mid nineteenth century

Image: A photographic collage containing the portraits of five Caucasian men in late Victorian-era attire. Four of the men are bearded, while the fifth sports a handlebar moustache. Two of the men are middle aged; the other three are younger

Hancock, Mr. Henry

Imposing mine Superintendent Henry Richard Hancock substantially reorganized and developed the “Monster Mine” at Moonta.

Historical Person | By Ros Paterson | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Aborigines Protection Board

The South Australian Aborigines Act Amendment Act (1939) established a board ‘charged with the duty of controlling and promoting the welfare’ of Aboriginal people.

Historical Organisation | By Margaret Macilwain | late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: A middle-aged bearded man wearing late-Victorian attire and holding an umbrella and stove-pipe hat poses for a photograph

Boas, Abraham

Abraham Tobias Boas was the first rabbi in South Australia, but so inclusive he was also called ‘the best Christian in Adelaide’.

Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | 1860s, 1870s, 1890s, 1920s

Image: A group of men in Edwardian attire pose for a photograph. One of the men is wearing a large mayoral collar

Adelaide City Council

The Adelaide City Council has a history spanning over 170 years of service to its citizens.

Historical Organisation | By Corinne Ball, Migration Museum | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Image: paper tag printed with red background and steamship funnel

Adelaide Steamship Company

The Adelaide Steamship Company was Australia’s largest shipping company and one of South Australia’s most successful business ventures.

Historical Organisation | By Lindl Lawton, South Australian Maritime Museum | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A well-dressed man with a moustache poses for a photograph. His right arm rests on a table

Tolmer, Mr. Alexander

Alexander Tolmer was a Police Commissioner, initiator of the gold escorts, and by all accounts a colourful character with a thirst for action and adventure.

Historical Person | By Robert Clyne | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Image: Three elderly Caucasian men in late Victorian-era attire pose for a photograph outside a bluestone building. Two are seated while another stands.

Simpson, Mr. Alfred

Not content with being the nation’s biggest metal goods manufacturer, Alfred Muller Simpson was prominent in public life too.

Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

Image: A group of middle-aged men in Edwardian attire pose for a photograph. The two men in the centre sit on chairs, while the other two stand on either side of the group

Kirkpatrick, Mr. Andrew

A union leader, parliamentarian and egalitarian, Andrew Alexander Kirkpatrick pushed for equal rights for women.

Historical Person | By Nick Ganzis | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: head and shoulders portrait of a man with a beard

Tennant, Mr. Andrew

Andrew Tennant was the son of a Scottish shepherd who became a pastoralist and counted mining and the Adelaide Steamship Co. among his business investments.

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

Image: women in dress with hat sitting down next to man in suit and top hat

Tennyson , Audrey

Audrey Tennyson (1854-1916), wife of South Australian governor Hallam Tennyson, took a particular interest in the conditions of South Australia’s poor and sick.

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

Image: A painted head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged man with mutton-chop sideburns and dressed in Victorian-era attire

Kavel, Mr. August

An austere but tolerant Lutheran migrant leader, August Kavel contributed significantly to South Australia’s rich legacy of German culture.

Historical Person | By David Schubert | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s

Image: Sepia photograph of bald man standing in front of a chair and table

Short, Augustus

The energetic Augustus Short, South Australia’s first Anglican bishop, laid firm foundations for the growth of the Anglican Church in the new colony.

Historical Person | By David Hilliard | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

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

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

Boarding Out Society

The origins of foster care for disadvantaged children

Historical Organisation | By Mary-Louise Geyer | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

Image: bearded man poses for portrait photograph

Finniss, Boyle

South Australia’s first premier was born at sea off the Cape of Good Hope and educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1880s

Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in mid-nineteenth century attire. He is clean-shaven and wearing a dark neck cravat

Sturt, Captain Charles

A soldier and explorer, Captain Charles Sturt was first to chart the River Murray.

Historical Person | By Valerie Sitters | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

Spence, Catherine Helen

Writer and social reformer Catherine Helen Spence was also the first woman to write a novel about Australia.

Historical Person | By Susan Magarey | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

Image: black and white photograph of a seated man, dressed in black and holding a cane

Kingston PC QC, Charles

Though dogged by scandal, Charles Kingston was a lawyer, parliamentarian and Federalist who steered many reforms through the South Australian Parliament and helped draft Australia’s Constitution.

Historical Person | By The Hon Dr John Bannon, AO | North Terrace, Northwest corner, Southwest corner | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

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

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: black and white photograph of a man sitting in garden

Fowler, David

Merchant David Fowler built a successful grocery business, famous for jams, confectionery and preserved fruit.

Historical Person | By John Walker | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

Image: A small group of Caucasian men, women and children dressed in late Victorian attire ride in a carriage-like vehicle along a town road. The vehicle has four spoked wheels and what appears to be an engine. A moustachioed middle-aged man operates it

Shearer, Mr. David

Though a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, David Shearer also designed an early car, constructed an observatory, and was a keen artist.

Historical Person | By Don Beaty | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s

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

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

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

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

Image: Edward John Eyre, seated, looking off to the side, with a notebook

Eyre, Edward

Edward John Eyre (1815–1901) was English-born and educated for a military career but decided to travel to Australia instead. Arriving in Sydney in March 1833, Eyre soon displayed his flair for self-reliant leadership and adventure.

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