1. 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

  2. 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

  3. Image: elderly woman in nineteenth century costume

    Francisco, Mrs. Sarah

    Sarah Francisco was one of Port Adelaide’s most notorious residents during the latter half of the nineteenth century.

    Historical Person | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  4. 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

  5. Image: Two men in Victorian attire stand in front of a two-storey brick and bluestone building

    Sawtell's Nautical Optician

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

    Historical Subject | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

  6. 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

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

    Singaporeans in South Australia

    Singaporean migration to South Australia has occured from the early nineteenth century, however, when the Restriction Act 1901 was relaxed in 1967 there has been a significant increase of people coming to South Australia. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  8. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young, clean-shaven Caucasian man wearing an early-20th century suit and wire-rimmed spectacles

    Price, Sir Archibald

    Working with this vivacious geographer, historian and educationist was said to be 'like hanging on the tail of a comet'. 

    Historical Person | By Betty Lewis | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  9. 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

  10. Gibb, Sir Claude

    Irascible yet open-minded engineer, industrialist, and ideas man Sir Claude Gibb was responsible for the design of the Centurion tank.

    Historical Person | By Gwenyth Moxham | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  11. Mawson, Sir Douglas

    Sir Douglas Mawson became famous as an Antarctic explorer, but the geology of South Australia was his life’s work.

    Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  12. Sir Edward 'Bill' Hayward

    Hayward, Sir Edward

    Known as ‘Bill’, Sir Edward Hayward was a businessman, patron of the arts and the originator of the Adelaide Christmas pageant.

    Historical Person | By Hon Christopher Legoe | early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Image: A group of middle-aged Caucasian men dressed in early twentieth century suits and fedora hats stand in front of a brick building. A late-1920s model car is parked immediately behind the group

    Holden, Sir Edward

    Motor car manufacturer and industrialist Sir Edward Holden gave his name to a car, albeit posthumously.

    Historical Person | By June Donovan | North Terrace, Southeast corner | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  14. 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

  15. Image: a bearded man in three quarter profile and wearing a hat and sword sits at his writing desk.

    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

  16. Image: A moustachioed middle-aged man wearing a suit stands on a stage on which several dignitaries are seated

    Brookman, Sir George

    A wealthy businessman and quiet philanthropist, Sir George Brookman was a conservative who was described as ‘hard but fair’ by one of his descendants.

    Historical Person | By Ron Gibbs | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s

  17. Image: drawing of a man in profile wearing a top hat

    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

  18. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a clean-shaven man wearing a turtleneck sweater and tweed jacket

    Heysen, Sir Wilhelm

    Sir Hans Heysen was a masterly artist, the immortaliser of the gum tree on canvas, and a dedicated conservationist.

    Historical Person | By Peter Heysen | North Terrace | 1960s, early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  19. 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

  20. Image: Pencil sketch of the upper torso of an elderly man wearing a suit and academic robes

    Newland, Sir Henry

    Sir Henry Newland gained an international reputation as a pioneer plastic surgeon.

    Historical Person | By Ian L.D. Forbes | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  21. Cleland, Sir John

    Pathologist, naturalist and ardent conservationist, Professor Cleland, as he preferred to be known, contributed across many fields.

    Historical Person | By Dr Jane Southcott | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  22. 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

  23. Image: A moustachioed middle-aged Caucasian man in an Australian Army officer's uniform. He is wearing a hat and spectacles with oval lenses

    Wills, Sir Kenneth

    Businessman and soldier Sir Kenneth Wills was Controller of the Allied Intelligence Bureau during the Second World War.

    Historical Person | By William Wills | North Terrace | 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  24. Bonython, Sir John

    Sir Langdon Bonython was a progressive liberal whose long life encompassed being a parliamentarian, newspaper proprietor and philanthropist.

    Historical Person | By Warren Bonython | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s

  25. Image: Bust of Sir Lawrence Bragg

    Sir Lawrence Bragg bust

    The bust of Sir Lawrence Bragg commemorates a South Australian Nobel Laureate

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1970s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  26. Dumas, Sir Frederick

    At the end of his long life, newspaperman Sir Lloyd Dumas described himself as simply ‘the luckiest man in the world’.

    Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  27. Oliphant, Sir Mark

    Best known as a governor of South Australia, Sir Mark Oliphant was also a pioneering nuclear physicist, who became an outspoken anti-nuclear campaigner.

    Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  28. Sir Mellis Napier bust, 2013

    Sir Mellis Napier bust

    The bronze bust of Sir Mellis Napier, sculpted by eminent South Australian artist John Dowie, commemorates his distinguished community service, including to the law and legal profession in South Australia

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1880s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  29. Image: A man in a barrister wig and gown poses for a photograph. He is seated in a chair with his right profile facing the camera

    Napier, Sir Thomas

    Sir Mellis Napier was a Chief Justice of South Australia, and arguably a reactionary one. 

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  30. 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

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