South Australiana in its themes of cultural history, at state library Mortlock wing on North Terrace, Adelaide city
First colonial secretary Robert Gouger (centre) among many aspects of South Australiana featured at Mortlock Library, including (clockwise from far left): Australia's first female church minster Winifred Keik, literary notables Max Harris and John Bray, the housing trust, "The Song of Australia", written by German-born Carl Linger to words by Caroline Carleton, and South Australian wine labels.
More than 1,000 items, arranged in themes, became a display of South Australiana presented in the lower chamber of the Mortlock Library on North Terrace, Adelaide city, from 1986.
Mortlock Library building was home to the original public library, museum and art gallery for the colony of South Australia, opened in December 1884. Its interior was rated among the world’s 20 most beautiful libraries.
In honour of a large bequest from John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, the Libraries Board of South Australia decided that part of its South Australiana collections would be in the wing to be renamed (from Jervois) the Mortlock Library of South Australiana in 1986.
The Mortlock Chamber exhibition bays showcased the richness and breadth of State Library of South Australia collections, with historical and contemporary materials illustrating particular themes, including:
A Trunk Full Of Books: South Australia’s first colonial secretary Robert Gouger brought out a trunk full of books: nucleus of South Australia’s first public library. The trunk full of books grew into 50 kilometres of material by 2004.
A Rich Tapestry: Migration added to traditional Aboriginal ownership: From the carefully planned schemes of Edward Gibbon Wakefield to importing Irish brides for lonely bushmen, to Barwell boys as agricultural labourers, to those escaping nightmares in war-torn Europe and Asia.
Wooden Walls and Iron Sides: Steam took over, although sailing ships still carried grain to Europe in the 1930s. River Murray trade was important. Intercolonial passenger ships, gulf and river cruises, as well as overseas cruise ships were all part of the shipping at Port Adelaide and outports. (Display sponsored by Friends of the Paul McGuire Maritime Library.)
South Australia’s Christian Heritage: Many Christians believed South Australia was distinctive because, unlike other Australian colonies, it was established by godly men and women on the principles of religious and political liberty. During the 19th Century, Christians worked vigorously to spread the Word, on horseback, by paddles teamer, bicycle and camel buggy; in the German, English, Ngarrindjeri and Aranda languages; in the bush, in farmhouses, stone chapels and cathedrals. Adelaide became “the city of churches”.
The Radical Dream: South Australia was born of the ideas of a prisoner serving three years in Newgate Gaol on a conspiracy charge relating to marriage with a 15-year-old heiress at Gretna Green. Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s experience of English prisons convinced him of the need to ease problems of overpopulation by emigration to the colonies. Thus began a continuing social experiment in South Australia with high ideals not always achieved in practice but placed South Australia at the forefront of reforms such as women’s suffrage, Aboriginal land rights and equal opportunity.
Wine Literature Of The World: The state library had one of the world’s biggest collection of wine literature. It ranged from an 11th-century manuscript detailing punishments for drunken monks to wine and beer labels, menus and wine lists, and wine makers’ diaries.
From The Ground Up: South Australian architecture was i characterised by six styles: Old Colonial to 1840, Victorian to 1890, Federation to 1915, Interwar, Postwar and Late Twentieth Century from 1960. Many of surviving beautiful buildings dated from short exceptional prosperity, such as the 1870s and 1880s wheat booms. Architects didn’t have to be registered until 1939 but the major figures such as George Strickland Kingston, Thomas English and Edmund Wright were well known. South Australia was noted for using corrugated iron, for underground houses at Coober Pedy, and for “Adelaide lace” decorative cast iron on verandahs.
