People of West Torrens

Kaurna 

• Kaurna Country  - City of Charles Sturt collaboration with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Welcome to Kaurna Country film

• Warraparna Kaurna! Reclaiming an Australian language  - University of Adelaide / Rob Amery ebook

• Kaurna Meyunna Cultural Mapping - A peoples living cultural landscape / City of Charles Sturt - Karl Winda Telfer and Gavin Malone with assistance from Matthew Osborne and Tom Gara, 2012

• Nganu and Tjilbruke a tale of two Heros - a short video story developed by Monash University through partnership between Kaurna Warra Karrpanthi Aboriginal Corporation and South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools, in consultation with Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis O’Brien. 

Identities of West Torrens

• ALLCHURCH, Henry (1859-1943) Kurralta Park subdivision

• ALLUM, Mahomet (c1858-1964) Herbalist, Naturopath, Faith Healer  - based at Everard Park but had many clients in the West Torrens area

• AUNGER, Horace Hooper Murray (1878-1953)  Main Street Lockleys ; Henley Beach Road Underdale; Motor engineer  and overland explorer with George Gilmore White and Captain S.A. White

• BAGOT, Edward Meade 'Ned' (1822-1886)  Pioneer pastoralist, stock agent, mining entrepreneur, thoroughbred horse racing and breeding; South Australian Jockey Club; 'Boiling-down works' Hilton

• BICKFORD, William (-1850)  Bickford Street, Richmond

• BLACKLER, WILLIAM (1827-1896) Horseman of West Torrens

• BRICE, Christopher John (1949-2012)  Lockleys ; The Way We Were Advertiser journalist

• BRITTAIN family Lockleys War Service WW1, and WW2

• BRICE, Daniel (1817-1901) D Brice and Son, Beans Road (now Dew Street) Thebarton ; Brickmaker

• BROCK (OAM), Lois (1923-2021) Founder Kurralta Park Kindergarten, Barwell Avenue; Meals on Wheels; Richmond Primary School; School Welfare Club; West Torrens Historical Society Inc 

• CHARLESWORTH, William (c1829-1896) Charlesworth Court, Mile End; West Torrens Councillor (Thebarton Ward) 1876-1880

• CHENEY, Arthur Edward 'Tim' (1918-1994) Builder; Main Street, Lockleys; Kooyong Court, Shopping Centre, Lockleys; 1967 Telethon House of Hope, 568 Burbridge (now 568 Sir Donald Bradman Drive) Lockleys

• CONGDON, James (1888-1960) Because of his long and happy association with the South Australian Railways, in tandem with the fact that he had also been a long-term resident of the area, James Congdon Drive, Mile End was named in his honour in 1999.

• COOMBE, Victor Knight (1890-1955) Radio Broadcaster, Mile End; 5DN Ernest Hume, Mile End; 5BZ W.E. Launder-Cridge, Pareora, Henley Beach Road, Brooklyn Park; 5MB H.M. Brown, 24 Northcote Street, Torrensville; 5XK A.J. Hewitt, 233 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville; 5WS Western Suburban Radio Club 44 King Street, Mile End

• DASSELL (DAZZLE), Charlie (1853-1923) Butcher, Marleston

• DAY, Thomas (1827-1921) Keswick Pioneer

• DOOLAND, Bruce (1904-1980) West Torrens Cricket Club (1938-1958), State Cricket Representative; West Torrens Baseball Club (1939-1948)

• DYKE, Elizabeth E Dyke and Son Drapery Store 58 Rowland Road, corner of Washington Street (Sir Donald Bradman Drive), Hilton

• DYKE, Albert Ernest Dyke (1879-1959) E Dyke and Son Drapery Store 58 Rowland Road, corner of Washington Street (Sir Donald Bradman Drive), Hilton

• ELPHICK, Gladys (1904-1988) Aboriginal community leader who lived in West Thebarton for a brief period (c1946-1951) with her second husband

• EVANS, Private Francis Gilbert (1894-1915) World War One Gallipoli Hero; 26 Rankine Road Torrensville (New Mile End)

• GLENNON, Thomas James Patrick 'Pat' (1927-2004) Jockey; Bucklands, North Plympton, Boss Avenue, South Richmond (Marleston)

• GOLDSMITH, Dulcima (Dulcie) Florence Mary (1912-1993) Lockleys Ladies Choir 1953-2008

• GRAY, William Henry (1808-1896) Businessman, Early Pioneer and Landowner, Frogmore, West Beach, North Glenelg; West Torrens Councillor 1866-1869, 1871-1878

• GUM (MBE OAM), Daphne Lorraine (1916-2017) Director, Crippled Children’s Centre; Annesley Methodist Church College; West Torrens Historical Society founding member

• HAIGH, Claude Alfred (1904-1980) Confectioner, Racehorse Breeder, Mile End

• HALL, Aubrey Eugene (1899-1970) Dance Teacher 1920s-1960s, Plympton (Elizabeth Helena May Edeson, Nell Teasdale, Kathleen Florence Maddern)

• HANK, Robert William ' Bob' (1923-2012) and family Torrens Avenue, Lockleys - Market Gardeners, West Torrens and SA Football player (Thebarton Oval, Hank Brothers Stand)

• HANRAHAN, Barbara (1939-1991 Thebarton Artist and Author ; City of West Torrens  - view information about her art and books with links to other resources; Scent of Eucalyptus Walk - updated booklet to follow in Barbara's footsteps (Mile End and Thebarton Area); State Library Image Collection  - view a range of images relating to her life and subsequent commemorations

• HARE, Charles Simeon (1808-1882) Early Pioneer; Landowner; West Torrens Councillor 1853-1854, MP, Prison design The Stockade Dry Creek, Yatala Labour Prison, Comptroller of Convicts, Manager SA Railways; Fair View, Greystone, Marion Road, Plympton

• HENDRICKSON, Dr Douglas Buxton (1911-1979) Medical Doctor, Owner Kandahar North Plympton (1951-1972)

• IELASI, Giuseppe Rosario 'Joe' (1927-2013) Master Tailor, Torrensville; Donald Allan Dunstan AC QC (1926-1999)

• INGERSON, Frederick William 'Will' (1878-1944) West Torrens Councillor, Keswick Ward, 1915-20 and 1942-44

• INGERSON, William Alexander 'Bill' (1911-1957) West Torrens Councillor, Keswick Ward, 1938-41; Bakery, 94 Nottingham Avenue, (now Richmond Road) Keswick

• KEANE family Thebarton Milk delivery; Murray Street, West Thebarton; Ballantyne Street, West Thebarton; Walter Street, Thebarton; William Joseph Keane (1881-1947) ; Bernard William Keane (1913-1991)

• KUNOTH-MONKS, Rosalie 'Ngarla' Lynette (1937-2022) Actress, Jedda; First Nations advocate and political role model; St James Church of England, 10 Falcon Avenue, Mile End

• LEA, Miss E, Tramway Tea Lady (late 1890s - early 1900s)

• LIGHT, Colonel William (1786-1839) Surveyor and 'Founder of Adelaide' - State Library Image Collection  - view a range of images relating to Light and his home at Thebarton ; The Founder of Adelaide unveiling of memorial 1905 - State Library of SA digital collection

• LLOYD, Martha Ellen (1893-1966) Military Road, West Beach

• LOCKSLEY, Maurice (1864-1943) Foundation Head Teacher, Camden Public School 1919-1930

• MADDERN, Mervyn (1927-) Treasured Story Project - St John Community Care document of Mervyn's life story with detailed recollections of his life and what it was like in his years living and working in the West Torrens area

• MALCOLM, William (-1858) The ghost of Rowells Road; Metters Corner; Stanley house, Lockleys

• MARJORAM, Richard (c1805-1897) Reedbeds, winemaker, gunsmith; West Torrens Councillor (1862-1868)

• MCLEAN, Donald (1772-1855) Pastoralist, Hilton, Marleston, Strathalbyn

• MELROSE, Charles James 'Jimmy' (1913-1936) Aviator; James Melrose Road, Glenelg North/Novar Gardens

• MODRA, Joan (née Tilbrook) Memories from 3 Poynton Street Cowandilla, Cowandilla Primary School and Crace Road, Fulham

• MORPHETT OBE, Audrey Cummins (1902-1983) Cummins House, Novar Gardens

• MOUNTFORD, Charles Pearcy (1890-1976) Anthropologist, Ethnographer, Author, Torrensville

• NELSON family, Marleston Post Office/General Store William Nelson (1828-1903); William Henry Nelson (1859-1939); William Alfred Nelson (1889-1981)

• OLIVER, Claude Hamilton (1888-1962) Independent Grocer, Buyers Ltd founder, Home Services Stores, Keswick, Hilton, Torrensville

• OSBORN family, Plant nursery, Richmond 1889-2001; Richmond Road, Bruce Avenue, Marleston; Frederick Robert Osborn (1860-1930); Frederick Bertie Osborn (1888-1974); John Osborn (1919-1997)

• PARKER, Lieutenant Walter Gordon Parker (1903-1931) War Service, Keswick 

• POTTER, James Anderson (1875-1927) SW corner Henley Beach and Marion Roads, Brooklyn Park; Brooklyn Nurseries, Holbrook Apartments

• POYNTON OBE, Alexander (1853-1935) Labourer, Amalgamated Shearers Union, MP 1893-1922,  Subdivision, suburb of Grey, 1922; Puntabie, Hounslow Avenue, New Mile End (now Torrensville)

• RALPH, Glen Ross (1932-2018) Mile End, Lockleys; Author; Wilmar Library

• RAMSAY CBE, Alexander Maurice (1914-1978) 6 Rowells Road, Lockleys; Teacher; SA Housing Trust 1943-1978

• READ, Philip Andreas 'Phil' (1904-c1980) West Torrens Football Club, 1925-35, Life Member; Umpire league football 1936-45; Umpire coach 1946-55; Founding member SA Umpires Association 1947/Life Member;  S.A.N.F.L  Life Member; Founding member of the Australian Lawn Tennis Umpires Association 1947

• READE, Charles Compton (1880-1933) Town Planner - Thebarton Oval-Thebarton Senior College precinct, portions of Kurralta Park-North Plympton and Marleston; Galway Gardens suburb design 1919

• REID, John 'Johnny' (1850-1930) Butcher / Livery, Stables, Carriage dealer, Horse Bus Business / Clerk of Course, Adelaide Cup ; Bleak House, Nottingham Avenue (Richmond Road), Richmond

• RICHARDSON, George (1848-1921) NW corner George Street and Port Road, Thebarton; Ironfounder, Albatross Flying Machine; Professor Arnold Edwin Victor Richardson (1883 -1949)

• RIGGS, Harold (1891-1969) War Service, Brooker Terrace, Richmond, Richmond Blocks 

• ROFE, Herbert (1876-1947) Headmaster, Cowandilla Primary School

• SATTERLEY, John (1933-) Recollections of Cowandilla; Fulham Park Drive, Torrens Bridge; Cowandilla Primary School (1938-46);  Adelaide High School (1947-50); St James Anglican Church Mile End,  Father Charles J. Whitfield Rector 1921 to 1957;  Advertiser newspaper; 7 (now 11) Neill Road, Cowandilla

• SHEPHERD, Harry 'Bill' (1916-1995) War Service, RSL Founder, West Torrens Councillor (Bill Shepherd Reserve)

• SHINN, William Henry 'Bill' (1913-1980) Harness Racehorse trainer/driver

• SHIERS, Walter Henry 'Wally' (1889-1968) Hilton, 1919 England to Australia Air Race

• SKINNER family 86 Rowland Road/135 Burbridge Road, Cowandilla/Hilton (City of West Torrens Council Chambers site); John Skinner (1802-1865); Jane Skinner (née King) (1796-1846); William Skinner (1836-1903); Letitia Skinner (née Morris) (1840-1933); Eliza Jane Skinner (1862-1946) - First School Hilton;  Eileen McNamara (née Skinner) (1915-2011)

• SMITH OAM, John Arthur 'Jack' (1929-2018) Birkalla / West Torrens Birkalla Soccer Club, Jack Smith Park, Camden Oval; State and National Soccer Representative, SA Soccer Federation Committee

• SPEARS, Stephen John (1951-2007) Playwright, Actor, Novelist, Mile End South

• STAMP, Charles Edward (1904-1980) Artist

• STANFORD DFC OAM, Ross Milton (1917-2006) West Torrens Cricket Club (1933-1955), State Cricket Representative; RAAF (1939-1946), Dambusters Squadron, Distinguished Flying Cross (Imperial) Medal

• TWINING, Captain David Austral (1895-1931) War Service, Keswick

• VEALE, Charles Richard John (1901-1970) West Torrens Councillor, 1939-1946, Mayor 1946-1954; Charles Veale Drive, West Beach

• WAIT, Ronald Ernest (1916-1998) West Torrens Councillor, Lockleys Ward, 1971-1989; Ron Wait Court, Lockleys

• WARE, Charles Boxer (1870-1932) Thebarton Mayor, 1898-1901, Craiglee, (later Roseneath) 264 Henley Beach Road, Underdale

• WATSON OBE, Stanley Holm (1887-1985) World War One, Gallipoli, Watsons Pier, Plympton RSL

• WELLINGTON, Kingsley Rex (1930-2024) West Torrens Baseball Club, West Torrens Cricket Club, SA Baseball League Chair

• WELLS, Daniel Joseph 'Joe' (c1910-1981) Councillor, City of West Torrens (1959-1980); 41 Mooringe Avenue, North Plympton (Joe Wells Reserve)

• WERE, Walter (1881-1921) Busy Bee Joinery Works Danby and Northcote Streets, Torrensville

• WHEATON, Eric Reuben (1881-1917) Wheaton Road, Plympton; AIF Fallen Anzac hero

• WYATT, Dr William (c1804-1886) Early Pioneer and Landowner; Wyatt Benevolent Institution; Henry Allchurch (1859 - 1943), Kurralta Park subdivision

• Richmond Lovelies, 1856-1963 (Daphne Todd OAM, Lois Brock OAM)

• Volunteer Defence Corps, Lockleys 1940 (Arthur Herbert Cashmore)

• Water Diviners of West Torrens 1910s-1920s (JE Rowell, Lockleys; TH Hayman, Lockleys; E.A. (Ted) Lasscock, Lockleys; Will Stanford, Lockleys; WH Evans, Findon; EJ Keele, St James Park)

Preserving Memories Project

The Preserving Memories project aim is to interview people who have lived in or had extensive connections to the West Torrens area. The West Torrens Historical Society in conjunction with the City of West Torrens  invite them to share their memories and talk about the events and experiences which helped to make up their life's history. It allows us all the chance to reflect on the past and to preserve those memories into the future.

Download the participants stories:

• John Andrewartha

• Pamela Bacchus (nee Jackson)

• Kent Beard

• Frank (15 Apr 1919 - 21 Sep 2004) and Mary (24 Feb 1921 - 19 Jun 2024) Prettejohn

• Colin Drennan

• John Lewis (18 Jun 1931 - 8 Aug 2022) 

• Olive Pepper (nee Custance) (11 Dec 1923 - 27 Dec 2023)

• Carleen Thomas (nee Collins)

• Nina Gray (nee Gray) (6 Dec 1923 - 10 Apr 2023)

• Peter Collins (7 Jan 1942 - 3 Aug 2024) 

• Lee Prettejohn

• David Bonshor

• Bev Bills OAM (nee Milledge)  (unpublished)

• Gordon Tregoning (19 Feb 1918 - 11 Jul 2013) (TREG trailers)

• Bob Veitch (Mile End Fuel Supplies)

• Thomas Quinn

• Kathryn Whittlsea 

• Malcolm Harslett

• Lorna Wallis (Wallis Refrigeration and Wallis Drive-ins and Cinemas)

• The Hon. John Trainer OAM - coming soon

Delving into the past

Since its inception the West Torrens Historical Society has interviewed local residents to capture their valuable recollections of the West Torrens area. Some of the early interviews conducted in the 1978 are an insight into the conditions and lifestyles when these people were living back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Later interviews reflect the changes and developments made in the area and to the way of life. 

These interviews have been added to the City of West Torrens library catalogue and have an in-depth list of keywords to aid access to relevant records.

To search the full database, access the library catalogue here.