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Port Adelaide Ferries

Originally an informal service provided by a ragtag assortment of ‘watermen’ and their rowboats, Port Adelaide’s ferries evolved into the preferred link between…

1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s
Port Adelaide Lighthouse

Installed in the 1860s as Port Adelaide’s first fixed navigational beacon, and later used at South Neptune Island, the Port…

1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Pubs

JM Freeland characterises Australian pubs as among ‘the most socially significant, historically valuable, architecturally interesting and colourful features of Australian…

early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
Queens Wharf

Queen’s Wharf was one of the first two wharves built in Port Adelaide, providing the foundation of the Port we…

wharf

1840s
Railway Hotel (Port Adelaide)

The two-storey historic building located at 247 St. Vincent Street was the second in Port Adelaide to bear the name…

Hospitality establishment

1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Retail Trade

In the early years of European settlement the distinction between retail trade, wholesale trade and importing in South Australia was…

early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
Richard Bowyer Smith

Richard Bowyer Smith was born in London, England, in 1837, the son of carpenter Owen Smith and his wife Mary…

1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s
Rundle Street

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

early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
Sailors’ Aid Societies (Port Adelaide)

Sailors’ aid societies were first established at Port Adelaide in the 1860s to provide accommodation, entertainment, moral guidance and religious instruction to…

1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Sawtell’s Nautical Optician

The Port Adelaide business known colloquially as Sawtell’s ‘Nautical Optician’ was founded in 1853.

1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910
Singaporeans in South Australia

Singaporean migration to South Australia has occured from the early nineteenth century, however, when the Restriction Act 1901 was relaxed…

early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century
Sir John Melrose

John Melrose was born on 12th January 1860 at Rosebank station, Mount Pleasant, South Australia, the son of station-owner George…

1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s
Sir Robert Richard Torrens

Robert Richard Chute Torrens was born on 31st May 1812 in Cork, Ireland, the son of Robert Torrens, of the…

1840s, 1850s, 1860s
Sir Roland Jacobs

Roland Ellis Jacobs was born at North Adelaide on 28th February 1891, the son of company director Samuel Joshua Jacobs…

1970s, early twentieth century, mid twentieth century
Sir Samuel James Way, Bart, PC

Samuel James Way was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, on 11th April 1836, the son of a poor Bible Christian…

1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s
Sir Sidney Kidman

Sidney Kidman was born near Athelstone, South Australia, on 9th May 1857, the son of farmer George Kidman and his…

early twentieth century, late nineteenth century
South Australian Jam Company

On 28 September 1869, Mr T Collins held a meeting at the East-End Market Hotel to gauge interest among fruitgrowers…

East End Market, Flowery Vale, Jam, jelly, Kensington, Mt Lofty, preserves, produce, Richard Vaughan

1860s, 1870s
Steam Tug Yelta

Once an integral component of Port Adelaide’s fleet of working vessels, this sole-surviving example of an operational South Australian steam tug…

1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Strikes

South Australian workers have usually been less militant than their interstate counterparts.

employment, industry, workers, workers’ rights

1840s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Second World War
Susan Grace Benny

Susan Grace Benny (1872–1944), known as Grace, was the first woman local government councillor in Australia. Her achievements are honoured…

1870s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s
Sylvia Birdseye

Sylvia Birdseye was born Sylvia Jessie Catherine Merrill near Port Augusta on 26 January 1902, the daughter of station-hand Charles…

Great Depression, mid twentieth century, Second World War
Sym Choon Collection

A collection of objects related to the Sym Choon family, reflecting their lives as first generation Australians with Chinese heritage.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s
Synagogue Place

Synagogue Place, named after the Synagogue built in 1850, has been the centre of the Jewish community in South Australia…

early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
The Gardeners’ and Market Salesmen’s Association

On 24 November 1883, the East-End Market Hotel reflected the Australian surge in union participation in the 1880s, and increasing…

crops, east end, East End Market, East-End Market Hotel, East-End Market Picnic, gardeners, harvest, Mr Pascoe, Mr Wigzell, produce, salesmen, tradesmen, union, unions

1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s
The Great Depression

The Great Depression was an international economic crisis that effected capitalist countries including Australia. The generally accepted peak of the…

Great Depression, poverty

1920s, 1930s
The Second World War

This major international conflict officially began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 3 September 1939. It lasted for six years,…

1930s, 1940s
Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy lectured and wrote on the wine business and olive growing, was a member of the Phylloxera Board, Wine…

late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century
Thomas Quinton Stow

Thomas Quinton Stow was born on 7th July 1801 at Hadleigh, Suffolk, England, a descendant of an old farming family.…

1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s
Time

Within a year of settlement, Adelaide’s residents were synchronising their timepieces by a bell rung in North Terrace near West…

early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
Tom Elder Barr Smith

A gentle man and a gentleman, Tom Barr Smith is often described as ‘a chip off the old block’ —…

1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Featured Subject

‘Great Fires’ of Port Adelaide

‘Great Fires’ of Port Adelaide

Featured Subject

19th Century Childbirth

19th Century Childbirth

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Aboriginal Land Rights

Aboriginal Land Rights

Most popular Subjects

Afghans

Afghans

A transcontinental train, ‘The Ghan’, now commemorates the Afghan cameleers and their beasts who helped to pioneer the Outback

Bicycles

Bicycles

From ‘boneshakers’ to penny-farthings to mountain bikes, bicycles have certainly changed since the 1860s.

Copper Industry

Copper Industry

Copper brought unexpected wealth to the new colony and was an economic mainstay for 70 years, with a resurgence since the 1980s at Olympic Dam

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