Queen's Theatre and Solomontown, Port Pirie, ex-convict legacy of Emanuel Solomon in Adelaide from 1838-73
Emanuel Solomon developed Adelaide's first theatre, the Queen's, in Gilles Arcade, Adelaide city. Through changed in form and function, it became the oldest surviving theatre building on the Australian mainland.
Emanuel Solomon was among ex convicts who achieved commercial and civic prominence in the South Australian colony that was devoted in the 19th Century to keeping itself untainted by the convict stain.
Emanuel Solomon and his brother Vaiben were convicted of larceny in London in 1817 and transported to Van Diemen's Land. Emanuel received 50 lashes for escaping into a forest, 25 lashes for neglect of duty and 50 lashes for being found with an iron pick. In March 1821, the brothers were caught stealing clothes and were sentenced to transportation to the dreaded Newcastle penal colony and had to serve their full sentences.
Gaining their freedom, Emanual and Vaiben went into business in Sydney as general merchants and auctioneers and bought property in New South Wales.
Emanuel Solomon gained a share in a South Australian land grant and moved in 1838 to Adelaide where he traded as an auctioneer and merchant, with a thriving import-export business. His trade was enabled by links with his Vaiben in Sydney and serviced by ships they owned that traded between Adelaide and the eastern colonies. Their brig Dorset was even commissioned four times to transport South Australia's own convicts to Sydney and Van Diemen's Land.
Emanuel Solomon developed property in Adelaide city and in 1840 built Adelaide’s first theatre, the Queen's Theatre, in Gilles Arcade off Currie Street. establishment in Adelaide. With Matthew Smith, he bought 85 acres that was subdivided for the township of Port Pirie. It was late subdivided again and named Solomonton. Solomon reserved a parcel of the land for a synagogue but this was never taken up by the few Jews in Port Pirie. Bible Christians later took up the offer in a clause in his will that left the land to any denomination wanting to build there.
Called the “paterfamilias” of the Adelaide Jewish community' and its Hebrew congregation, Solomon’s three successive wives (the first was convict Mary Ann Wilson) was a Roman Catholic. Solomon provided Mary MacKillop's Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart with two Flinders Street, Adelaide city, properties to live in after MacKillop had been excommunicated and the sisters ordered to vacate their premises.
Solomon was elected as a member for the South Australian House of Assembly for West Adelaide (1862-65) and Legislative Council (1867-71). In 1871, Solomon hosted a reception for 500 early settlers of South Australia to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the colony’s foundation. Henry Jones took photographs of most, if not all, of those invited to attend. He presented a large composite photograph to Solomon and, in 1910, another was bought from Jones by Thomas Richard Bowman and donated to the public library for display in the entrance foyer.
Emanuel Solomon was the grand uncle of Vaiben Louis Solomon who briefly became premier of South Australia in 1899.