Place Names of South Australia - R
Riverton
Nomenclature
In an unpublished history Mrs R.B. Scholefield says:-
James Masters came to the Gilbert Valley... accompanied by Charles Swinden, Dr Matthew Moorhouse and John Jubb Horner... in connection with the naming of Riverton I quote from a letter from the late Gilbert Horner, a grandson of J.J. Horner:"My grandfather often told us he named the town... Mr Masters remarked that the Surveyor-General had written and announced his intention of laying out a new town... and asked for a name to be recommended. "What about calling it Hornertown?'', suggested Mr Masters. My grandfather, however, would not consent and said, "Call it after this little river''. So the name of 'Gilberton' was sent in [and refused] because the name had already been chosen [for an Adelaide suburb]. Mr Masters then called on Mr Horner and again suggested Hornertown [to which he replied] "If they will not accept Gilberton, call it Riverton''.
General Notes
The reminiscences of James Moorhouse are in the Observer,18 October 1924, page 46c.
"New Church at Riverton" is in the Register,
27 February 1857, page 2h.
The laying of the foundation stone of a steam and water corn mill is reported in the Register,
6 September 1855, page 2g.
A fatality at the mill is reported in the Advertiser,
10 June 1868, page 3b; also see
10 July 1868, page 3c.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Farming - Mills.
A history of divine worship and schooling in the town is in the Register,
27 February 1857, page 2h; also see
8 and 16 May 1857, pages 2e and 2h,
28 May 1858, page 3e.
- The residents of this thriving township have come to the determination of erecting a church.... The site has been offered gratuitously and from the very handsome sum promised at the meeting... a building will be erected... Public worship has for several years been conducted in the neighbourhood - first, at the residence of Mr Masters, Saddleworth Lodge... But as the country was opened up and the settlers became more numerous the cry "more room" was heard and Mr Masters, always anxious for the education of the young, erected a neat schoolroom, where public worship has been conducted by the Rev. F.P. Strickland for nearly 12 months...
8 May 1857, page 3e;
its opening in the Observer,
10 October 1857, page 5h and
the laying of the foundation stone of the Wesleyan Chapel on
15 October 1870, page 8c.
also see Register, 8 January 1873, page 6a
Its school opened in 1857 - see Government Gazette, page 148 and
Register,
30 July 1864, page 3h;
examinations are in the Chronicle,
23 October 1869, page 7c.
A complaint about its conduct is reported in the Register,
21 January 1879, page 6g; also see
30 and 31 January 1879, pages 6g.
An Arbor Day is reported in the Chronicle,
25 August 1894, page 23a (see South Australia - Education - Arbor Days) and
a "Hoisting the Flag" ceremony on 25 May 1901, page 19d;
also see Register, 22 May 1909, page 6a.
Also see South Australia - Miscellany - Flags and Patriotic Songs,
Biographical details of Robert J. Neale, head teacher, are in the Register,
15 January 1907, page 5b.
"A Haul of Truants" is in the Register,
30 September 1911, page 13g.
Also see South Australia - Education - Truancy.
A ploughing match is reported in the Register,
4 September 1858, page 3g;
for the aftermath of the 1859 event see Chronicle,
15 October 1859, page 3a "Riverton Rioters".
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Ploughing Matches.
Information on Mr Masters' llamas is in the Farm & Garden,
13 October 1859, page 65.
A public dinner accorded James Masters is reported in the Chronicle,
10 December 1859, page 3a.
A horse race meeting is reported in the Observer,
6 April 1861, page 3e,
Chronicle,
18 April 1868, page 6f.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Horse Racing.
The opening of a Primitive Methodist Chapel is reported in the Register,
6 December 1861, page 3h.
A cricket match is reported in the Register,
28 April 1862, page 3f.
A match against Auburn is reported in the Register,
6 April 1866, page 3h,
against Stockport in the Observer,
25 January 1868, page 5e;
Riverton versus Hamilton in the Register,
3 March 1875, page 6f.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Cricket - Miscellany.
Sketches of the town are in the Pictorial Australian in
June and August 1879,
Frearson's Weekly on
30 August 1879, page 225 and
photographs in the Observer,
30 January 1904, page 24.
A history of the town and photographs are in the Chronicle,
16 February 1933, pages 33 and 46.
The town is described in the Register,
7 December 1861, page 3b,
1 April 1863, page 2g,
Advertiser,
7 October 1886, page 7d,
11 September 1890, page 3e,
20 March 1901, page 6e,
Register,
10 November 1903, page 6c,
Observer,
30 January 1904, page 24,
2 April 1904, page 39 (includes photos),
Register,
25 and 26 March 1904, pages 6c and 6f,
22 January 1910, page 14f,
1 January 1927, page 7c.
A meeting called to discuss the need for a police station and courthouse is reported in the Register,
16 October 1865, page 3f; Also see South Australia - Police
the laying of the foundation stone appears on
22 September 1866, page 3h and
its opening in the Chronicle,
27 April 1867, page 3a.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Scotch Church is reported in the Chronicle,
17 September 1864, page 3a.
A proposed district council is discussed in the Chronicle,
4 November 1865, page 3a.
Also see South Australia - Miscellany - Local Government.
The Register of 25 October 1871 at page 4f tells of:
-
Sermons preached in Mr H. Bollenhagen's wheat store... one object being to secure funds for the building of a new [Bible Christian] Chapel...
9 April 1872, page 6f.
Information on the Riverton Amateur Minstrels is in The Irish Harp,
4 May 1872, page 3c.
A picnic and concert are reported upon in the Chronicle,
31 January 1874, page 9e;
a Foresters' picnic is reported on
28 October 1876, page 4f and
a Friendly Society's picnic on Mr M. Suckling's paddock "about 2 miles south of Riverton" in the Register,
7 October 1879, page 6b; also see
Chronicle,
15 March 1890, page 13d.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Institute is reported in the Register,
13 June 1874, page 6b; also see
4 and 5 December 1874, pages 6e and 5g.
A photograph is in the Chronicle,
2 April 1904, page 44.
Details of a holiday railway excursion from Adelaide on Good Friday are in the Register,
20 March 1875, page 5a.
This notice riled a few strait-laced citizens and two protest letters appear on
23 and 24 March 1875, pages 6a and 5g:
-
Already our licensing system has been found subservient to intemperance and vice. It is to be hoped that the public revenue will not profit by making our railways instruments of multitudinous corruption. Carriages crammed with youth of both sexes... will not be favourable to delicacy or purity.
(See Register, 27 March 1875, page 5f for the resultant grand temperance fete at Riverton.)
24 February 1877, page 11a.
Also see South Australia - Natural Disasters - Floods.
Dynamite experiments at Edge Hill Farm is reported in the Observer,
23 June 1877, page 4g.
A football match against South Park (Adelaide) is reported in the Observer,
10 August 1878, page 6f.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Football.
Information on the railway workshops is in the Register,
20 and 28 November 1878 (supp.), pages 2c and page 5c.
An art exhibition is reported in the Register,
11 March 1879, page 6a.
Also see South Australia - Entertainment and the Arts - Art.
The first flower show is reported in the Register,
25 October 1879 (supp.), page 3a; also see
19 October 1883, page 5g.
Also see South Australia - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows .
A rifle shooting match is reported in the Observer,
16 October 1880, page 662c.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Rifle Shooting.
Information on the town's water supply is in the Register,
21 January 1886, page 5a.
"Water Supply Desired" is in the Register,
30 January 1906, page 3c.
Also see South Australia - Water Conservation.
The opening of the Cooperative Dairy Factory is reported in the Register,
11 November 1889, page 7b; also see
Advertiser,
8 August 1896, page 6f.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Dairying.
An obituary of Mrs Sarah Sanders is in the Register,
9 January 1889, page 5a,
of Robert Kirk on 6 April 1892, page 5b,
of Thomas B. Rowe on 9 January 1893, page 5c.
A coursing meeting is reported in the Chronicle,
5 September 1891, page 21g,
Advertiser,
12 September 1893, page 7b.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Coursing.
A sports day is reported in the Chronicle,
16 March 1895, page 12d.
Winemaking in the district is described in the Register,
6 March 1896, page 6c and
vineyards on
12 March 1897, page 7a,
Observer,
19 March 1898, page 3d,
Advertiser,
22 May 1899, page 6e.
Messrs Allwork and Norton's winery is described in the Chronicle,
14 March 1896, page 43b.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Viticulture.
Biographical details of James Marshall are in the Observer,
24 April 1897, page 16a.
The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs R.W. Hall is reported in the Register,
19 January 1903, page 3h.
A snow fall is reported in the Chronicle,
3 August 1901, page 33d.
"Riverton Exhibition" is in the Register,
24 March 1904, page 6b,
"Riverton Industries" is in the Advertiser,
24 March 1904, page 5h.
A brass band concert is reported in the Register,
20 September 1904, page 3c.
The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs Gravestocks is reported in the Register,
7 August 1906, page 5a.
A jubilee of the Lutheran church is reported in the Register,
8 August 1906, page 3e.
A proposed recreation ground is discussed in the Register,
5 February 1907, page 6d and
its opening in the Chronicle,
15 June 1907, page 14a.
The use of a divining rod by David Hannaford is reported in the Register,
24 April 1908, page 8e (See South Australia - Miscellany - Water Divining and Rainmaking) and
the jubilee of Holy Trinity Church on
20 June 1908, page 14d.
An obituary of Fred G. Baker, "inventor and patentee of the commonwealth automatic bridle", is in the Observer,
18 September 1909, page 40a.
Biographical details of John McKenzie are in the Register,
16 July 1910, page 11g,
of C.A. Dunn on 25 February 1911, page 18c,
of Daniel Kirk on 15 December 1925, page 10h.
"To the Seaside - Large Country Picnic" is in the Advertiser,
3 February 1912, page 22c.
Also see Adelaide - Beaches and Bathing.
Biographical details of Mrs Charles Bowden are in the Register,
16 August 1913, page 16e,
of Isaac Burridge on 19 December 1916, page 4g,
19 December 1919, page 6h,
15 February 1921, page 6d,
23 May 1921, page 4h - obit.),
of Robert Hall on 1 January 1917, page 6h,
of James Scholefield on 12 April 1917, page 6g.
A photograph of members of the Women's Agriculture Bureau is in the Observer,
24 November 1917, page 25,
of female patriotic workers in the Chronicle,
7 September 1918, page 26.
"Russian Ran Amok with Revolver" is in the Register,
22 March 1921, page 5a.
Information on the Soldiers' Memorial Hospital is in the Advertiser,
12 May 1923, page 17c,
22 June 1923, page 10g.
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
30 June 1923, page 34,
Observer,
30 June 1923, page 29.
Also see South Australia - World War I - Memorials to the Fallen.
The diamond wedding of Mr & Mrs John Mitchell is reported in the Register,
28 February 1923, page 8g.
"Back to Riverton - Carnival Opened" is in the Advertiser,
26 and 29 October 1929, pages 21g and 24f.
A photograph of a football team is in the Chronicle,
10 October 1935, page 36,
of a basketball team on
9 July 1936, page 38.
Riverton - Obituaries
An obituary of John Carrack is in the Register,
27 November 1902, page 6c.
An obituary of Thomas Gravestocks is in the Observer,
29 September 1906, page 38c,
of Mrs Sarah Carrack on 15 December 1906, page 34d,
of Robert J. Neale, school teacher, on 19 January 1907, page 38b,
of Mrs Eliza Burford on 23 March 1907, page 40d,
of Mrs William Baker on 25 May 1907, page 40c,
of William H. Popham on 29 June 1907, page 40e,
of John Cooper on 7 August 1909, page 40a,
of Alfred W. Elliott on 8 April 1911, page 17a.
An obituary of A.E. Cole is in the Register,
1 January 1901, page 4h,
of Richard Mitchell on 24 March 1902, page 6d,
of Joseph Hansen on 27 December 1906, page 5a,
of Peter Keelen on 21 May 1907, page 4g,
of W.H. Popham on 25 June 1907, page 7e,
of John Cooper on 30 July 1909, page 5b.
An obituary of John Carrack is in the Register,
27 November 1902, page 6c.
An obituary of Thomas Gravestocks is in the Observer,
29 September 1906, page 38c,
of Mrs Sarah Carrack on 15 December 1906, page 34d,
of Robert J. Neale, school teacher, on 19 January 1907, page 38b,
of Mrs Eliza Burford on 23 March 1907, page 40d,
of Mrs William Baker on 25 May 1907, page 40c,
of William H. Popham on 29 June 1907, page 40e,
of John Cooper on 7 August 1909, page 40a,
of Alfred W. Elliott on 8 April 1911, page 17a.
An obituary of Alfred W. Elliott is in the Register,
31 March 1911, page 9a,
of William Lang on 28 November 1912, page 6h,
of Mrs C. Bowden on 2 December 1913, page 8b,
of Walter Lock on 29 January 1914, page 8a,
of George Gurner on 25 April 1917, page 6h,
of Mrs Martha Grierson on 29 August 1917, page 6g,
of Charles White on 6 November 1917, page 4f.
An obituary of C. Coles is in the Observer,
31 May 1913, page 41a,
of Mrs C. Bowden on 6 December 1913, page 41c,
of Samuel Arthur on 25 November 1916, page 21a,
of George Gurner on 28 April 1917, page 13d,
of Daniel Kirk on 19 May 1917, page 33a,
of John J. Swinden on 9 June 1917, page 33c,
of L.C. Wilson on 24 November 1917, page 40b,
of James Potter on 15 December 1917, page 23c,
of Mrs Robert W. Hall on 2 March 1918, page 33d.
An obituary of William H. Moss is in the Register,
21 November 1917, page 6f,
of James Potter on 8 December 1917, page 8g,
of Robert W. Hall on 26 August 1918, page 4g,
of Charles Bannear on 23 May 1919, page 4g,
of Samuel Gent on 3 June 1919, page 6h,
of James Wilson on 28 October 1919, page 4h,
of August Scholz on 3 December 1919, page 6g,
of John Kemp on 6 December 1919, page 9b.
An obituary of Charles Bannear is in the Observer,
31 May 1919, page 14a,
of Samuel Gent on 7 June 1919, page 14a,
of James Scholefield on 31 July 1920, page 12d,
14 August 1920, page 31c,
of Isaac Burridge on 19 February 1921, page 34a,
of Mrs Isaac Burridge on 28 May 1921, page 34a,
of Matthew Shearlock on 9 July 1921, page 34b,
of W.F. Challinger on 5 December 1925, page 61a,
of William Legoe on 19 June 1926, page 59b.
An obituary of James Scholefield is in the Register,
27 July 1920, page 4i,
6 August 1920, page 4i,
of Mrs R. Wakeham on 31 March 1925, page 4e,
of William F. Challinger on 27 November 1925, page 8h,
of Alfred J. Sarre on 6 November 1926, page 9c,
of Walter Lock on 9 June 1927, page 11a.
