mid nineteenth century

Image: a brick convent building behind a stone wall.

Saint Mary's Dominican Convent and School

Saint Mary's Convent and School is one of several historically significant Catholic church buildings and religious community residences based on Franklin Street and West Terrace.

Historical Place | By Vedrana Budimir, History Trust of South Australia | Southwest corner | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: crowd of people in front of church

Saint Patrick's Church

Saint Patrick's Church on Grote Street is one of several historically significant Catholic church buildings in the southwest corner of the Adelaide CBD. The original building was the first Catholic church in Adelaide.

Historical Place | By Vedrana Budimir, History Trust of South Australia | Southwest corner | 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 seated backwards on chair with arms crossed on seat back and an open book on the table beside him

Gill, Samuel Thomas

Artist Samuel Thomas Gill produced a lively visual record of early South Australia.

Historical Person | By Jane Hylton | Hindley Street, North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

Young, Sarah

Sarah Jane (Jeanna) Young (née Foster) (1866–1955), inspired by Catherine Helen Spence, became secretary of the Effective Voting League (1897), wrote and lectured on proportional representation and, with Spence, campaigned for eight weeks in Sydney to have the Hare-Spence voting system adopted in Federal elections. She would later run for parliament and receive an OBE.

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

Schools' Patriotic Fund

The Children's Patriotic Fund and Schools' Patriotic Fund were repsonsible for aiding the war effort on the homefront during the First and Second World War, respectively. They achieved this by mobilising school children across South Australia to contribute in any way they could towards the war effort.

Historical Organisation | By Jack Evans, History Trust of South Australia | 1910s, 1940s, First World War, Second World War

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

Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

Serbians in South Australia

Serbians migrated to South Australia from the 1940s - 1990s to escape various forms of prosecution and have since established a wide community.

Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1990s, early twentieth century, Second World War

Image: man standing in 19th century dress

Todd, Sir Charles

Sir Charles Todd was a leader in the fields of meteorology, astronomy and communications, and is best remembered for masterminding the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.

Historical Person | By John Jenkin | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

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

Stirling, Sir Edward

Sir Edward Stirling was (among other things) a surgeon, scientist, educationist, curator, lecturer and parliamentarian; in short, a Renaissance Man.

Historical Person | By Anna Stirling Pope | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

Smith, Sir Edwin

Sir Edwin Thomas Smith was a brewer, parliamentarian and, thanks to his philanthropy, Adelaide’s favourite millionaire.

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

Kingston, Sir George

By turns architect, engineer, surveyor and parliamentarian, Sir George Kingston was also Speaker of the House of Assembly for almost two decades.

Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

Ayers, Sir Henry

A businessman, banker and parliamentarian, Henry Ayers was astute, hard-headed and politically adroit.

Historical Person | By Robyn Taylor | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Melrose, Sir John

Pastoralist and philanthropist Sir John Melrose continued to work with stock and managed properties – despite going blind.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s

Sir Mark Oliphant bust

The bust of Sir Mark Oliphant on North Terrace honours an eminent scientist and the state’s first South Australian-born governor.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, Second World War

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a man in suit and tie sporting a large handlebar moustache. The frame surrounding the portrait identifies the man as Richard Chaffey Baker

Baker, Sir Richard

An influential conservative politician and a supporter of Federation, Sir Richard Baker was the first President of the Senate.

Historical Person | By Rob van den Hoorn | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Image: A lithographic portrait of a middle-aged balding man with a large, full beard. He is wearing mid-Victorian attire, including an overcoat, waistcoat, and pocket watch chain with fob

Torrens, Sir Robert

Land titles reformer Sir Robert Richard Torrens reformed, amended and even radicalised the land trade system.

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

Image: A man with a chin-beard and wearing mid-Victorian era attire poses for a photograph. He stands next to a bannister and is holding a stove-pipe hat

Davenport, Sir Samuel

Davenport was a liberal-minded and literate parliamentarian and a promoter of industry, especially in the fields of horticulture and viniculture

Historical Person | By Dr Geoffrey Bishop | North Terrace | late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a bearded middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a judicial wig and vestments. He is also wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and looking to his left

Way, Sir Samuel

A Chief Justice of South Australia, Sir Samuel Way was polished, cultured and proud.

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

Sir Samuel Way Memorial Statue

A statue of Sir Samuel Way reflects his towering presence in legal, political and cultural circles in the last decades of the nineteenth century.

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a white-haired man with goatee. He is wearing a suit and is standing with his arms crossed

Kidman, Sir Sidney

Abstemious but easy-going, Sir Sidney Kidman was a pastoralist and philanthropist who made friends easily.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century

Image: Black and white photograph of man wearing formal clothes and livery collar

Elder GCMG, Sir Thomas

A pastoralist, philanthropist and businessman, Elder supported numerous outback expeditions and Adelaide institutions.

Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace, Parklands | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged bearded man wearing a cravat and overcoat

Hughes, Sir Walter

A pastoralist and mine-owner once accused of fraud, Hughes stated shortly before his death: ‘I have been a sinner all my life’.

Historical Person | By Patricia Sumerling | North Terrace | 1840s, mid nineteenth century

Image: crowd of people around large bronze statue of seated man

Sir Walter Watson Hughes statue

The bronze figure of Sir Walter Watson Hughes by Francis Williamson stands on a massive block of red granite.

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton and James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 2000-2010

Image: head and shoulders portrait of a reverend

Social Purity Society

In July 1882 Rev. Joseph Coles Kirby of Port Adelaide Congregational Church delivered a series of lectures on what he termed the Social Evil – broadly interpreted as drinking, prostitution and other forms of sexual licentiousness. Those present, following a similar movement in England, agreed to form the Social Purity Society (SPS), to combat what they perceived to be an epidemic of vice.

Historical Organisation | By Jim Jose | late nineteenth century