1. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly Aboriginal man. He is clean-shaven, sporting a short haircut and is wearing a suit jacket and tie

    Unaipon, David

    David Unaipon was an Aboriginal leader, writer, gatherer of legends, and inventor who was referred to in the press as 'the Black Leonardo'.

    Historical Person | By Philip Jones | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  2. McGuire, Mr. Dominic

    Dominic Paul McGuire made a name for himself as a successful author, and became a political ambassador for Australia. 

    Historical Person | By Katharine Massam | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  3. Image: Black and white photograph of seated man in three quarter profile

    Everard, Dr. Charles

    A physician by training, Charles Everard became a landholder, a farmer and a prominent colonist.

    Historical Person | By Jude Elton and Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

  4. Image: Woman dressed in graduation gown and mortarboard

    Davy, Dr. Ruby

    Ruby Claudia Emily Davy was one of Australia’s leading music teachers and the first woman in Australia to receive a Doctorate of Music.

    Historical Person | By Owen Hems | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  5. Image: portrait of a man in black and white

    Wright, Edmund

    Some of Adelaide’s finest nineteenth-century buildings were designed by this architect.

    Historical Person | By Robyn Taylor | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

  6. Scott, Mr. Edward

    Edward Bates Scott migrated to New South Wales in 1838 from England, he later settled in the Murray Region, establishing a cattle station, becoming a magistrate, protector of Aboriginals, and finally a superintendent of a labour prison.

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

  7. Image: seated woman with man and boy

    Woolcock, Mrs. Elizabeth

    Hanged at Adelaide Gaol on 30 December 1873, the 26-year-old Elizabeth Woolcock is the only woman to have been legally executed in South Australia

    Historical Person | By Peter Bell | 1870s

  8. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing an early Edwardian suit. He is clean shaven and has light-coloured hair and eyes

    Lewis, Mr. Essington

    Essington Lewis was a hard-working industrialist who substantially developed and expanded B.H.P., and was Director-General of Munitions during the Second World War.

    Historical Person | By Bob Lewis | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  9. Image: The body of a tug boat upside down in the process of being constructed, numerous people, ropes and ladders surround the boat

    Perry, Mr. Frank

    Frank Tennyson Perry (1887–1965) was born in Gawler and educated at Prince Alfred College before joining his uncle’s engineering business in 1903. 

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  10. Image: Photograph of farmers and horses pulling a harvester

    May, Mr. John

    Frederick May was an engineer and manufacturer, and the archetypal 'quiet achiever' who missed out on major fame and success.

    Historical Person | By Mark Boon | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  11. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a balding, middle-aged man in profile. He is wearing a mid-twentieth century suit and reading a document

    Mayo, Mr. George

    George Elton Mayo was an extraordinarily versatile pioneer in human relations, management studies and psychoanalysis.

    Historical Person | By Dr Oliver Mayo | North Terrace | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  12. Image: View of shop fronts and cars along currie street

    Hassell, Mr. George

    A printer and publisher, Hassell was devoted to the immaculate ‘embellishment of books’.

    Historical Person | By Valmai Hankel | North Terrace, Northwest corner | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Image: portrait of woman

    Sym Choon, Miss Gladys

    A pioneering businesswoman, Gladys Sym Choon was a well known member of South Australian society.

    Historical Person | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Salisbury , Harold

    Harold Hubert Salisbury (1915–1991), a career policeman and winner of the Queen’s Police medal in 1970, was recruited from Yorkshire to be South Australia’s police commissioner in 1972. In 1978 the ‘Salisbury Affair’ polarised South Australia’s community (roughly along party-political lines) and remains controversial.

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1970s, early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  15. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of an incredibly attractive young woman with light-coloured eyes and an ear-length 1920s haircut

    Mayo, Dr. Helen

    Medical practitioner Helen Mayo combined energy and a strong social conscience in her promotion of child health services.

    Historical Person | By Decie Denholm | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  16. Image: portrait of man wearing tie and suit jacket

    Barwell, Sir Henry

    Henry Newman Barwell was a successful lawyer and politician who lent his name to a farm apprenticeship scheme. 

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1940s, early twentieth century

  17. 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

  18. Image: seated man in relaxed pose

    Fisher, Sir James

    Fisher became the first Mayor of Adelaide in 1840 and the first resident South Australian to be knighted in 1860

    Historical Person | By Allison Russell, History Trust of South Australia | Central Market | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

  19. Image: A full-length photographic portrait of an elderly, bearded man sitting in a chair. The man is wearing a suit and holding a cane in his hands

    Martin, Mr. James

    A man of many parts, Martin was an inventor, politician, philanthropist, engineer and ‘The Father of Gawler’.

    Historical Person | By Derek Whitelock | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  20. Wendt, Joachim

    Joachim Wendt was a Danish-born silversmith whose work included extravagant naturalism, Edwardian style, and restrained Regency taste.

    Historical Person | By Richard Phillips | North Terrace, Rundle Street east | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  21. McPherson, Mr. John

    A union official and social reformer who was not a socialist, John McPherson became the first leader of South Australia's Parliamentary Labor Party 

    Historical Person | By Nick Ganzis | East Terrace | 1880s, 1890s

  22. Image: men and horse drawn carts in front of a huge pile of wheat sacks

    Dunn, Mr. John

    The father of Mount Barker, John Dunn lived a long and successful life as a miller, merchant and philanthropist in South Australia.

    Historical Person | By Corinne Ball, Migration Museum | 1800-1810, 1820s, 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. 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

  28. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man in a Victorian-era Catholic clergyman’s outfit. The man has long, dark wavy hair pulled back behind his head

    Woods, Julian

    Julian Woods was the co-founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and a creative priest, educationist and scientist. 

    Historical Person | By Sister Margaret Press | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

  29. 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

  30. Image: side view of man in suit, seated

    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

Pages