1. 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

  2. Hudson, Flexmore

    Flexmore Hudson was a poet and teacher who produced Poetry, the second largest poetry magazine circulating in the English speaking world. 

    Historical Person | By Anthony Laube | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Image: A lithograph of a middle-aged man in Victorian attire seated at a table and holding a book

    Angas , George

    This merchant, banker, landowner and philanthropist was generous but shrewd, and often tagged with the phrase ‘philanthropy plus ten per cent’.

    Historical Person | By John Healey | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  7. Image: Black and white photograph of Indigenous woman

    Elphick MBE, Gladys

    Known to all as ‘Aunty Glad’, Elphick was a tireless worker for Aboriginal welfare.

    Historical Person | By Lewis O'Brien & Professor Paul Hughes | North Terrace | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  8. 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

  9. Image: An upper body portrait photograph of a man in an army uniform, and wearing an army hat with chin strap.

    Hele, Sir Ivor

    Ivor Henry Thomas Hele was an official war artist in North Africa, New Guinea and Korea; possibly Australia’s most important war artist.

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

  10. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a clean-shaven, middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a suit of 1940s vintage

    Prescott, Prof. James

    The founder of soil science in Australia, James Prescott was active at every level of education. 

    Historical Person | By Prof Emeritus John Prescott | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. black and white image of a woman sitting at a desk with a book

    Cashmore, Jennifer

    Jennifer Cashmore was a trailblazer in South Australian politics. 

    Historical Person | By Amy Morrison & Larrie Strautmanis | 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s, 2020s

  14. Newspaper photo, head and shoulders of woman.

    Cooper, Mrs. Jessie

    Jessie Mary Cooper was the first woman elected to South Australia’s parliament. 

    Historical Person | By Dr Helen Jones | 1850s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

  15. James, Mr. Jimmy

    A masterly Aboriginal police tracker, James saved lives, gathered evidence and attained legendary status.

    Historical Person | By Robert Holmes | North Terrace | 1970s, 1980s, mid twentieth century

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. Man sitting in small archive room with pictures behind him

    Vanagas, Mr. Jonas

    A quiet unassuming immigrant to Australia, Jonas Vanagas gave his free time to collect the history of Lobethal and the Lithuanian community.

    Historical Person | By Daina Pocius, Lithuanians in South Australia | 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Second World War

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. Image: Upper body portrait photograph of a man wearing a suit

    McEwin, Mr. Alexander

    Lyell Alexander McEwin (1897–1988) received a frugal Mid North upbringing which taught him the motto, ‘waste not, want not’, that characterised his 40 years in the Legislative Council, 1934–75. 

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  28. Image: black and white photo of man in suit wearing white turban

    Allum, Mahomet

    Mahomet Allum was described in glowing testimonials as 'the wonder man' and by his adversaries as a 'quack'. 

    Historical Person | By Vedrana Budimir & Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | Central Market | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

  29. 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

  30. 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

Pages