mid nineteenth century

Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats have been arguably the most successful minor party in Australia’s political history and one that (unlike the National party or the DLP) consistently performed best in South Australia.

Historical Organisation | By Jenny Tilby Stock | early twenty–first century, late twentieth century

Australian Rules Football

The structure of local Aussie Rules football competitions has changed over time, just as the game itself has continued to evolve

Historical Subject | By Bernard Whimpress | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

Austrians in South Australia

The first Austrians to arrive in South Australia were two Jesuit priests, Fathers Aloysius Kranewitter and Maximilian Klinkowstroem on December 8, 1848.

Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged man wearing a suit and wire-rimmed spectacles

Barr Smith Family

Robert Barr Smith (1824–1915), the son of a Scottish clergyman and his wife Marjory, née Barr, migrated to Melbourne in 1854. Moving to Adelaide just as Thomas Elder’s brothers were leaving South Australia, he threw in his lot with Elder.

Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Beaches

With their carnivals and regattas, bathing-beauty competitions, amusements, sea and sand, beaches were one of the key gathering places for South Australians from the 1870s to the 1950s.

Historical Subject | By Marie Boland | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

Image: Man in turban standing with saddled camel

Dervish, Bejah

Camel driver Bejah Dervish, highly-regarded for his part in the Calvert Scientific Exploring Expedition in 1896, became a familiar figure in South Australia’s far north.

Historical Person | By Valmai Hankel | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Belarusians in South Australia

The first significant wave of Belarusians arrived in South Australia as Displaced Persons (DPs) when Belarus anti-communist fighters, members of Belarusian Youth Union, military Belarusian (anti-Russian) units, pro-German Belarusian government organizations and others were in conflict with the Soviet Red Army.

Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, mid twentieth century

Babbage, Benjamin

Benjamin Herschel Babbage (1815–1878), an English engineer who superintended construction of the first Port Adelaide railway line, was employed by the South Australian Government in 1851 to search for gold. He led two official expeditions (1856 and 1858) that found no gold but surveyed the Flinders Ranges and Far North and established the extent of Lakes Eyre and Torrens.

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

Image: man in a top hat and suit riding a velocipede with wooden wheels

Bicycles

From 'boneshakers' to penny-farthings to mountain bikes, bicycles have certainly changed since the 1860s.

Historical Subject | By Dieuwke Jessop | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Bonython Family

Bonython Family is distinguished by a capacity for hard work, a leaning towards public service and significant benefaction to the institutions and people of Adelaide.

Historical Subject | By Carol Fort & Wilfred Prest | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

West End Brewery fronting the south side of Hindley Street, Adelaide, 1925

Breweries and beer

How did Lion and Coopers come to be South Australia’s only major brewers of beer today?

Historical Subject | By Alison Painter | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A bearded young man wearing a heavy wool sweater stands outside a hut. His face shows evidence of frostbite

Madigan, Mr. Cecil

A geologist and explorer, Cecil Madigan crossed the Simpson Desert in the last classic Australian exploration adventure.

Historical Person | By Michael Madigan | Hindley Street | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Image: Two clean-shaven Caucasian men dressed in mid-twentieth century suits pose for a photograph. The man standing at left is young and has dark hair. The other, also standing, is elderly with white hair and is wearing thick-framed glasses

Fenner, Dr. Charles

Charles Fenner’s often unheralded contributions to South Australian life were noteworthy.

Historical Person | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Duguid, Dr. Charles

Charles Duguid was a medical practitioner and champion of the underdog who spent many of his 102 years as a worker for Aboriginal advancement.

Historical Person | By Stewart Cockburn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged man wearing a suit-jacket, open-necked shirt and pith helmet

Mountford, Mr. Charles

Charles Mountford was an anthropologist, writer and photographer, and was dedicated to the promotion of Aboriginal art and mythology.

Historical Person | By Philip Jones | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

Image: Exterior of Art Deco style church and associated book shop

Christian Science

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, traditionally regarded as unorthodox, has a wider influence than its numerically small size suggests

Historical Organisation | By David Hilliard | North Terrace | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Closer Settlement

Settlers believed that using land intensively maximised its value and civilised its occupants, and that holdings should be small to allow people to hold land

Historical Subject | By Bill Gammage | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Hayes, Mr. Colin

Colin Sidney Hayes (1924–1999) was an expert handler and judge of horses, and an astute businessman.

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

Hayes, Mr. Colin

Hayes is remembered as possibly the greatest racehorse trainer and thoroughbred breeder in the history of Australian racing.

Historical Person | By Dennis Markham | North Terrace | late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Colonel Light statue

Colonel William Light’s statue on Montefiore Hill pointing towards the centre of Adelaide has come to symbolise the city that Light laid out.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1840s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1930s, early twenty–first century

Colonial Laws Validity Act

The powers of colonial legislatures to create courts, alter local constitutions and authenticate laws were confirmed by the British statute.

Historical Subject | By Peter Moore | 1860s, 1930s

Image: A cartoon drawing depicting a group of soldiers, and a sergeant who is trying to conscript a man

Conscription

Universal military training, including ‘boy conscription’ for those as young as 12, was introduced via the Commonwealth Defence Act in 1911.

Historical Subject | By Jenny Tilby Stock | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a woman with ear-length dark hair and wearing 1920s attire

Davey, Dr. Constance

Though hampered by a physical disability, Davey became a psychologist and educationist who worked untiringly for social justice.

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

Coopers Brewery

Coopers Brewery has survived where many others have failed; it is now the only Australian-owned major brewing company.

Historical Organisation | By Alison Painter | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Several large brick chimneys are flanked by a number of buildings. A vague coastline is visible in the background

Copper Industry

Copper brought unexpected wealth to the new colony and was an economic mainstay for 70 years, with a resurgence since the 1980s at Olympic Dam

Historical Subject | By Peter Bell | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

Cornish

South Australian mineral discoveries of the 1840s (especially at Kapunda and Burra in the Mid North) and extension of the farming frontier, were a magnet to the Cornish.

Historical Subject | By Mel Davies | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century