Sunday, 9 December 2018

Monday, 16th July, 1838


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All PUBLIC ACTS appearing in this Gazette, signed by the proper authorities, are to be considered official and obeyed as such.
By command, GEO. STEVENSON, 
Clerk of Council.
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ON Saturday last, the 14th instant, his Excellency Governor Hindmarsh embarked on board H. M.S. Alligator, 28, Capt Sir J. Gordon Bremer, C.B., K.C.H., for England, via Sydney. His Excellency was accompanied to the place of embarkation, at Glenelg, by a numerous body of the most respectable landholders and colonists

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Government House, Adelaide, July 16, 1838.

HIS EXCELLENCY George Milner Stephen, Esq., this day took the oaths of office as Acting Governor and Commander-in-chief of her Majesty's Province of South Australia, required by his late Majesty's commission. The Oaths were administered by his Honor the Judge in presence of the principal officers of the government, landholders, and colonists. 

GEO. STEVENSON, 
Clerk of Council. 

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The following Proclamation was then read by the Sheriff:—

PROCLAMATION.
 By His Excellency George Milner Stephen, Esq., Acting Governor and Commander-in-chief of her Majesty's Province of South Australia. 

WHEREAS by a Proclamation dated the fourteenth instant, made by his Excellency Jobn Hindmarsh, Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order, Captain in the Royal Navy, Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Province of South Australia, it was proclaimed that, by virtue of certain Letters Patent in the said Proclamation mentioned, upon the death or absence from the said Province of the said John Hindmarsh the senior member of the Council of Government (except his Honor the Judge) should take upon him the administration of the Government of the said Province, and should execute the said Com-mission and the Instructions under the Royal Sign Manual therewith given, and the several powers and authorities therein contained.

And whereas his Excellency, the said John Hindmansh, departed from the Province aforesaid on the fourteenth instant; and whereas his Honor the Judge has this day administered to me, the said George Milner Stephen, being the senior member of Council (except as before is excepted), the several oaths mentioned in the said Letters Patent: Now, therefore, it is hereby proclaimed that, immediately upon the said departure of his Excellency the said John Hindmarsh, all and singular the powers and authorities given and granted by the said Letters Patent and hitherto exercised by the said John Hindmarsh as such Governor and Commander-in-chief as aforesaid, became and now are vested in me, the said George Milner Stephen, to be by me executed and enjoyed until her Majesty's royal pleasure shall be known : And all officers and ministers, civil and military, and all other inhabitants of the said Province are hereby required to be obedient, aiding, and assisting to me the said George Milner Stephen accordingly.

Given under my hand and the seal of the said Province at Government-house, Adelaide, this sixteenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
GEO. M. STEPHEN, 
Acting Governor and Commander-in-chief. 
By his Excellency's command, 
GEO. STEVENSON, 
Clerk of Council. 

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
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His Excellency the Acting Governor then made this address:—

Gentlemen —
Commanded, as I am, by his late Majesty's commission to " take upon myself" the temporary administration of the government of this experiment in colonization, I have before me no cheering prospect to contemplate.

Called upon to conduct the responsible duties of a high office which an able and gallant officer who has fought all the naval battles of his country for the last half century, and been publicly applauded by the great Nelson for his gallantry and judgment, and who, possessing all that energy and uprightness which characterise his profession, and at the same time a devotion to the best interests of the colony, which it will be my desire to emulate—which such a gentleman, I say, has not succeeded in discharging to the satisfaction of the Board of Commissioners entrusted with the carrying out of the principles upon which this colony is established, it would be presumptuous in me to anticipate their approba-tion. If, however, I shall succeed in allaying the feelings that are now rife in this community, and in restoring peace and harmony to our infant society, and at the same time protect it from the miseries, if not dangers, which seem to threaten it, my ambition will be amply satisfied.

That I can look forward to effecting little more than what I have enumerated during the short interval that my administration will last, you, gentlemen, will acknowledge when you shall reflect upon the state of public affairs at the moment I am addressing you; and I owe it to my own official character, now of ten years' standing, to confess openly the position in which the Colonial Government is now placed; that by boldly looking our affairs in the face you may be able the better to afford me the advice which I shall so much require, and shall at all times anxiously seek; and that by pointing out the difficulties which I have to encounter I may meet with sympathy should my exertions be attended with disappointment.

I have first to announce with regret that there are no funds whatever in the Treasury, and that the quarter's salaries due to the whole of the public servants on the 30th June last, are at this day unpaid. We have, therefore, to fear that the tempting remuneration held out for the exercise of ability in private undertakings in this province, added to the distress which they are beginning to experience from the want of money, will induce many indispensable public officers to leave the service of the government.

Secondly— By the departure of the marines in H.M.S. Alligator, this province, with a population exceeding 4000 persons, is abandoned to the protection of eighteen policemen, lately embodied by Governor Hindmarsh, while there are now twenty-one prisoners confined in the weather-boarded building used as a gaol! and perhaps double that number of desperate runaway convicts in the neighbourhood of the town. At the same time, as I have observed, there are no funds for the support of the force now constituting our only protection; and the Resident Commissioner is restricted by his instructions from providing money for such purpose. And, although our critical circumstances would seem to warrant the course, I shall scarcely dare to take upon myself the responsibility of drawing upon the Lords of her Majesty's Treasury for their maintenance unless the general voice of the community shall require it.

 We have happily no immediate cause to aprehend hostility from the aborigines, or our situation would indeed be deplorable; but they have ere now sacrificed two fellow creatures: and you have too recently witnessed the outrages that terminated in a public execution to regard with indifference our piesent unprotected state. And though it gives me pain to set such a picture before the many private gentlemen now present, who have embarked their fortunes in this land in the just expectation that the Government would afford themselves and their families the protection which they have perhaps already paid for, I ought not to conceal from them our extraordinary condition. I will, however, earnestly assure you all, gentlemen, that should you become appre-hensive of danger from the want of the sinews of Government — finances — I will unhesitatingly submit to the Council the propriety of departing from the royal instructions in providing them.

Thirdly, gentlemen, it may be necessary for my future justification to allude to the embarrassed state of the Survey Department, occasioned by the recently received instructions. The Government, I am fully aware, exercises no authority over the Land Department; nor is it charged with the responsibility of the surveys. As it is, however, incidentally affected by the state of that department I may be pardoned for referring to it; especially as the want of land may increase your disquietude and have a tendency to add to the cares of the administration which has just devolved upon me.

Gentlemen, you are probably too much interested to feel fatigued with this address; but I must apologise for having so long taxed your patience. It was essential to my interests that I should detail the difficulties of my situation, and it now becomes my duty to pledge myself and the other members of the Council that our utmost exertions shall not be spared in preserving the efficiency of this Government.

For all our present embarrassment it is "certain that Governor Hindmarsh is not, and I believe that no one else in this colony is, answerable; and it is proper that I should remind you that neither is her Majesty's government responsible for it.

Finally, gentlemen, I look to your kind assistance and beneficial example for assisting myself and the Council in administering the government and preserving good order in the community. And when I resign the government into abler hands believe me, gentlemen, that I shall feel proud in being regarded—though now out of court—as the " amicus curie" of the Province !

I must now take leave of you, gentlemen, for the purpose of attending to important duties in the Council; and I beg to express my acknowledgments for the respect that you have evinced for the constituted authorities in favoring me with your presence upon this occasion.

I regret that the Resident Commissioner, at such a moment as the present, has not afforded me the support of his presence which, as the representative of my Sovereign, I perhaps had a right to expect; but I presume that more important avocations art now engaging his attention.

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Clerk of Council's Office, 
Adelaide, July 16, 1838.

HIS EXCELLENCY THE ACTING GOVERNOR this day appointed Robert Bernard, Esq., A. M., Barrister at Law, Advocate General and Crown Solicitor for the Province till her Majesty's pleasure be known.

By his Excellency's command,
 GEO. STEVENSON,
Clerk of Council.
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Government House, Adelaide, 
July 16,l838. 

HIS EXCELLENCY THE ACTING GOVERNOR, George Milner Stephen, Esq., has this day appointed William Nation, Esq., his Aid-de-camp.

By his Excellency's command,
GEO. STEVENSON,
Clerk of Council.
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Colonial Secretary's Office, 
July 16,1838. 

THE ACTING GOVERNOR will be happy to receive the Civil Officers and others on public and private business between the hours of twelve and two daily, at this office, where all communications for his Excellency are to be addressed.

By his Excellency's command, 
WILLIAM NATION, 
Aid-de-camp to his Excellency.

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ADELAIDE:—Printed and Published by authority by Robert Thomas and Co., Government Printers, Hindley-street.

Friday. 13th July, 1838

This morning, in a spontaneous and unlooked for outpouring of gratitude and affection, for the which I had long prepared, a large group of Colonists appeared at my door in order to present me with an address signed by close to four hundred within the Province.

I need hardly add that a number of prominent signatures were missing from the document and I shall treasure it all the more for their absence.

Charles Dutton read the thing out and looked very pleased with himself, although I imagine the grin will be wiped from his face pretty smartly come Sunday, when Widow Harvey takes possession of his kitchen.

The address itself praised me as a man of "integrity", which is more than can be said for some, and as a "kind friend, affectionate husband, and indulgent father". Mrs Hindmarsh gave me a dig in the ribs with her elbow at the "affectionate husband" and Mary seemed to develop an unfortunate cough at the "indulgent father" but otherwise all was sunshine and rainbows.

I proceeded to give them the usual flannel about a bright and golden future and respect for the Law and Religion as well as getting in a couple of digs at Fisher which were met with knowing chuckles and sniggers.

I gave them the "thank you all" and "you've all done very well!" and shut the proceedings down before Rev Howard could rise to his feet with "a word in due season".

It was at that point that Strangways chose to tell me that a light luncheon would be offered to the guests and that I would then "mingle".

Mingle? I do many things and many of them I do well, but mingle I do not. This is what comes of it being Friday 13th, I suppose.

Besides Howard and Dutton, there were a number of the better sort there. Lipson, Stevenson, Wyatt, Stevenson, Jickling and Hutchinson were present. Gilles was there, at least in the flesh, although his spirit was soaking in a bottle somewhere.

But many of the party were persons connected in some way with Trade and even a number of Farmers. I am not, I hope, one who looks down on those of a lower station, but the presence of these horny handed sons of toil made "mingling" even more of a trial.

The farmers kept approaching me, smelling faintly of cow manure, to say comforting things such as "Ah, better 'alf a proper wurzel 'an a rotten tattie!" or "ne'er 'oo be afeared, for many a mickel macks a muckel". All I could do was to assume a neutral expression and say "So true!"

Luncheon was served and I noticed Dutton toying with his food and looking puzzled, so that "mingling" also became a game of "Avoid Dutton". I fear it dawned upon him that perhaps his employment of the Vice-Regal cook was not the bargain he hoped.

Newspaper cutting found between the pages of Hindmarsh's diary.



South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, Saturday 14 July 1838, page 1

 ADDRESS TO HIS EXCELLENCY.

YESTERDAY, at twelve o'clock, a deputation of the most influential colonists assembled at Government House to present the address to his Excellency which had been so numerously and respectably signed.

The address was then read by C. C. Dutton, Esq., the Sheriff, as follows:—

To His Excellency Captain Hindmarsh, Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of South Australia. May it please your Excellency The recent intelligence that it has pleased Her Majesty to relieve you from the duties of your high office having been communicated to us, we hasten to offer our expressions of attachment to your person and respect for your character, which, at such a moment, may be more acceptable to your Excellency, as indicative of the sincerity in which they are conveyed.

With the immediate causes that have led to your Excellency's recall most of us are unacquainted. Knowing, however, that this Province and its Government are founded upon principles which boldly discard the system of colonization that has existed for so many centuries, we are conscious of the vast difficulties that have encompassed your Excellency, as the first Governor, in conducting such a novel experiment.

If, as alleged, your Excellency has failed in carrying out those principles to the full extent anticipated by the founders of this colony, it must be universally conceded that your capacity to fill other high stations of responsibility cannot be questioned. For persons the most conversant with the art of government, might in the onset have been unsuccessful in their exertions to work out so peculiar a constitution.

We have witnessed your Excellency's disinterested energy in the discharge of your responsible duties, and have admired the integrity that appears to have dictated all your actions. And in your private relations as the kind friend, affectionate husband, and indulgent father, you have always commanded our respect and attachment; and, when the period of your departure may arrive, we shall regret the loss of a colonist who has in so many instances set us a bright example of patent self-denial and energetic exercise of manly accomplishments.

Adelaide, June 20, 1838.

C. B. Newenham, H. P, ordnance department
Robert Bernard, barrister at law
J. Fletcher, merchant
R. S. Breeze, builder
John Hallett, merchant
A. H. Davis, merchant
Andrew Smith, commander Lord Goderich
Geo. M, Stephen, advocate general
H. P. Watts, late 47th regiment
John Newman, ship-agent
George A. Anstey, proprietor
J. Bishop, merchant
Y. B. Hutchinson, landholder
Matthew Smith, solicitor
Charles B. Howard, colonial chaplain
F. W. Allen, Southern Cross
Thomas Wilson, farmer
H. R. Wigley, resident magistrate
William Shepherd, merchant
John White, landholder
Thomas G. Stow, minister
William Nation, colonial secretary's office
Frederick Handcock, landholder
John Allen, merchant
Bernard Shaw, merchant
S. Fairlie, merchant
William Parcell, merchant
T. Wilson, timber merchant
Thomas Fewson, commander barque Hartley
Henry Jickling, judge
Robert Cock, land agent
C. C. Dutton, sheriff
John Bruce, landholder
J. C. Hawes, auctioneer
William Kingdom, clerk of court
Robert Thomas, government printer
Thomas Orsmond, merchant
John Richardson, land agent
William Edwards, law stationer
William Wilkinson, ship agent
Thomas Stephenson, master of ship
Hetty F. C. Hopkins, merchant
Charles Fenn, merchant
P. M. Richards, landholder
D. Mactavish, landholder
William McBean, landholder
Thomas Martin, landholder
Henry Osborn, merchant
John Stuckey, baker
R. Bradshaw, landholder
William Wyatt, protector of the aborigines
Thomas Shepherd, merchant
R. Adams, merchant
Andrew Birrell, chief constable
A. F. Lindsay, landholder
William Bradshaw, landholder
Samuel Chapman, merchant
John Tozer, watchmaker
Henry Hewitt, merchant
William Finke, ship agent
T. B. Strangways, colonial secretary
Osmond Gilles, colonial treasurer
G. H. Barnard, merchant
J. G. Nash, surgeon
Charles Calton, merchant
Anthony Lillyman, brewer
W. H. Gray, land proprietor
W. Anthony, merchant
T. Morris, commander brig Freeling
Henry Jones, merchant
George Stevenson, clerk of council
Henry Inman, Inspector of police
George Evans, custom-house
Edward Surflen, do.
D. Beatten, do.
Lindsay Craig, do.
Thomas Lipson, harbour master
Daniel Simpson, ship builder
Stephen Whettem. R.N.
T. W. Beare, South Australian Company
A. Jamieson, master ship Trusty
J. Mordaunt, master ship Canton
J. Walker, lieut. R.N.
John Warren, brewer
D. Nihill
S. Blunden, farmer
George North, farmer
William Cameron, farmer
William Kyffin Thomas, printer
Benjamin Portbury, printer
George Dehane, printer
James Halliday, printer
W. H. Nash
John Hill, proprietor
William Hanson
Henry Barnes
And about three hundred other colonists

His Excellency answered in the following terms:—

Gentlemen— I receive your expressions of attachment in the same sincerity of feeling with which I believe they are offered, and I assure you that the regret I feel deeply at this moment is influenced less by the political change to which you refer, or by the reflection that such change has been effected by unworthy means, than by the necessity I am under of leaving you for a time to vindicate my public conduct and justify in England any administration of the Government of the Province.

The share which a Governor of South Australia possesses in conducting the new experiment in colonization is so small that under no circumstances can he be justly responsible for its result. That responsibility rests with the Colonization Commissioners, to whom the charge of " working out so peculiar a constitution" is entrusted. The principle, though novel, is simple, as I believe it to be sound. Its successful practical application, however, depends not on the Colonial Government, but on the integrity and ability of the individuals entrusted by the Colonization Commissioners with its development, and it must be to a deficiency of these qualities alone that anything approaching to failure ought to be attributed.

Notwithstanding all that has taken place I do not anticipate such a calamity. Blessed as South Australia is with the finest climate and the most fertile soil yet discovered in this vast continent, its progress cannot be materially retarded either by political differences or by the more serious mismanagement of the parties entrusted with the disposal of the unappropriated land and with the distribution of the public monies.

If the colonists do themselves justice—if they respect the laws and attend to the observances of religion—if they continue the same habits of temperance and industry which have so happily prevailed, and which are rapidly raising the proprietors of the soil to wealth and the laborers to independence—South Australia must, in its abundance of all the sources of national wealth, realise the most ardent wishes of its friends and acquire in a few years a rank among the provinces of the British Crown unknown and without example in Colonial History.

In leaving you now I wish you individually and the colonists without exception every temporal happiness and spiritual blessing. Believe me, gentlemen, that in whatever position I may be ultimately placed I shall never forget either the support which you have afforded me through so many of the difficulties I have been forced to encounter in this Province nor the present expression of your kindness.

J. HINDMARSH. 

Saturday, 8 December 2018

Undated Notes Written Some Time Either on 11th or 12th July, 1838

Note One

I was busy packing for the voyage home this morning and looked up to discover young Johnny standing in the room.

With no ship travelling from Van Dieman's Land to Adelaide, he travelled, with all the boundless optimism of the young, to Launceston, where he managed to work a passage to Port Phillip Bay on a trading ketch bound for Sydney, then sailed on a fishing boat from Port Phillip to Glenelg. 

What a delightful surprise! 

I told him how much I appreciated the effort to which he had gone and he said, "I couldn't let you head off for London without seeing your ugly old face one more time." The cheeky monkey!

It seems that the surveying job in Hobart did not come to fruition for the nonce, but something might come of it in a year or two,

Good for him!


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Note Two


There is an allegedly hilarious lampoon doing the rounds of the town at present. 

It purports to be a Mother Goose tale and in it, with a wave of a wand I am transformed from a Governor to a Sea Captain; Milner Stephen is transformed from an Advocate General to a Postmaster General to a Governor; Strangways is released from the enchanted Castle of the Colonial Secretary's Office; and Stevenson is changed into "Giant Despair".

Margaret Stevenson is completely scathing about the thing. It is, she says "exactly the sort of ham-fisted, lifelessly unfunny production that the untalented think will raise the roof."

So it will almost certainly appear in Fisher's pet newspaper this week.
I suggested to Mrs Stevenson that a proper ending for the thing might have been a scene where a Princess kissed a toad, whereupon it turned into Mr Fisher, leaving the Princess lamenting that she was better off with the slimy amphibian.

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Note Three



Mr Morphett is currently offering ten pounds reward for the recovery of the chain and anchor of the Brig Dart, currently lying, though not securely, in Holdfast Bay.

Who but Morphett would be sufficiently fat headed as to lose the anchor of a ship while it was actually anchored in the Harbour?
Fix this teanged into "Giant Despair".

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Tuesday, 10th July, 1838

There were extraordinarily distressing scenes at home tonight that have left me quite disturbed.

We were sitting eating what Widow Harvey assured us was Supper when Mary suddenly put down her knife and fork and spoke:

"Father, I must speak with you frankly."

Thinking she was about to comment on the food, I gestured for her to continue.

"Pappa, as you know, I have been taking watercolour lessons from Mr Milner Stephen  of late."

I nodded. I did not really approve of Mr Milner Stephen and I think I have made that quite clear within the family. En famille Milner Stephen is de trop.

Mary continued.

"Pappa, Mr Milner Stephen and I have been seeing rather a lot of each other and..... we have an understanding."

The food I was eating turned to ash in my mouth. Though considering how burnt it was to start with, this was probably not as dramatic as it sounds.

"An understanding?" I managed to choke out. And then Mary dealt the fatal blow.

"We intend to be married." 

I quietly place my cutlery upon the table and said, with all the dignity I could muster: "It would be my preference that Mr Milner Stephen did not become a member of this family."

Mary stood, struck a pose and, with all the melodrama of Mr Shepherd's drama, cried out, "But I love him father! You cannot keep us apart!"

Of course, there she was completely wrong. She was underage and consequently, without my permission, she was in the lurch.

I spoke again, calmly and reasonably. "Mr Milner Stephen is a mountebank, a charlatan and a fraud. His chief ability is to eat me out of house and home and he cheats at cards! I would not give him house room except that once he is through the door there is no getting rid of him! And his faith healing nonsense is the belief of a simpleton. Only the other day he offered to lay on his hands to help the vision in my bad eye!"

"You don't know!" Mary said. "He might have helped you!"

"It's a glass eye!" I said, which seemed to annoy her. "You will not marry him," I said.

"You forget, Father. I am over nineteen. In a year and a half I shall be twenty-one and there will be nothing you can do to stop me behaving exactly as I like!"

"I forbid this family from having further dealings with Mr Milner Stephen!"

Mary swept to the door, then turned dramatically. "Then you had best speak with Mamma and forbid her dealings with him as well!"

And with that she was gone. I turned to Mrs Hindmarsh. What, exactly, did Mary mean by "her dealings" with Milner Stephen?

"Oh now John.... " began Mrs Hindmarsh.

"Oh-now-John me no Oh-now-Johns Madam! To what is Mary referring when she speaks of your dealings with Milner Stephen?"

She sat quietly for a moment and then spoke. "Mr Milner Stephen is assisting and advising me with the arrangements for the selling of our land here in the Colony." I began to speak, but she held up a hand. "And before you say anything, remember what you have told me in the past. You have said that the man is as cunning as a rat and so I thought that he would be exactly the one to ensure that we received the greatest profits from our dealings. And besides: with the ridiculous state of the property laws it is useful to have a man about the place to sign the cheques and deal with the bank. Those are my dealings with Milner Stephen. Forbid them if you want to."

My first thought was "My ducats and my daughter!",  but after another moment I saw the justice of what she said. 

"Well then..... No harm done. All well and good," I said. "But what shall we do about Mary?"

Mrs Hindmarsh pulled a face.

"Oh, Mary!" She smiled. "There is not a problem in the world there. You know as well as I that she can not wait a half an hour for something without losing interest or being distracted by some shiny bauble."

This was true. 

"What chance is there then of the girl waiting eighteen months for her beloved Milner Stephen?"

Once again, I acknowledged the truth of this.

"Three months," I said. "Three months before some boy captures her heart."

"Three weeks!" said Mrs Hindmarsh.  

We said no more, but I am still troubled.

I have no doubt that Mary will lose interest in him. But I have seen George Milner Stephen's limpet-like abilities at clinging "to a good thing". Mary might lose interest in him. But will he lose interest in her?

Monday, 3 December 2018

Monday, 9th July, 1838

Grand news for the Reverend C. B. Howard today as the title of "Dullest Thing in the Colony" is now indisputably his.

Most thought he had it in the bag after his two hour prophetic effusion farewelling me yesterday, but now, with the news that the Adelaide Theatre is to close, his only rival for the title is dispatched.

It was only a month or two ago that the Theatre held its glittering opening night and Bill Shephard spoke ecstatically to the audience, saying, "I find that the Theatre gives me something to live for!"

It seems that what he did not find was that the Theatre gave him something to live on.

When one is aware that the glittering throng on opening night were largely there, glittering, because of a deluge of complimentary tickets sent crashing onto the great and the good of the Province by the organisers and that on subsequent evenings, when people had to stump up hard cash, the crowd was decidedly unthrongful, one can begin to see where the thing capsized.

The costs of the land and building, fitting out the Theatre - in the French Fashion! - added to the costs of producing the theatrical performance could hardly be met by the meagre ticket sales that were forthcoming from the people of Adelaide. I have heard that even the profits over the bar selling beer and spirits to Old Soaks have themselves been soaked up by the Theatre, the biggest Old Soak of them all.

Such was the drain on Shepherd's finances that a second production was promised and advertised, but did not appear, due, I surmise, to a lack of the ready cash.

There are two schools of thought here (1) That the people of Adelaide are uncultured Philistines and hence would not part with the money to support a new theatrical venture. (2) That the people of Adelaide are cultured theatre lovers who valued good theatre too much to part with money to support a theatrical venture of the sort being offered by Shepherd. 

Either way, Bill Shepherd has discovered that the best way to deal with his innumerable creditors is to cut his losses and sell up.

I am by no means one to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others, but after the evening I spent in that Theatre I cannot help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. 

A Paper Found Between the Pages of Hindmarsh's DIary



Southern Australian (Adelaide, SA : 1838 - 1844), Saturday 7 July 1838, page 1


Valuable Freehold Property.

Mr ROBERT COCK has the honour to announce that he has received instructions to Sell by Private Contract


SECTION 251, FRANKLIN STREET,
SOUTH ADELAIDE,
(Near the intended Market) upon which is situated that most commodious and valuable Building, known as the


ADELAIDE TAVERN,

Now in the occupation of Mr. SHEPHARD, and in full business. The House is most substantially built, regardless of all expence, and is replete with every convenience necessary to carry on a first rate establishment; at the same time it is so admirably arranged that a person of small capital may make a


HANDSOME FORTUNE

By a partial occupation only. The general character of this House is sufficiently well known to render a lengthy description unnecessary, and the limits of an advertisement would not suffice to describe its numerous advantages; enough to say, that to those possessed of the talent and activity to carry on so flourishing a business and a little capital, it would be a certain fortune


IN A FEW YEARS.

The HOUSE is built of Stone, with handsome Stone Portico in front; and contains on the Ground Floor, a roomy and convenient Bar, and five capital Parlours and private rooms, besides, a Kitchen, 34 feet by 14, and large Cellar.


The Large Ball Boom

On the upper Story is too well known to need description. The excellent Public Dinners that have been held of late, afford ample testimony of the great value to the Hotel of so splendid and convenient a room. This room is 50 feet long by 18 feet wide, will dine 200 persons, and is now most profitably turned to account by being used for the


ADELAIDE THEATRE,

And affording accomodation for an audience consisting of400 persons.

A smaller Ball Room adjoins, and numerous Bed Rooms, with ample space over the Kitchen, for three or four rooms additional.

A quantity of material is upon the spot for the purpose of completing some of the unfinished portions, and the size may be increased to almost anv extent at the option of the owner.

In addition to the Tavern there is a double Stone Cottage on the acre, replete with convenience for small families; at present in the occupation of Messrs. Abbott and Lerwin.

A portion of the purchase-money may remain on security of the Property if required.