Adelaide and Environs by JC Hawker - Adelaide Hills

Extract from EARLY EXPERIENCES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA - ADELAIDE AND ENVIRONS By James C Hawker

Edited and annotated by Reg Butler (Hahndorf Historian) and extracted from his unpublished computer files.

The Pestonjee Bomanjee being now anchored in South Australian waters, Captain Lipson RN, the Harbourmaster, came off to the ship. The captain fired a gun, and hoisted the ensign half-mast, as signals to the people on shore that the new Governor had arrived. An answering salute was fired from some guns ashore, and a display of bunting was made on the flagstaff there. In the afternoon, Colonel Gawler landed, and was introduced by Mr Milner Stephen - the Attorney-General and Acting-Governor - to several of the Government officers and other leading colonists, who had come from town to welcome him. The ship Surry anchored in Holdfast Bay one day previous to our doing so, and passengers from both vessels walked to Adelaide to look at the town …

Our ideas of the metropolis of South Australia had been very vague, but the reality completely staggered us. Instead of the stone or brick buildings we expected to see, were wooden ones, interspersed with tents, a stone or brick being quite a curiosity. Our first enquiry was where we could get refreshment, and a little wooden building was pointed out to us in Stephens-place, where we were initiated into the flavour of damper, with which and some meat, said to be mutton, and bottled English ale (oh! was not the letter delicious after our long walk), we managed to satisfy our appetites and our thirst.

I had been requested by the Governor to look at Government House and report to him what kind of building it was. We were thoroughly astonished at the architectural appearance of the viceregal residence. It was a hut, with slabs of wood for the sides, and the interstices were filled with clay and then whitewashed; the roof was of reeds. There were three rooms in the main building, and two small rooms attached, with a separate entrance.

After having viewed Government House, we determined to look for the River Torrens. Some of us had sketches showing the barque City of Adelaide at anchor opposite Government House. An individual whom we met volunteered to show us the noble stream, and we came to a water-course in which was a miserable dribbling current with an occasional waterhole. Any number of fallen trees blocked the bed of the river, and here and there were patches of ti-tree growing. That the Torrens! was the general exclamation …

It was now time for us to get back to our vessels, and we started. … After about three hours, … we reached Glenelg just as the sun was setting. To our dismay, a strong south-west wind had sprung up, causing a heavy sea to roll on the beach, and there was no possibility of our getting off to the ships … Shortly after sunset, it began to rain. The only inn was a hut made of reeds, having two compartments, one to serve as a bar, the other to drink or smoke in, and both were crammed with people, so that it was out of the question for our party - which included ladies - to obtain shelter there. We enquired from the landlord what we could be supplied with on board. Damper, ham and beer, was the answer, and the supply was beginning to run short owing to the sudden demand. …

Some large marquees and tents had been supplied to Colonel Gawler by the Ordnance Department in England … One of the marquees had been landed and partially erected, but only a small piece of the sides had been hooked on. Fortunately, the roof was all right, so we all availed ourselves of this, the only shelter to be had. The wind and rain increased, and it got bitterly cold, for we were all lightly clad. … All were very thankful when daylight appeared. So much for our first day and night experience of South Australia. …

Holdfast Bay Landings

On board our ship again, I reported to the Governor the very small accommodation which the Government House afforded, and he decided that his family and suite should remain at Glenelg for some days until arrangements should be made for their permanent residence in Adelaide. … The landing of everything from ships anchored in the bay was terribly tedious. Loaded boats grounded a long distance out, and this necessitated all packages being carried on the sailors’ shoulders beyond high water mark. Many, however, were tumbled into the sea, either unavoidably or from carelessness. …

I was standing up in the stern of the boat, when I noticed a ground shark rushing through the water towards us. Having seen several on previous occasions, we always carried a harpoon in the boat, I shouted, Look out! here’s a shark, caught up the harpoon, and drove the weapon into him. The cry of Shark! acted like magic. Down went the chest and scramble was made over the gunwale of the boat, the last man’s heels being just clear of the shark’s head. The fish was determined to pay us off. He slewed round, and got us broadside on to the sea nearly capsizing us; so we had to cut the harpoon line, and let him go. …

Governor Gawler's Official Arrival

The 17th October was fixed for Colonel Gawler to make his official entry into Adelaide. We started in the forenoon in procession, a large number of the colonists on horseback bringing up the rear. A vehicle had been procured early to take Mrs Gawler and her children to Adelaide. Carriages were not procurable - in fact, there were none in the colony, and horses were very scarce. On arrival at the viceregal residence, the oaths were administered to His Excellency by the Acting Judge, after which a levee was held by the Governor, and at the same time a reception by Mrs Gawler.

There was a good muster of colonists to pay their respects to His Excellency and Mrs Gawler. … A little confusion was now and then caused by some of the visitors thinking they had to back out, as at Her Majesty’s receptions. This involved treading on the toes of parties behind them who were coming in, and caused expressions of indignation on the faces of the persons so treated, in lieu of the smiles previously displayed.

Government Residence was then located near about where the Governor’s Offices are in the present Government House, and from it the ground sloped gradually down to the flat, where the Rotunda now stands, by the Torrens. A great feed had been provided here for a number of the Aborigines, and as the Governor wished to see their expertness with native weapons, two targets had been placed for the purpose. Two of the leading men in the Adelaide tribe had been named King John and Captain Jack. They had been presented with red woollen sailor’s shirts and in order that they should be decently clad before females, moleskin trousers had been served out to all the male Aboriginals. …

King John requested that the distance from the targets might be shortened, as he said it was too much long. The spears were in two pieces; the haft was of grass-tree stem, about 3 feet long, and into this was fixed a well polished and hardened piece of mallee wood 6 feet long and very sharp pointed, making the whole length of the spear about 9 feet. A wommera, or throwing-stick, 2 feet long, was used to propel the spear, in the heel of which was a kangaroo tooth fastened with string made from the sinews of the kangaroo-tail and then secured with the resinous gum of the grass-tree. When the spear was poised for throwing, this tooth was inserted into the grass-tree heel and kept the spear horizontal. The wommera gave great power in hurling the weapon. The targets were fixed at last, at about 40 paces distant.

Captain Jack, King John, and several other Aboriginals now tried their prowess at the targets, but not a spear touched them. Many fell short of the distance, and this elicited much derisive laughter amongst the bystanders, and made King John very excited. He suddenly stripped off his red woollen shirt and moleskin pants, appeared in full Adamite costume, and before any one could interfere, he gave a tremendous yell and dashed two of his spears right through the centre of the target. Then turning quickly round to the spectators, many of whom were making a rapid departure, with His Excellency and party leading, he pointed to the target and shouted, Varey goodey, and then, shaking his fist at his clothes thrown on the ground, no goodey. …

Government House

The marquees and tents were duly forwarded to Adelaide, and pitched in convenient positions near to Government House. Mrs Gawler and her daughters and servants had preceded us by some days, and taken up their abode in the Government Residence, some extra accommodation having been erected. The two small rooms on the left were appropriated by the Governor for his offices, the inner room for himself, and the outer one for Mr Hall, his Private Secretary, and myself as assistant. This room was also used as a waiting apartment for visitors requiring to transact official business with His Excellency. The large room in which the levee had been held, served as breakfast, dining, and drawing room. It had calico ceiling to prevent the insects, which swarmed in the thatched roof of the building, from falling on the occupants. The sides were rough plastered and whitewashed. A strong sapling gum-tree, which had been pollarded, served in one corner of the room as a support for the end of one of the side beams, and we had frequently to cut back shoots which grew out from the tree. …

At this period, buildings in Adelaide were very much scattered, and by far the larger number were of wood. A builder in London, of the name of Manning, had invented a wooden structure which could be erected and re-erected in a short time and at little expense. Great numbers of these Manning houses, as they were called, were imported. A large area of the town was covered with gum scrub, and on dark nights it was very difficult to find the way from one place to another when they were far apart. Cases were not uncommon of persons losing their way and having to camp out until daylight.

Looking towards Government House, our tents were all pitched to the left, and about 60 yards behind them was the Gaol. It consisted of buildings of pine, and roofed with shingles. It had one long room for prisoners, and at right angles a guardroom, and another for the use of the Head and Assistant Gaoler. A fair-sized yard was enclosed with a high and strong pine fence and wicket gate, at which a sentry was always on duty, faced our tents. The site where this building stood, and also part of that where our tents were erected, has been removed by stone being quarried there for building and other purposes.

Government House was not fenced round, and for some time a source of great annoyance was caused by the mostly nude natives basking in the sun under the windows and close to the entrance. It was most difficult to get rid of them. Want um tucker, was their continual cry. A paling fence was therefore put up; and, as then scrub extended from North Terrace right up to the residence, a lantern with a lighted candle in it was hung on the corner-post facing North-terrace as a guide to find the building at night.

Even this precaution was not always successful, for on the occasion of a dinner party given by the Governor, Mr Barnard, the Crown Solicitor, who was an invited guest, did not come. After dinner, His Excellency and most of the guests went outside and sauntered about on the ground in front of the house, which sloped gradually down to the Torrens, and was free of scrub. In our perambulations, we became aware of an extraordinary sound, which apparently proceeded from somewhere in the ground. A lantern was procured, and a search revealed a hole - evidently partly sunk for a well - about 9 feet deep, and standing in it, nearly up to his knees in limestone, mud, and water was the unfortunate Crown Solicitor, who had missed the guiding-light to Government House. … The poor man was in consumption, and died about eighteen months after.

I had an introductory letter to the Rev’d CB Howard, Colonial Chaplain, and I duly called on him and presented it. He introduced me to Mrs Howard, kindly asked me to join them at luncheon, and then took me to see Trinity Church. It was a curious small stone building, only partially floored, and had benches for seats. Mr Howard, however, said with some pride, that he had nearly succeeded in getting sufficient funds to complete the flooring.

The almost universal dress of the male population of the colony was a sailor’s woollen shirt in lieu of a coat, and moleskin trousers, blutcher boots, and belt round the waist, and with a pouch attached for tobacco etc. The moths made much more use of the clothes brought out from England than the owners of them did. New arrivals were at once recognised by their dress, and they soon relegated their fashionable English clothes to the moths, and took to the colonial style of habiliments.

Heavy rains fell during the months of October and November. In many places, the road between Adelaide and Glenelg was covered with water, which necessitated pedestrians divesting themselves of their boots and stockings and take to wading. A walk to Glenelg in the morning and back in the afternoon constituted a fair day’s work, especially when the weather was warm. The duties required of me at this time were attendances in the Governor’s office for writing duplicates of despatches which had to be sent to England containing reports of the progress of the colony. I also had occasionally to accompany His Excellency in rides to various localities which he wished to inspect near town. The former part of my duties I detested, but the latter suited me admirably.

Both Colonel and Mrs Gawler had strictly religious ideas. Family prayers were always held morning and evening, and Sunday was very strictly observed. The two boys - Henry, who was subsequently for many years a Commissioner and solicitor in the Lands Titles Department, Adelaide, and John - a colonel in British Imperial service, and very distinguished officer in the Kaffir War - used to have religious tracts given to them by their mother for distribution amongst the emigrants. Both the Governor and Mrs Gawler disapproved of dancing, so the entertainments given by them were confined to small dinner parties.

Owing to the buildings in Adelaide being very much scattered, the streets were scarcely defined. Hindley to Morphett-street, Rundle to Stephens-place, and Currie to Light-square were the only ones that could be designated as such, as some tenements were erected on each side. Few and far between, however, they were. The greater part of King William-street was scrub, and so was the southern part of the town.

The Attorney-General, Mr Milner Stephen, had his office in a little building, about where the first flight of steps now goes down to the railway platform on North-terrace. He had a little monkey, and frequently fastened him outside the front of his office. On these occasions, the natives in great numbers congregated, and squatting on the ground watched the antics of the Simian, whom they thought to be a little old man. Mr James Hurtle Fisher (afterwards Sir James) was the Resident Commissioner of Crown Lands when we arrived in the colony, but his duties ceased then, as Colonel Gawler held the dual appointment. …

It was considered necessary that the building of a Government House and gaol should be at once commenced. The first gaol was utterly insecure for the retention of desperate characters …

Old Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide was a good distance above the present locality, and was a wretched mudhole. There was not a single wharf, so everything had to be put into boats, and landed on a little bit of staging at high water - the only time when the boats could get alongside. From the staging to the land, a small embankment had been made, and wattled with brush on each side to prevent the tide washing it down. Timber, and even packages of Manning houses, were pitched overboard frequently and towed to the mangroves, and there made fast, and often remained a considerable time before they could be brought to dry land, which was no easy job owing to the rise and fall of the tide being very small.

Vessels always lay aground at low water, but the bottom of the creek being soft mud, they received no damage. To get to the Port at all they had to be of light draught, and even then they often got aground on their way up; and, as they were entirely dependent on a fair wind, days sometimes elapsed in getting from the entrance of the harbour up to the Port. Colonel Gawler soon noticed the serious drawbacks occasioned by the position of the Port. He therefore had a consultation with the Harbourmaster, Captain Lipson, on the probability of a situation being found more suitable some distance lower down the creek. …

Emigration Square

The Immigration Depot, consisting of wooden buildings forming the sides of a square, were erected on the Park Lands beyond the western corner of North-terrace, and each building had several rooms. Immigrants on their arrival from England were sent to the depot and allowed quarters free for a reasonable time, until they obtained employment. An official was in charge of the establishment; and persons requiring mechanics, labourers, or domestic servants were assisted in making their selection. Carpenters, bricklayers, and stonemasons were much in demand, and the two former could earn 12s, the latter 15s a day wages, and day labourers 7s to 8s. …

Emigration-square as it was called, was much frequented by strollers in the afternoons, especially when new batches of emigrants arrived. Some of the visitors went to welcome friends or relatives, others to engage those they required for service, but the larger proportion merely to while away the time, for the population was to a great extent located in Adelaide owing to the small area of land surveyed and open for selection.

Buildings of any description being much in demand, a Mr Piesse initiated a kind which were cheap and very easily erected, and also proved cool and very durable. Into a wooden-frame about 6 feet long, by 3 feet in height, a composition of of good loam mixed with grass chopped very small, was put in small quantities at a time, and then rammed as hard as possible. The mixture having been previously slightly dampened, the walls could be made any width, according to the height of the building, and the weight of the roof it had to support. The frame being bolted together was easily taken to pieces and readjusted until the necessary height and thickness of the walls was obtained. Spaces for the doors and windows could either be left, or easily cut out later.

Until very recently, the Exchange Hotel, Hindley-street, was in the lower portion a specimen of this style of building, colonially pronounced pisé. Many pisé-houses were erected. For coolness in the summer they could not be surpassed, but when bricks were made in large numbers, and became moderate in price, other kinds of buildings were discontinued.

There were occasionally pleasant little socials of what were considered the elite of Adelaide, and small dances were given. The residence of the Colonial Surgeon, Dr Nash, was in a little garden on the west side of Grenfell-street and nearly at the east corner of Hindmarsh-square. The house was partly brick and partly wood, and the rooms were small. However, by knocking two rooms into one, a fair space for dancing was obtained, and Mrs Nash issued invitations for a fancy-dress ball. This was the first of the kind attempted in Adelaide, and for many days, both ladies and gentlemen had to tax their brains to decide what they should wear. The party was a complete success. …

The offices for transaction of Government business were inconveniently located. The Land and Survey Departments were in little wooden buildings on the banks of the Torrens, near to where the present dam is situated. Both these erections were burnt down in January 1839, and many very valuable documents were lost. The General Post-Office was at the eastern corner of King William-street and North-terrace. The building was of wood and belonged to Captain Watts, an old military officer, who was the Postmaster-General, and he and his family resided there. A similar building, separated by a small strip of garden, was the residence and office of Mr Newenham, the Sheriff. In a small street off Currie-street, called still Gilles Arcade, was the Supreme Court, and exactly opposite was the Treasury, both partly brick and partly wood. Mr Osmond Gilles was Treasurer. …

The original Southern Cross Hotel was a wooden building erected in Currie-street, nearly opposite to the little thoroughfare called Gilles Arcade. As no attempt was ever made to build an arcade, it is difficult to understand why it was so named. The hotel was used as an exchange by businessmen generally during the morning, the overlanders especially transacting their sales of stock there; and it being convenient to the Court, the legal profession patronised it also, and to kill time and afford amusement many practical jokes were played. Fred Allen was the landlord’s name, and he was very popular. His custom was to make out weekly bills, and when they were unpaid at the end of a week, paste the next week on to the end of the former. …

The streets of Adelaide after a fall of rain were in anything but a pleasant state, with great pools of water and boggy holes. The Clerk of the Local Court, a small but very jolly fellow, used to dress in a stylish suit of broadcloth when on duty at the Court, and an astonishing display of jewellery was his great fad. Young arrivals who soon got hard up had only to see K _ , and any articles of jewellery were soon exchanged for equivalent in specie, and the next day K _ would appear before his admiring friends in a new suit of rings, pins, and chains. …

Mr Emanuel Solomon had a large wooden store next to the hotel, and near it on the same side were small wooden Manning cottages - one the dwelling of Judge Jickling, and two others the offices of the Treasurer and Resident Magistrate; while nearer to King William-street was the residence of Captain Lipson’s family. …

Early Adelaide Theatres

An enterprising Scotsman named Cameron built the first Theatre. It was situated in North-terrace just beyond Morphett-street, and had no claims to beauty. It was constructed of stringybark timber and broad palings, the interstices between each affording most perfect ventilation. There were pit and dress circle, but no stalls. The seats in the pit were formed of planks nailed on uprights, which occasionally collapsed through members of the audience dancing jigs on the top of them in the interlude between the acts. The dress circle had benches for seats, and there was a rail in front to prevent occupants from tumbling into the pit, which was about 5 feet below. Cameron and his wife were the stars of the company and trained the remaining members to do something in the way of acting. …

It may be well supposed that ladies did not patronise the Theatre. As a novelty, it drew well for a short period, but some very rowdy scenes were enacted there. The pit frequently got up a free fight, especially when the Tiersmen and whalers were in town for a holiday, and the drop curtain had to be let down to close the performance. The scenery was quite in character with the playing, but at last got very streaky, owing to rain, which came through the roof of the building mixing up the painting.

Later, Mr Emanuel Solomon built a comfortable little theatre in Gilles Arcade, in which many theatrical and opera companies catered successfully for the public amusement. It was called the Queen’s Theatre, and the same building is now a horse bazaar. …

Mr Robert Thomas’s printing establishment was in Hindley-street, a little west of Morphett-street. It stood back a little, some shrubs being planted between it and the street. It was here that the first newspaper was printed - The South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, and was issued by Mr Thomas with the authority of the Government. …

The First Churches

There were only two places of worship in Adelaide when we arrived, and the duties were carried out by two indefatigable minsters, the Rev’ds CB Howard and TQ Stow. The former belonged to the Church of England and the latter to the Congregational Missionary Society. Although they represented two different denominations, they were on the most friendly terms. Their pastoral duties were very arduous, and the preachers were both respected and beloved by all classes of the colonists. A temperance movement was attempted by two or three persons, and a small office was opened in Hindley-street for parties wishing to enrol themselves and take the pledge, but the support given was so insignificant that the effort was soon given up. …

It was very difficult at times to keep sufficient supplies of provisions and household articles to meet the demand. Crockery and cooking utensils especially had often to be borrowed. The advent of a man one day in Hindley-street with a hand cart loaded, and the cry of crockeree, raised quite a commotion, and from every direction damsels might be seen competing with each other at racing pace to reach the cart first. The vendor had no easy task in the babel of enquiries and scramble for articles to supply their needs, and then obtain payment.

The Bank of South Australia, on North-terrace, was the first opened for business in Adelaide - nearly opposite the railway station. Some time later, the Bank of Australasia commenced business, also on North-terrace, nearly opposite to where the University now stands. An attempt was was made to start another banking establishment. A wooden building in Stephens-place was fitted up for the purpose, and a large board fastened on two great posts in front of the building informed the public that it was the South Australian Agricultural Bank. … The Bank staff consisted of a Manager and one clerk. It soon got wind that there were no funds to meet the drafts, and one morning, the large signboard had disappeared, and was found propped up in front of a building called the Adelaide Bazaar, in Rundle-street, some jokers having removed it during the previous night. …

Some time previous to Colonel Gawler’s arrival, materials at a cost of £4,000 had been forwarded by the Colonial Commissioners, towards the erection of a suitable building for the viceregal residence, to supersede the miserable erection I have described … Enquiries were made as to what had become of those materials, but without success, and it was supposed that they had been used for some other public service. Tenders were therefore called for the erection of a Government House, plans and specifications to be seen at the office of GS Kingston CE, who was confined to an estimate not exceeding £4,000. The first tenders sent in exceeded this amount, so an alteration had to be made in the plans and fresh tenders called for and accepted, and the building was commenced. …

On 22 January 1839, a most unfortunate and disastrous fire occurred. The residences of Mr JH Fisher, ex-Resident Commissioner, and Colonel Light, with the land and survey offices approximate, were on the banks of the Torrens close to Thebarton. The former two roofs were of reeds, with thatched roofs; the offices were of slabs with thatched roofs. The fire commenced in Mr Fisher’s residence, communicated almost immediately with Colonel Light’s, and as a fresh breeze was blowing the land and survey offices were very soon ablaze. At great risk, some parties managed to save a large proportion of the valuable documents in the latter, but Mr Fisher and Colonel Light the loss was iincalculable. The whole of his journal of 30 years, all his drawings, plans, and sketches taken during his service in the Peninsula War and in Egypt, were totally destroyed. …

During the year 1839, buildings of all kinds and descriptions had been erected, chiefly in Hindley and Rundle streets, and the larger portions of these thoroughfares were getting well defined, shops being numerous. Currie and Grenfell streets came next in order, and several stores had been built in them. The general and shopping business was almost entirely transacted in those four streets, and stumps of trees had been removed chiefly by grubbing. They were, however, in a wretched state. Parties sinking cellars were allowed to throw the earth from the excavations into them, as it was plausibly stated that hoes could thus be filled up and the streets raised.

The effect, however, was disastrous. Vehicles, chiefly bullock-drays, continually passing along them, cut the surfaces into the finest dust in summer, and a regular bog in winter. During the former period, those tenements built of wood were almost uninhabitable when a breeze of wind raised what was termed a brickfielder, or a whirl-wind came tearing through the cracks and crannies which had been caused by the shrinkage of the wood in great heat, was deposited in thick layers over everything inside. In winter, mud feet deep was substituted. Drays would sink to the axles, and have to be dug out. To cross a street on foot was a matter for intense consideration as well as calculation, the unknown depth of the mud being a problem difficult to solve. Many an unlucky pedestrian found himself suddenly located in a boghole, where a dray had been dug out, or a tree-stump grubbed up, and in extricating himself would be covered with a thick coating of alluvial soil …

As an instance of the great delay in receiving news from England, I may mention that the official intimation to the Governor of the birth of the Prince of Wales (or, as he was then styled, Duke of Cornwall), on 9 November 1841, did not reach Government House until the first week in April, 1842 - nearly five months after the event happened. On receipt of the news, a holiday was declared for 11 April. Captain Frome had his residence on North-terrance about where the Museum now stands, and in front of his house a miniature fort had been erected by the sappers and miners, in which some carronades were mounted for the purpose of firing salutes on occasions of official importance.

A salute was ordered to be fired to celebrate the Duke of Cornwall’s birth, but a terrible accident prevented it from being fully carried out. In reloading, one of the guns suddenly exploded, through either the vent not being properly stopped, or there being honey-combing inside, for the guns were very old. The sappers and miners were in charge, and Corporal Moulton had his left hand and wrist frightfully shattered, and his arm had to be amputated above the wrist. Private Coles had the fingers of both hands so much lacerated that partial amputation also was deemed necessary. Both operations were performed by Dr Nash, the Colonial Surgeon.

In order that Colonel Moulton might be able to continue his duties as a draftsman in the Survey Department, Captain Grey kindly sent to England for a mechanical hand worked with small pulleys, which acted on the fingers, and successfully enabled him to hold the various articles required for the execution of his duties. This mechanism was presented by Captain Grey to Corporal Moulton, and was considered a most wonderful contrivance.

At this period and for some time subsequently, a ditch about 5 feet in depth ran from nearly opposite the east was or fence of the Government House enclosure parallel with North-terrace, and continued to near the Frome-road, and crossings were made to get to Captain Frome’s quarters and to the police barracks. The ditch … served two purposes - first for marking the boundary of the Government land, and, secondly, to prevent vehicles from cutting up the reservee; for in winter, North-terrace, like nearly all the streets in Adelaide, got into a very boggy state, the revenue not allowing any amount to be spent in metalling.

The ditch was frequently used for another purpose not contemplated by the Government, for visitors from the bush found it useful in training their horses to jump, and themselves to learn to take a firm grip of the saddle. On many occasions, the baulking of the horse on suddenly seeing the gap caused the rider to shoot over his head, and to be deposited in the mud at the bottom of the ditch, much to the amusement of onlookers … Small sweeps were generally got up on these meets, and the amount was spent in lubricating the throats of unsuccessful as well as successful riders. The fun, however, was eventually put a stop to by the Government representatives. …

The Court House, Whitmore-square

The building was really part of Judge Cooper’s residence, a narrow verandah on the north side was the only protection from rain, but not from the sun, which was nearly the whole day pouring in. Continual complaints were made to the Government of the inadequate accommodation for witnesses, who were obliged to remain outside the Court, especially females. Men were able to slip away frequently and enjoy the delights of a hotel very near to the court-house, and a pretty young lady who served the refreshments attracted a great deal of attention there. The mother was always in attendance, and the father being usher of the court no disrespect was ever shown them; and eventually the daughter made an excellent match.

Owing to complaints mentioned above, the Government at last considered it necessary to look out for a building more fitted for a court-house, and also one in which they might concentrate several of the offices required by the legal officials. The Queen’s Theatre had been for some time closed, owing to its being a losing concern. Mr E Solomon, the owner, offered it to the Government, if they would take it for a term. The offer was accepted, on condition that alterations were to be made to provide suites of rooms for the [Courts] and the Government was to have occupancy of the building for three years at the rental of £200 per annum. The building is still in existence in the old locality called Gilles Arcade; but, sad to relate, where the elite of Adelaide formerly mustered to witness tragic and operatic performances, a horse bazaar is now held, and litter and hay predominate where the stalls and dress circle used to exists.

Balls and Dresses

In June 1843, there arrived by the barque Elizabeth Buckham, from London, Mr Godfrey Thomas - at a later period Sir Godfrey Thomas, Baronet - step-brother to His Excellency, Captain Grey. Captain Butler, the Commandant,and Mrs Butler sent out invitations for a quadrille party at their residence, North Adelaide, and a large assembly was the result. The weather was threatening, but the visitors were under cover before the change came, and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Though those dances were generally termed quadrille parties, the dancing was not confined to quadrilles; for waltzes, Spanish dance, and country dances were indulged in, and frequently the party came to a conclusion with a spirited execution of Sir Roger de Coverley, which generally lasted longer than any other exercise - papas and mamas joined in it with the greatest zest, and were oblivious to the fact that prior to the music starting they had been warning their daughters that it was high time to be going home. …

In former days, the evening dress of ladies was of the simplest materials, white being predominant; but ribbons and occasionally family lace, were used in a tasteful manner for ornamentations. … Most of the visitors at the Butlers’ party lived at considerable distances, so many gentlemen escorted their fair friends home. Vehicles of any kind were unprocurable, so it became necessary to face the raging elements, and the indomitable pluck of South Australian ladies came out well.

Mr Jacob Montefiore

Amongst late arrivals [1843] from the old country was Mr Jacob Montefiore, who had been a member of the late Board of Commissioners for the province, and at an earlier date (1834) was on the committee of gentlemen formed for the purpose of obtaining a Bill for the colonisation of South Australia … Mr Montefiore had shown such interest in the colony from its earliest settlement that it was not surprising that a very good reception was tendered to him … A public dinner was given to him in the Queen’s Theatre by a large and representative body of the colonists … and he was also escorted to several of the country districts, so that he might himself judge of the capabilities of the colony …

Mr Montefiore expressed himself highly pleased with all that he had seen and had had explained to him, and stated that on his arrival in England he would do his best to advocate the interests of the colony … :

I cannot refrain from congratulating you upon the bright prospects which I believe are now opening to your adopted country. I am happy in the knowing that the colony is now in every essential a thriving, and I could even add, a wealthy colony. … I believe no British colony offers such advantages to the emigrant as South Australia does at this moment.

James Collins Hawker died 15/5/1901

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Observer 18/5/1901 p 128 - 3d son of Admiral Edward Hawker (1782-d 8 June1860 Brighton, Sussex; SA papers 14/8/1860; 4 sons in SA; George Hawker the Speaker of the SA Palt when his father died) (entered the RN aged 11; became a Lieutenant when only 13 years old; served under several brothers-in-law; chased Mediterranean pirates; Chased French boats in the West Indies - became involved in severe hurricaines lasting three days and three men killed by lightning; served at Newfoundland and Plymouth; Admiral 1853; took a great interest in SA affairs) , & Joanna Naomie, nee Poore, of Hampshire. Mrs Hawker must have died, as RA Hawker, of Ashford Lodge, Petersfield, Hampshire, re-married in 1844 to Lady Williams of Cavendish Square, London, at All Souls Marylebone. Born 10/4/1821 Titchfield, Hants. Extra ADC to Governor Gawler and assistant in Private Secretary’s Office. Celebrated the golden wedding in 1900. Died at home, Strangways Tce, at 8am. Died during the Commonwealth of Aust celebrations. The last chapter of his reminiscences published in the same newspaper under Old Time Memories.

Titchfield on the main road between Portsmouth and Southampton; wide streets, many half-timbered houses, with creepers; burial place of the Earls of Southampton, one of whom was Shakespeare’s patron.

Observer 25/5/1901 - Educated in France, Switzerland, Italy and Tavistock Square High School, London. Came out with Governor Gawler as extra ADC and assistant private secretary. Then in a Government survey party led by Mr J McLaren (afterwards deputy surveyor-general). Surveyed sections along South Road from St Mary’s Sturt to Willunga and a road between Willunga and Encounter Bay. JM Stuart was draftsman to the party, 2nd officer was James Darke (later murdered near Gawler Ranges) and 3d officer was Mr Counsell. Resigned the post in March 1840 and returned to England in the Katherine Stewart Forbes - Captain Grey and his family were passengers. SHip had to put into Mauritius for repairs to a leak. Hoped to join the Royal Navy instead. Returned in December 1840, when he heard that two brothers, George and Charles, had emigrated two months beforehand. Landed on what would become Anzac Day 1841. Had the news of Governor Gawler’s dismissal to give to him. GF Angas had sought his advice on the Angas investments when he was in London. 10 days after his arrival in SA, he volunteered to assist Lieut Field to regain a large number of sheep which Aborigines had stolen from overlanders on the Rufus River, near Lake Victoria. Some 200-300 Aborigines opposed them - Field wounded in the head, his horse badly speared. 2nd party under Major O’Halloran went to protect another overlanding party, four of whose members had been murdered.

Established a cattle station where Nuri is now, with his brothers. The area included in Captain Bagot’s special survey. Then around a native well on the Hutt River, 10 miles south of Clare; while George and Charles were away on a prospecting tour, the well water gave out and James transferred the stock to a good permanent well at Bungaree, north of Clare (found 22/12/1841) - the furthest northern station at the time. On 14 September 1842, James and his brother Charles joined a search party sent out to find Charles Dutton and his stock, who had become lost while looking for new pasture at the head of Spencer Gulf, after the vicious Aborigine attacks on private property around Pt Lincoln. Suffered greatly from lack of good food and water and the severe heat. Found that the entire party of Biddell’s and Brown’s station had been murdered by the Aborigines. No trace of Dutton (former Colonial Sheriff), but found out later fro Aborigines that Dutton had been murdered cJuly 1842, near Lake Torrens. In 1843, James sold his Bungaree Station share to his brother George and joined EJ Eyre, EB Scott (later superintendent of Yatala Prison) as the 1st white people to live at Moorundie, the 1st white settlers on the Murray River. Did more exploration around Lake Bonney - Captain Sturt named the creek which the Murray fed the Lake as Hawker Creek, but renamed after John Chambers when he established a sheep run there. The Moorundie experiment a failure as well.

Became landing waiter for the Pt Adelaide customs and then other posts. Rose to become Comptroller of HM Customs in 1863. Retired from the Customs in August 1872 after nearly 25 years in the Customs Dept. Established a land and station agency and surveying as James Hawker & Son.,

In 1860, Hawker established the first Pt Adelaide Rowing Club, the Pelican - captain and oarsman for the club for many years. Joined the Masonic Lodge of Friendship in 1847. Held many offices both state and home in the Masonic Lodge. A keen sportsman with rod and gun. Organised the Hamley Gun Club in 1868, with John Newman as a partner. Duke of Edinburgh became a member and won a match which he attended when he visited SA.

Married Louisa, the youngest daughter of harbourmaster Lipson, in Trinity Church, on 24 October 1850. Pt Adelaide ships showed their colours and houses and streets decorated lavishly with bunting. Governor and the Chief Justice attended the ceremony. Extensive reporting of the ceremony in the newspapers. James 11 joined the SA contingent in South Africa. One daughter married the chief engineer (a Mr Clarkson) on HMS Protector. Most of the rest of the large family went to live in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The career of few old colonists was better known than that of Mr JC Hawker Senr.

The Observer 25 May 1901 - Fate did not destine James Collins Hawker, born on 10 April 1821, at Titchfield, Hants, England, for a quiet career in this world.

Titchfield, where his parents owned an estate, lay on the busy highway between Portsmouth and Southampton, two of Britain’s leading sea ports and bastions of Royal Navy activity. James’s father, Edward Hawker, had entered the Navy when he was only eleven; Britain was entering a period of long battle against revolutionary and Bonapartist France, and young Edward Hawker soon found himself serving far from his native shores. While in pursuit of French vessels in the West Indies, Hawker’s ships had to endure violent hurricaines of some days’ length, during which lightning killed three of the crew. Edward had become a Lieutenant by the time he was thirteen and crowned his career with an Admiral’s hat in 1853.

Edward and Joanna Hawker’s third son, James, inherited all of his father’s restless energy, but singlemindedness of purpose did not emerge until much later. Following a broad education in France, Switzerland, Italy and Tavistock Square High School, London, JC Hawker came out during October 1838 to South Australia with newly-appointed Governor Gawler, as his extra ADC and assistant private secretary. However, within months, James had resigned his privileged post, as working under pompous Private Secretary George Hall could scarcely have encouraged the young man to remain in sedentary occupation when he much preferred to be active in the great outdoors.

Instead, Hawker had himself appointed to a Government survey party led by John McLaren (afterwards the colony’s deputy surveyor-general). The team had to form agricultural sections along South Road, between the Sturt River and Willunga, as well as define a line of road from Willunga to Encounter Bay. James laboured in distinguished company - James Darke, the ill-fated explorer, was second in command, JM Stuart, another renouned explorer in the making, was draftsman, and Richard Counsell, later a leading Willunga colonist, was third officer. Suddenly, James Hawker tired of colonial existence, homesick perhaps, far from family and friends! He resigned from the Survey Department and returned to Britain aboard the Katherine Stewart Forbes in March 1840, fully intending to follow his father into the Royal Navy.

James’s arrival home provoked turmoil. He learnt that his brothers Charles and George had left for South Australia two months beforehand, ready to manage their father’s real estate in Adelaide and beyond. Edward Hawker had fallen under the spell of South Australian Company propoganda, and invested heavily in South Australian real estate. Moreover, Hawker Senr evinced practical interest in the colony, and could speak authoritively about its progress, rare enough a feat even in the Foreign Office, whose officers often did not know exactly the province’s location, let alone its peculiar difficulties. No wonder teenage James Hawker had first gone to the Antipodes in such a privileged capacity.

Prominence again quickly descended upon James Hawker. The great GF Angas himself called the youth to his London counting house to enquire about South Australian conditions and the Angas family investments, and Hawker’s father encouraged his third son to return to the colony. Within two months of his arrival in Britain, James had boarded the emigrant ship Siam, in December 1840, also armed with letters for Governor Gawler and news that Captain Grey would take over Gawler’s office. As luck would have it, James knew George Grey and his family well too, as they had been fellow passengers aboard the Katherine Stewart Forbes, after the Greys joined the vessel at Albany, Western Australia.

Back in South Australia permanently, JC Hawker at first harboured ideas of becoming a pastoralist. In partnership with his two brothers, he helped establish the well-known Hawker station, Bungaree, near Clare. In 1843, James sold his share of the business to his brother George and joined EJ Eyre (his late 1830s surveying companion) and EB Scott (later superintendent of Yatala Prison) as the first white people to live on the Murray River, at their sheep station, Moorundie, later the site of Blanchetown. In between caring for stock, James joined various exploration parties to examine country between Lake Bonney and Lake Victoria, and assisted punitive police sorties against sheepstealing Aborigines in the same region.

Perhaps age now began to catch up with James Hawker. In the late 1840s, he joined HM Customs at Port Adelaide, where he began humbly as a landing waiter and eventually rose to assume the post of Comptroller. Amid grand festivities, James married Harbour Master Thomas Lipton’s youngest daughter, Louisa, in Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, during 1850; for the occasion, Port Adelaide shipping hung out its colours and houses and streets displayed lavish bunting. By August 1872, unrivalled in colonial knowledge and personal contacts, James felt secure enough to resign from Government work for the second time in his career, to establish himself and his son, James the Younger, as land and station agents and surveyors - James Hawker & Son, of Gresham Chambers, King William Street.

Diversions for James Hawker Senr in his spare time included acting as captain and oarsman in the Port Adelaide Rowing Club, which he established in 1861. Keen fan of rod and gun, he made many an excursion to track down wildlife in the colony’s liberally stocked open countryside. During 1868, JC Hawker established the South Australian Hambley Gun Club, in partnership with John Newman, a leading Port Adelaide shipping agent and importer. Despite all this activity, James still found time to pursue his abiding interest with Freemasonry, even up to holding many offices over the years.

As James’s body tired, his mind remained ever alert. In the cool of his Strangways Terrace home at North Adelaide, James set to writing his autobigraphy, a detailed account of colonial life, from which the extracts in this small volume come. To crown a life crowded with coincidence, the Observer newspaper published the final chapter of these reminiscences in the very week that James died. Tributes filled lengthy South Australian obituary columns after his death on 15 May 1901. Nearly a century on, South Australians still feel grateful for the wealth of daily detail which James Hawker preserved for posterity by persevering with his recording task.

Did more exploration around Lake Bonney - Captain Sturt named the creek which the Murray fed the Lake as Hawker Creek, but renamed after John Chambers when he established a sheep run there. The Moorundie experiment a failure as well.

His brothers’ departure Captain Grey and his family were passengers.

Then in a Government survey party led by Mr . Surveyed sections along South Road from St Mary’s Sturt to Willunga and a road between Willunga and Encounter Bay. JM Stuart was draftsman to the party, 2nd officer was James Darke (later murdered near Gawler Ranges) and 3d officer was Mr Counsell. Resigned the post in March 1840 and returned to England in the SHip had to put into Mauritius for repairs to a leak. Hoped to join the Royal Navy instead. Returned in December 1840, when he heard that two brothers, George and Charles, had emigrated two months beforehand. Landed on what would become Anzac Day 1841. Had the news of Governor Gawler’s dismissal to give to him. GF Angas had sought his advice on the Angas investments when he was in London. 10 days after his arrival in SA, he volunteered to assist Lieut Field to regain a large number of sheep which Aborigines had stolen from overlanders on the Rufus River, near Lake Victoria. Some 200-300 Aborigines opposed them - Field wounded in the head, his horse badly speared. 2nd party under Major O’Halloran went to protect another overlanding party, four of whose members had been murdered.