1980s

Strange, Mr. Arthur

Kind-hearted and single-minded, 'Padre' Arthur Strange was the founder of the Helping Hand Centre.

Historical Person | By Rev. Keith Smith | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Image: A middle-aged clean-shaven Caucasian man wearing a suit and wire-rimmed spectacles sits in a chair next to a desk. On the desk is a large pedal-powered radio, the handset of which is held by the man

Traeger, Mr. Alfred

Alf Traeger was friendly but self-effacing, and is perhaps best known as the inventor of the pedal wireless.

Historical Person | By John Healey | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Duguid, Dr. Charles

Charles Duguid was a medical practitioner and champion of the underdog who spent many of his 102 years as a worker for Aboriginal advancement.

Historical Person | By Stewart Cockburn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Hayes, Mr. Colin

Colin Sidney Hayes (1924–1999) was an expert handler and judge of horses, and an astute businessman.

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

Hayes, Mr. Colin

Hayes is remembered as possibly the greatest racehorse trainer and thoroughbred breeder in the history of Australian racing.

Historical Person | By Dennis Markham | North Terrace | late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: woman in front of sculpture of herself

Mitchell, Ms. Roma

A trailblazing jurist, Dame Roma Mitchell pushed for numerous law reforms and became South Australia’s first female governor.

Historical Person | By Nic Klaassen | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

Image: A young Caucasian woman poses for a photograph in her 1940s vintage bridal gown

Litchfield, Mrs. Ruby

As befitting a dedicated community worker and charity organizer, her simple philosophy was benign: ‘’To live and let live.’’

Historical Person | By Jo Peoples | North Terrace | 2000-2010, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Moriarty, Mr. Daniel

Daniel Moriarty has been acclaimed as the greatest footballer between the two World Wars.

Historical Person | By Prof John Daly | East Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Dallwitz, Mr. David

David Dallwitz was an accomplished musician and artist, whose work in both fields covered a wide variety of forms.

Historical Person | By Jane Hylton | North Terrace | 1930s, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

McGuire, Mr. Dominic

Dominic Paul McGuire made a name for himself as a successful author, and became a political ambassador for Australia.

Historical Person | By Katharine Massam | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Dunstan AC QC, Donald

As premier, Dunstan’s agenda of social and political reform transformed South Australia.

Historical Person | By The Hon Dr John Bannon, AO | North Terrace | 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, late twentieth century

Dowie, Dr. John

Works by the renowned and unpretentious artist John Dowie enhance many public places

Historical Person | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace, Parklands, Rundle Mall | 1910s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

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

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

Sym Choon, Miss Gladys

A pioneering businesswoman, Gladys Sym Choon was a well known member of South Australian society.

Historical Person | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Harold Hubert Salisbury (1915–1991), a career policeman and winner of the Queen’s Police medal in 1970, was recruited from Yorkshire to be South Australia’s police commissioner in 1972. In 1978 the ‘Salisbury Affair’ polarised South Australia’s community (roughly along party-political lines) and remains controversial.

Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1970s, early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

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

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

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

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

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

Image: Black and white photograph of two men in suits. They are standing around a just unwrapped painting of a ship

Tregenza, John

John Tregenza's work has helped the South Australian public appreciate just how interesting and important their own history can be.

Historical Person | By Wilfrid Prest | late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

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

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

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