mid nineteenth century

Bishop, John

Instigator and first Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, John Bishop was a musician, teacher and visionary.

Historical Person | By Jo Peoples | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

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

Flynn, Mr. John

Founder of the Australian Inland Mission and Royal Flying Doctor Service, Flynn was a practical and restless innovator.

Historical Person | By Ron White | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic portrait of a middle-aged man with a moustache and wire-rimmed spectacles

Black, John

Remembered as an eminent botanist, Black was also an accomplished linguist, who reprimanded his grandchildren in French and his dog in Spanish.

Historical Person | By Dr David Jones | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Image: Illustration of a bearded man leaning on a rifle and armed with two pistols attached to his belt, c.1855

Stuart, John McDouall

Explorer and surveyor John McDouall Stuart was celebrated as a hero for leading the first European expedition to cross Australia from south to north.

Historical Person | By Peter Bowyer | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

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 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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing a late-Victorian era suit (without tie). He is sporting a large, luxurious handlebar moustache

Wells, Lawrence

Explorer and surveyor Lawrence Wells survived gruelling expeditions but died after being struck by a railcar.

Historical Person | By Rod Cramer | North Terrace | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s

Light Horse Memorial

Remembering South Australian Light Horsemen who served in Egypt and Palestine and at Gallipoli

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, Boer War, early twenty–first century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian woman dressed in early twentieth century attire. She has dark hair and eyes and is wearing a pearl necklace and light cardigan sweater

de Lissa, Ms. Lillian

Hard working, widely read and exceptionally charming, exotically-named intellectual Lillian Daphne de Lissa was a kindergarten pioneer.

Historical Person | By Dr Helen Jones | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s

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 photographic portrait of a moustachioed middle-aged Caucasian man wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and a mid-20th century suit and tie

Scammell, Mr. Luther

Manufacturing chemist Luther Scammell prepared compounds, saved a struggling business, and coined the name ‘Solyptol’.

Historical Person | By Peter Donovan | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

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 young Caucasian woman in a full-length Edwardian-era dress paints a still life on an easel. The painting features a couple of vases holding flowers

Preston, Mrs. Margaret

A highly influential painter and printmaker, Margaret Preston was once described as 'a natural enemy of the dull'.

Historical Person | By Jane Hylton | North Terrace | 1870s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

Deeply affected by the isolation and loneliness of her early married life, Mary Jane Warnes strived to improve conditions for her fellow countrywomen by founding the South Australian Country Women’s Association.

Historical Person | By Nancy Robinson Flannery | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

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

Image: sculpture of standing man in nineteenth century costume

Matthew Flinders Memorial

A statue to honour Matthew Flinders, the first explorer to circumnavigate Australia, was a long time coming in Adelaide

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1790s, 1800-1810, 1840s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s

Mills, Ms. May

Educationist and sports administrator May Mills believed 'the wholesome development of a nation' depended on sport.

Historical Person | By Dr Helen Jones | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

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

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

Image: A large, five storey, brick and stone building with a central tower, bay windows, crenellated parapet and pitched iron roof. The dome of the exhibition building can be seen behind.

North Terrace East

North Terrace east is Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Image: a series of three storey buildings line one side of a wide city street. Between the buildings and the road is a line of trees. Travelling along the street are horse-drawn vehicles, motor cars and an electric tram, as well as people in 1920s clothes

North Terrace West

Stretching from Adelaide’s first survey point to Parliament House, the character of this part of North Terrace continues to evolve

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, early twenty–first century

Image: leather bench seats sit behind desks facing inwards and arranged along the walls of a large room which is decorated with large portraits. At the far end of the room is a more ornate desk with three individual seats.

Old Parliament House

The site of countless debates, Old Parliament House dates from 1855

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young man wearing a late-Victorian era suit and sporting a dark, handlebar moustache

Nesbit, Mr. Edward

Barrister, intellectual and proud hedonist, Paris Nesbit was an early starter who allegedly read Milton at three and translated Goethe at ten.

Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s

Parliament House

The scene of pomp and ceremony, debates and demonstrations

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1930s, 1950s

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: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly Caucasian man wearing an early twentieth-century suit and wire-rimmed spectacles. He is balding, but has a full beard and bushy moustache

Waite, Mr. Peter

A pastoralist who built an empire on sheep and cattle runs, Peter Waite was also a major philanthropist.

Historical Person | By Yvonne Routledge | North Terrace | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s

Image: two smiling caucasian women writing at a main desk in library

Public Libraries

South Australia was unique among the Australian colonies in that the South Australian Literary and Scientific Association assembled a subscription library before the settlers left Britain.

Historical Place | By Carl Bridge and Michael Talbot | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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: 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

Adelaidia