South Australian Parliament Research Library

South Australian Parliament Research Library The Library impartially aids Members of the SA Parliament by providing research, information & library services.

From "Progressive Adelaide" - Rundle St (now Mall) dating to the mid-1930s. The Beehive Corner we would recognise to-day...
04/06/2026

From "Progressive Adelaide" - Rundle St (now Mall) dating to the mid-1930s. The Beehive Corner we would recognise to-day, but even that looks different!

1936 Progressive Adelaide also meant 'Progressive Seacliff': a leading South Australian pleasure resort emerging from Th...
29/05/2026

1936 Progressive Adelaide also meant 'Progressive Seacliff': a leading South Australian pleasure resort emerging from The Seacliff Improvement Society, formed to raise funds for 'the pick of Australia's manhood...covering themselves with glory" during WWI. You can see the 1936 Seacliff Esplanade, Handby's Hotel Australia, the Argosy Dance Palais, SA's largest open-air skating rink and the historical pines, Pat and Charlie (planted by George Strickland Kingston who founded this library and named for two of his children). City of Holdfast Bay

On this day in 1967, Australians were asked to vote, via a referendum, to approve the alteration of the Commonwealth Con...
27/05/2026

On this day in 1967, Australians were asked to vote, via a referendum, to approve the alteration of the Commonwealth Constitution to "omit certain words...so that Aboriginals are to be counted in reckoning the Population". In effect it recognised Indigenous Australians as part of the population and equal citizens for whom the Commonwealth could make laws. From our Historical Pamphlets collection, this pamphlet advised citizens on what was proposed and the supporting arguments.

Found this very tiny publication (11 x 7 cms) dating to 1917 - the all-you-need-to-know about South Australia! Lots of i...
22/05/2026

Found this very tiny publication (11 x 7 cms) dating to 1917 - the all-you-need-to-know about South Australia! Lots of interesting stats. This page lists the professions of the day: bedstead makers, brushmakers, candlemoulders, curriers, harnessmakers, linotype attenders, mantelpiece makers, shoeingsmiths (my favourite word here!). Also note the wages for tailor vs tailoress. More to add later!

'Progressive Adelaide 1936 SA Centenary' is great for local photos, but also fascinating for the ads it carries (same in...
21/05/2026

'Progressive Adelaide 1936 SA Centenary' is great for local photos, but also fascinating for the ads it carries (same in the old newspapers - we complain now, but retrospectively the best bit!). These are interesting not only for what kind of business once operated and where, but also for what mattered: the butcher who made absolutely certain we knew the 'fridges were powered by electricity!

Again, while searching for something else, I found this fabulous volume for the 1936 centenary of the State of South Aus...
19/05/2026

Again, while searching for something else, I found this fabulous volume for the 1936 centenary of the State of South Australia - Progressive Adelaide as it Stands Today'. It is as fascinating for the advertisements as much as anything else and will post more later. Glenelg Town Council features for today. City of Holdfast Bay

To search for something worthy and find something else instead is always fun. 'The Children's Hour' was an SA Dept of Ed...
14/05/2026

To search for something worthy and find something else instead is always fun. 'The Children's Hour' was an SA Dept of Education publication for primary schools,1889-1963. I don't know quite what to make of it, but certainly communication styles and tones are very different now. September 1959 was all about the miracle of television - less 'magic' and more 'idiot box' as it was put to us. (And I love the front cover illustration.)

The International Day of Nurses was....yesterday. Still very much worth acknowledging, however. This photo of Australian...
13/05/2026

The International Day of Nurses was....yesterday. Still very much worth acknowledging, however. This photo of Australian nurses dates to World War One and is from our 3-vol set, 'Official History of the Australian Army Medical Services in the War of 1914-1918', as kept in our Rare Book Vault.

As I missed the police horses from earlier this week, will have to rely on a 1994 photo. And someone is really determine...
08/05/2026

As I missed the police horses from earlier this week, will have to rely on a 1994 photo. And someone is really determined to stand out....

Yesterday we showed some photos of the opening of the 56th parliament. This morning, the office of Jack Batty MP - Membe...
06/05/2026

Yesterday we showed some photos of the opening of the 56th parliament. This morning, the office of Jack Batty MP - Member for Bragg made over 3 vols of photos from the 1994 Opening Day (48th parliament if my maths is right). The then Governor was the Hon. Dame Roma Mitchell; the gentleman being dragged to the Speaker's chair was Graham Gunn (and helped by the new premier, Dean Brown, and Leader of the Opposition, Lynn Arnold). Over 150 photos in total and glad I didn't have to pay to get them developed. Now into the vault for safe-keeping.

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