Mid North and Clare Valley

Jones, Mr. Hooper

The music of unconventional musician and composer Hooper Josse Brewster Jones was as distinctive as his name.

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

Image: Black and white photo of horseracing in progress, crowd behind a fence

Reputed to be Australia’s third-largest industry, horseracing contributes to the national economy and state government revenues through direct employment and also through primary production, transport, tourism, media, entertainment and gambling.

Historical Subject | By John Mannion | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: view of trees surrounded by buildings

Hurtle Square / Tangkaira

Located in the south-east of Adelaide on the Kaurna peoples land of Tandayangga (place of the Red Kangaroo Dreaming), Hurtle Square was one of the six squares designed by Colonel William Light in his 1837 plan of Adelaide.

Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Southeast corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Two large interconnected synagogue buildings, a man stands in the bare yard at the front of the building.

Jewish People

Small in number over time, Adelaide’s Jews have contributed significantly to the professions, especially medicine, and are well represented in academia, industry and commerce.

Historical Subject | By Bruce Rosen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Painting of the back of a man sitting on a chair at his desk. The man is balding. The painting is black and white.

Menge, Johannes

Johannes Menge, born in Steinau, Germany, was South Australia's first geologist.

Historical Person | By Bernie O'Neil | 1790s, early nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Kaurna language (Kaurna warra)

Kaurna, the original language of Adelaide and the Adelaide Plains, is once again being heard.

Historical Subject | By Rob Amery | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

Kaurna People

The original people of the Adelaide Plains are still here - and once again speaking the Kaurna language.

Historical Subject | By Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien & Mandy Paul | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Old document in browning ink with large wax seal attached at bottom

Letters Patent

South Australia's founding document is once again the source of intense political and legal debate.

Historical Subject | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Crowd watching unveiling of monument

Light Square/ Wauwi

Originally intended as a recreational garden oasis from the surrounding city, Light Square, however, developed a reputation for prostitution, drinking and violence.

Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Northwest corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Magazines

The first South Australian magazine to focus on local content was the South Australian Magazine, first published in 1841. Other magazines published during the nineteenth century include: Illustrated Adelaide Post, Pictorial Australian, Observer Miscellany, Adelaide Punch, Lantern, and Quiz.South Australian magazines published in the twentieth century include: Pheonix, Chapbook, and Angry Penguins. ‘Street press’, free newsprint magazines, began appearing in the last decades of the twentieth century with such titles as dB and Rip It Up .

Historical Subject | By Anthony Laube | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

Marriage and divorce

Marriage and divorce rates have fluctuated according to social mores and legislative imposts.

Historical Subject | By Margaret Allen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Warnes, Mrs. Mary

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

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

McLeod, Mr. Murdoch

A very industrious and conservative businessman, Murdoch McLeod was generous but modest and never flamboyant.

Historical Person | By Knoyle Cross | Central Market | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Muslim Cameleer heritage

My tribe (Kharoti) came to australia and brought camels in 1860.

User Story

Nursing

On-the-job experience was the only training for the earliest nurses, but the profession is now part of the higher education sector

Historical Subject | By Joan Durdin | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth 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

Philanthropy

‘South Australia’, wrote the early twentieth-century author of The Cyclopedia of South Australia, ‘owes its existence to a movement which had its origins in philanthropy’.

Historical Subject | By Rob Linn | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: group of people standing together on steps

Population

South Australia’s demography is in many ways the most distinctive of all Australia’s states, but the wealth of historical population data available for both the colony and state remains under-analysed.

Historical Subject | By Graeme Hugo | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A two-storey octagonal stone tower set within a high wall with a crenellated parapet.

Prisons

Although South Australia was proclaimed a free settlement, colonial officials soon found they needed a gaol to house lawbreakers.

Historical Subject | By Patricia Sumerling | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: men standing in front of building

Pubs

JM Freeland characterises Australian pubs as among ‘the most socially significant, historically valuable, architecturally interesting and colourful features of Australian society’ (Freeland 1977, p. 1). South Australia’s pubs are no exception.

Historical Subject | By Patricia Sumerling | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: crowds of people, dressed fairly formally, in front of shop awnings

Retail Trade

In the early years of European settlement the distinction between retail trade, wholesale trade and importing in South Australia was unclear, with many businesses combining all three functions.

Historical Subject | By Martin P Shanahan | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first 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: black and white photo of street lined with three and four storey buildings

Rundle Street

Rundle Street has been a centre of shops and arcades, theatre and cafes, as well as acrimonious debate

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Mall, Rundle Street east | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Four men and a woman in university graduation attire sit on chairs and pose for a photograph

Science

Before and after the arrival of Europeans, Aboriginal peoples had a well-developed cultural understanding and practical knowledge of plants, animal behaviour, local geology and meteorological conditions. Information they provided was frequently vital to the success – and even survival – of early European navigators and explorers.

Historical Subject | By Pauline Payne | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century