Person | By Carol Fort | mid nineteenth century

Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a mid-19th century coat and bowtie. Three medals are pinned to the left breast of his coat

Schomburgk, Dr. Richard

A botanist, horticulturist and the director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, Richard Schomburgk was honoured locally as 'the people’s pet'.

Historical Person | By Dr Pauline Payne | North Terrace, Parklands | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

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

Image: Black and white photograph of a man seated backwards on chair with arms crossed on seat back and an open book on the table beside him

Gill, Samuel Thomas

Artist Samuel Thomas Gill produced a lively visual record of early South Australia.

Historical Person | By Jane Hylton | Hindley Street, North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

Sarah Jane (Jeanna) Young (née Foster) (1866–1955), inspired by Catherine Helen Spence, became secretary of the Effective Voting League (1897), wrote and lectured on proportional representation and, with Spence, campaigned for eight weeks in Sydney to have the Hare-Spence voting system adopted in Federal elections. She would later run for parliament and receive an OBE.

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

Adelaidia