Adelaide Oval gets its iconic scoreboard in 1911; becomes theatre venue then a military camp for World War I
Port Adelaide v. Norwood football grand final at Adelaide Oval under the new 1911 scoreboard, designed by architect Kenneth Milne and added to the State Heritage Register in 1986. Inset: The scoreboard operating within the context of the 21st Century redeveloped oval.
Adelaide Oval’s greatest heritage icon, its Edwardian-style manually-operated wooden scoreboard, was first used in November 1911 and its clock added a year later (and its wind vane in the 1930s). The Adelaide Oval scoreboard operates over four storeys and represented a significant innovation in the detail and layout of the match information.
Also in 1911, South Australia flexed its Australian football muscle at Adelaide Oval by winning the Australasian Football Council Carnival by beating Victoria 11-11 to 5-4 in the final match. South Australia backed up its Australian football strength in 1914 when Port Adelaide Football Club defeated Carlton for a fourth championship of Australia.
(The scoreboard did have a lapse in 1928 during the interstate game against Victoria. At the end of the game, local players and supporters thought they had won by one point: 11-23 to 13-10. But an error had been made by a scoreboard attendant at three-quarter time and the SA score was reduced by a point. The result was a draw.)
The Tivoli Gardens arrived at Adelaide Oval in January 1914. The open-air theatre used as the summer residence for performers from the New Tivoli Theatre (now Her Majesty’s) on Grote Street, Adelaide.
The Tivoli Gardens experienced sold-out nights from its opening, The most popular novelty acts that performed at the theatre were DuCalion a comedian who wobbled on a ladder, Rosa Roma a gypsy violinist from Europe and Alberto & Co magicians.
After a winter return to the indoor theatre, Tivoli Gardens reopened for summer in November 1914 but, with the war starting, audiences and performances declined.
In August 1915, the military took over Adelaide Oval, including the Tivoli Gardens and cricket grounds. The military created a camp for 700 soldiers using every building. The entrance building into the theatre became a barbers; the dressing rooms became the quarter masters office; the stage was used for bulk storage of all material needed by the camp; the refreshment booth was used as a gun room and the stands of the Tivoli Gardens and cricket ground were used as sleeping quarters.
Also in 1915, the trade union movement combined the Anzac spirit with Eight Hours Day on October 13. After a parade, celebrations moved to Adelaide Oval where entertainment comprised sports, with the day’s highlight being a choreographed crash involving two tramcars that collided head on before bursting into flames.
