Friday, May 31, 2024

K A P UN D A. (1879)

 K A P UN D A. (1879)



Kapunda, the subject of our illustration, is an important township situate in the electoral district of Light, about 4 miles north of the metropolis, with which it is connected by rail.

Kapunda was originally a mining township, and up to a very short time back active operations were still conducted at its mines, which possess a peculiar interest as having been the first opened up in this colony, and their discovery no doubt stimulated the search for minerals which shortly after resulted in the discovery of the celebrated Burra Mine, and still more recently in that of the world-renowned Moonta and Wallaroo Mines.
  Kapunda is a native term, signifying a place of smoke, — an almost prophetic designation, seeing that for many years after the mines were opened smelting operations were carried on here when the sulphurous smoke from the furnaces of the smelting works justified the name given to the locality by the aboriginals. "During the past few years the mines have been worked by a Glasgow Company, who substituted the precipitating process for smelting ; but operations have gradually been suspended, and over the once famous Kapunda Mine — the copper from which was especially valuable for electrical purposes — " Ichabod " may now be written.

Originally a mining township, as we have said, Kapunda as years rolled on became the centre of a gradually enlarging wheat-growing district ; so that prior to the opening up of the Northern Areas it was the boast of the district that it grew more than one-third of the total cereal produce raised in the colony. This led to the establishment of local agricultural implement manufactories, several of which have flourished to such an extent as to lead one to suppose that the true South Australian gold diggings are to be found in the machinists yards.

Kapunda has also of late years become one of the leading markets for the disposal of horse stock and cattle. Irrespective of the many irregular sales, monthly sales are held, the proceeds of which, on an average, amount to £7,000 monthly.

We have said that Kapunda is connected by rail with the metropolis. For many years it was the most northerly point to which the iron horse travelled, being the depot of the traffic to all the more northerly districts ; and it suffered considerably for a time when the line to the Burra via Roseworthy diverted much of this traffic.

 At present it is passing through the throe of another somewhat similar crisis, its railway having been just extended to the banks of the Murray at the North-West Bend, which some fear will have an adverse influence on the prosperity of the town, whilst others again hold than the influence will be beneficial rather than otherwise, and have evidenced their faith by the expenditure of large sums in building business and other premises. Like Adelaide, Kapunda may be called a place of churches ; the Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Wesleyans, Baptists, Congregationalists, Primitive
Methodists, and Bible Christians, each living their own places of worship. The town, which possesses a very capacious, well-arranged Model School, and an excellent Mechanics' Institute, also boasts a local newspaper, the Herald, which has entered on the sixteenth year of its existence. For some years past Kapunda has had the advantage of local gasworks, and before the present year has passed away will have in operation what will prove a greater boon — a well-arranged system of water supply. Of public offices Kapunda has a capacious court house and a commodious post and telegraph station.
  The National Bank of Adelaide, and E., S., & A.C. Banking Companies have each a branch in Kapunda ; and there are several large well-conducted hotels, as also a number of shops, stores, agricultural implement manufactories, a flour-mill, & c..
 The affairs of the town are managed by a Mayor and Town Council, half of the members of which are elected annually for a term of two years. The population of Kapunda proper is about 3,000 ; but in addition there are several suburbs largely populated, and the district as a whole is closely settled. Within the past year or two the greatest wants of the town have been supplied, chiefly through the liberality of Mr. F. H. Dutton, of Anlaby, a large estate situate about ten miles east of Kapunda. These are a hospital and a recreation ground ; the former was erected at a cost of £4,000, and has been of great utility ever since it was opened in Nov. 1877. Dutton Park, which was the name given to the recreation ground in recognition of Mr. Dutton's liberality, contains 40 acres of land immediately abutting on the western boundary of the town. Half of this has already been planted and laid out as a park and cricket ground, the local club having recently completed the construction of an oval at an expense of about £100.

On the whole, Kapunda may be described as being both a thriving and pretty town. Owing to the demand for timber at the mine the neighbourhood has become tolerably bare of trees, and up to a few years back a notion prevailed that neither flowers, fruit, nor vegetables could be grown within a certain radius of the mines ; but during the last few years this has been shown to be a fallacy, and the appearance of the place has
been considerably improved by the number of trees which have attained a goodly size, as also of the neat gardens which are now so common.

'OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.', The Illustrated Adelaide News, (1 February 1879), p. 6., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224815221

Thursday, May 30, 2024

H.B. Hawke & Co. Seed-Sower 1878

 

H.B. Hawke & Co. Seed-Sower 1878





Attention is directed, to the following selection from a number of Testimonials received.

Port Pirie, August 30, 1878,

Sir — The Seed-Sower I purchased from you last year sowed over 800 acres for myself and others, and performed its work in a very superior manner, giving satisfaction to myself and the others that used it. By elevating it, it casts the seeds fully a chain wide, which at the time was considered too much, but after the crop came to maturity was found highly satisfactory. I, therefore, have great pleasure in recommending the same to anyone requiring such a Machine. — Yours, See.,

Mr. H. B. Hawke, Kapunda.                                                                                             Thomas Magor.

 

Linwood, August 23, 1878.

Dear Sir — The Seed-Sower I had from you last season did its work splendidly. No farmer ought to be without one if he has any quantity to sow ; he will save the price of one in time and labour in one season. — Yours, &c.,

Mr. H. B. Hawke, Kapunda.                                                                                                       James Bold.

 

Condowie Plains, August 4, 1878.

Dear Sir — The Seed-Sower we had from you did its work exceedingly well. It sowed much better than we did by hand. We sowed a thousand acres with the Machine last season, and it is as good now as when we got it. One man can sow 80 acres a day with it. — Yours, See.,

Mr. H. B. Hawke, Kapunda.                                                                                             W. Painter.


For more testimonials please visit:

'Advertising', The Illustrated Adelaide News, (1 February 1879), p. 13., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224815229

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

THE KAPUNDA MODEL SCHOOL.

 THE KAPUNDA MODEL SCHOOL.





This fine structure, which is uniform with the Government school buildings in Adelaide and other parts of the colony, was opened lor the reception of pupils in January 1878. It will accommodate 500, which number is the average attendance; there are 650 names on the roll.

The land upon which the building is erected was given for educational purposes many years ago. The building consists of a boy's schoolroom 54 x 24 ft., a girl's department 54 x 22 ft., and the infant's room 50 x 24 ft., with a recess and gallery capable of seating 70 children. There are two class-rooms 24 x 18 ft., and two 22 x 18 ft., besides three lavatories, passages for hats, cloaks, "&c., and the Head-master's private room. The whole of the buildings are lofty and well-lighted, and are ventilated on the Tobin system. Each large room has two fireplaces, so that the teachers and scholars can be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. _

 All the rooms used for instruction are provided with raised platforms, the London school board desks, and a plentiful supply of maps, charts, diagrams, &c.; outside, the schools are provided with large sheds, yards, and the usual outhouses. The supply of water is obtained from two large underground tanks. The girl's playground is divided from the boy s playground by a 6-feet galvanized iron fence, and the whole of the buildings are surrounded on three sides by a substantial stone wall and by a picket fence in front.
 The Head-master's dwelling, a neat little cottage of five rooms with verandah back and front, is separated from the school buildings by a paling fence.
The staff consists of the Head-master (Mr. W. L Neale), Head-mistress (Miss Smith), Messrs. V. J. Pavia and A.H. Neale first and second assistant masters boy's school respectively, the Misses Davie and Whitridge first and second assistants girl's school, and eight pupil teachers. The building cost about £5,500 and the contractors were Messrs. Manson & Munro.


'THE KAPUNDA MODEL SCHOOL.', The Illustrated Adelaide News, (1 February 1879), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224815226

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Wheat Sheaf Inn - Allendale North

 Wheat Sheaf Inn - Allendale North



1910: A family, consisting of three women, a man, and four children, gathered on the verandah of the Wheat Sheaf Inn, located in Allendale North, South Australia. Possibly the publican William Arthur Robertson and his family, with their pet dogs and cat, a horse hitched to a buggy parked at the front, and a bicycle by the entrance. For details about the Wheatsheaf Inn when run by William Robertson, see the article 'The Wheatsheaf Inn' in the 'Kapunda Herald', Friday 23 May 1930, page 3.

William Arthur Johnston Robertson was born on 9 December 1869 at Wheatsheaf Inn, Allendale North, South Australia, to David Weichston Robertson and Margaret Jane (nee Striblin). William Robertson was publican at the Wheatsheaf Inn, near Kapunda in South Australia, and was licencee since 1910. Previously the licence was held by his mother, and prior to that by his grandmother, being held by his family for approximately 80 years. In 1900 he married Jane Catherine Warrick (1870-1961), and they had five sons, all born and raised at the Wheatsheaf Inn: Murray David (b.1902), Arthur George Warrick (b.1904), Allan Francis (b.1907), William Benjamin (b.1908) and Donald Thomas (b.1913). William Robertson died in 1961.

State Library of South Australia
[B 74512/16]