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. 

Colonel William Light (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 

Barbara Hanrahan (1939-1991)  Thebarton Artist and Author

• City of West Torrens  - view information about her art and books with links to other resources

• State Library Image Collection  - view a range of images relating to her life and subsequent commemorations

James Congdon (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.

Mervyn Maddern (1927-)  Treasured Story Project

• Mervyn Maddern Treasured Story  - 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

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 and Mary Prettejohn

• Colin Drennan

• John Lewis 

• Olive Pepper (nee Custance)

• Carleen Thomas (nee Collins)

• Nina Gray (nee Gray)

• Peter Collins

• Lee Prettejohn

• David Bonshor

• Bev Bills OAM (nee Milledge)  (unpublished)

• Gordon Tregoning (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.