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Showing posts with label South Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Australia. Show all posts

Tuesday, 2 September 2025

Mary Sullivan vs. Madame Valetta – Psychic Fraud?

Mary Sullivan vs. Madame Valetta  

– Psychic Fraud?



  In 1889, South Australian fortune teller Louisa Valetta was charged by police for obtaining half a crown by false pretence. Mrs Sullivan had visited Valetta, who gave her a cup of tea and a quick chat. Valetta then shuffled some cards and dealt them. She explained Sullivan's fortune by reading the cards.

 The following day Sullivan went to the police to have Valetta charged for being a fake psychic. She did not demand the return of her money. The presumption by the police at the time was that Sullivan had done so out of spite. Magistrate S. Beddomme heard the case and fined Valetta for deceptively obtaining money by pretending to tell Sullivan's fortune.
 Valetta appealed the decision, and the case was heard in front of Justice Boucaut. Her lawyer, W. V. Smith, presented that she had been convicted as ‘she did unlawfully deceive and impose upon one Mary Sullivan by pretending to tell her fortune; whereby she obtained the sum of 2s; 6d.” The grounds of the appeal, that Valetta was not guilty of the charges, were based on the grounds that there, ‘was no evidence to support the conviction; that the conviction was bad in law; and that the order was bad in law and ultra vires’ (beyond the powers). [1]

  At the time (1889) legislation in South Australia was based on English law. One law, Hen. VIII, C.8 stated that it was a felony to practice conjuration, witchcraft or sorcery to obtain monies, to consume any person in his body, members, or goods or to provoke any person to unlawful law. According to the South Australian Register (newspaper) reported at the time that the law was repealed but reinstated in the 5th year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, and again during the reign of King James 1 – the law from this time stayed for another 140 years.[2]
 The law stated it was punishable by death to,

consult with, entertain, employ, feed or reward any wicked spirit with the intent to take up any dead person out of the grave for the purpose of using the body in any witchcraft, sorcery, charm or enchantment, whereby any person might be killed, wasted, consumed.[3]

  Due to people using the law to persecute people they did not like, it was modified, but still enforced in England, and South Australia in 1889. King George II modified the law, abolishing the prosecutions for witchcraft on the assumption that such a thing did not exist. The law still offered protection for people being scammed by those pretending to be sorcerers, psychics and fortune tellers, with the punishment of death being downgraded to imprisonment or pillory. (Pillory was a wooden device where the heads and arms were placed through holes and locked in place. The prisoner was then exposed to public humiliation – and sometimes rotten fruit may be thrown at them.


The Police Act, 15, (1869-70) (An Act to consolidate and amend the Law relating to the Police in South Australia.) states, 'Every person pretending to tell fortunes, or using any subtle craft, means, or device, by palmistry or otherwise, to deceive and impose upon Her Majesty's subjects.’[4]

The punishment is,
 ‘Shall be liable to imprisonment for any time not exceeding two calendar months with or without hard labour.’[5]


Evidence was provided that there was no evidence that Valetta had been paid for a fortune telling. There was no imposition to Sullivan proved, Valetta only mentioned things that were ‘likely to happen,’ and which were in the realms of possibility.  By Sullivan not requesting her money returned, the charge was quashed as being presented on false pretence as there was no evidence that the person received money. Magistrate Boucaut stated, to him, it seemed as if two women had been friends and head been telling each other’s fortune for some six months or so, daily. That friendship dissolved, and one sought revenge against another. There was no evidence that Madame Valetta advertised her services as a psychic, so could not be charged under the Police Act for deception. The conviction was overturned.[6]


Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'THE FORTUNE-TELLING CASE.', The Advertiser, (22 August 1889), p. 5.

[2] 'FORTUNE-TELLING.', South Australian Register, (22 August 1889), p. 4.

[3] 'FORTUNE-TELLING.', South Australian Register, (22 August 1889), p. 4.

[4] Police Act (No 15 of 33 Vic, 1869-70), South Australian Government, (1870), p. 91.

[5] Police Act (No 15 of 33 Vic, 1869-70), South Australian Government, (1870), p. 91.

[6] 'THE FORTUNE-TELLING CASE.', The Advertiser, (22 August 1889), p. 5.

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Lightning Strikes – The Death of Mr Carey

 Lightning Strikes – The Death of Mr Carey



 It was a Friday afternoon January 25 1901, Thomas Carey, a farmer near Templers, was returning home after visiting Gawler. He was riding in a wagon with six horses. His brother, Jeremiah Carey, an employee of Mr Flett, had also been in Gawler that day, and rode with his brother as far as Flett’s farm near Roseworthy.
 Thomas waited with his horses and wagon while his brother went into his lodgings and found an overcoat that he gave to Jeremiah. Mr Flett invited Thomas to park his wagon at the farmhouse and stable his horses as a fierce storm had settled in. Thomas declined the invitation.  Jeremiah then changed his clothes and went with Mr Flett to check on an overflowing drain. The men walked for a little while but noticed Thomas's wagon was sitting idle alongside the road. They walked over to it and found all six horses and Thomas dead.[1]

Authorities were alerted, with Mounted Constable Grosser the first on the scene. He found Thomas Carey sitting in an upright position, his body leaning back on the hay frame. His feet were resting on the shafts. Thomas’ left leg was scorched above the ankle, as was the left side of his neck and face. His moustache and hair on the left of his body was badly singed.  Thomas’ body had many small burn marks, especially across his torso. His hat had been blown off his head and was lying 200 yards away.
 The horses were lying dead where they had stood, with no apparent electrical or fire damage. The wagon was also unscathed.
Mr A.G. Both, J.P. stated that an inquest was not required and approved for the burial of the man and his horses. The horses were buried in a 10-foot-deep, former waterhole on the property of James Dingle.[2]

Thomas Carey was buried at the Willaston Cemetery. The Bunyip newspaper reported that the funeral procession was one of the longest ever seen in the district at the time, with over 100 vehicles following the hearse. [3]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.', Border Watch, (30 January 1901), p. 1.

[2] 'Killed by Lightning.', Bunyip, (1 February 1901), p. 2.

[3] 'Killed by Lightning.', Bunyip, (1 February 1901), p. 2.

Tuesday, 1 July 2025

Lightning Strikes – Penola Shepherds

 Lightning Strikes – Penola Shepherds



 In January 1907, James and his older brother Alex Patterson were mustering sheep on their uncle's farm near Penola in the southeast of South Australia. They counted the sheep they had mustered and realized the count fell short, so they went to look for the lost sheep.
 As they rode their horses through the paddocks, a storm blew in. The two boys took shelter under the tree. The tree proved to be insufficient to shelter both boys and their horses, so Alec rode on a little further to find another tree to shelter underneath.[1]
 James could see his brother when a flash of lightning filled the gloom of the storm. James watched his brother’s horse fall. He ran to his brother to find him sitting upright with his pocketbook in his hand, as he had been counting sheep when the lightning struck. Next to him was his dead horse and his dead dog. He then ran to the nearest house and alerted them to the tragedy.

 Mounted Constable Carter, William Patterson (Alex’s uncle) and Dr Magee from Penola made their way to the site of the tragedy.[2] They discovered Alex’s body, his clothes were torn, his right trouser leg was entirely split, and his boots torn to shreds. His body had been seared in some places and his hair singed.[3] They loaded the body onto a cart and brought it back to Penola.

A report on the incident was published in the Border Watch newspaper as follows,

"I have the honor to report that William Patterson, J. P. reported to me at 5.30 p.m., on the 26th inst., that his nephew, Alexander John Patterson, son of James Patterson, of Suthledge, was killed by lightning on the Victorian border, near Lake Mundi. I left immediately in company with Dr. Magee and Mr. W. Patterson, and found that, the deceased, his horse, and his dog were all killed near a gum tree, under which they had taken shelter from the storm.
  The horse had evidently fallen where struck, and it was bleeding from the ears and was dead. The sheep dog was lying dead close to the deceased, and its hair was singed. The ground was torn up round where the deceased lay. He had the body brought into Penola.
   James Andrew Patterson, aged 13 years, stated that between 3 and 4 o'clock on Saturday, he was mustering sheep with his deceased brother, who was 17 years of age. They found they were short in number, and were searching for the missing ones when a heavy storm came on, and they both took shelter under trees. The deceased was sitting under one tree about a chain away from the one he was under. He had his horse close to him, holding it by the bridle, and his pocket book in his hand counting up the number of sheep. A flash of lightning came; and he saw his brother's horse fall. He ran over, and found his brother sitting as before with his pocket book in his hand. He spoke to him, but got no answer. He spoke to him again, and found he was dead, and also the horse and dog. He immediately went to the nearest neighbours, told the, what had happened, and asked for help.
  Dr. C.C. Magee reported on the evening of the 26th inst. He, in company with M.C. Carter of Penola, inspected the body of Alexander John Patterson, aged about 17 years, found dead under a tree, 114 miles from Penola, on the Casterton Road.
 He found the right leg of the trousers badly torn from the middle of the thigh downwards. The right boot was completely torn off the foot, only the heel and sole of the boot being. left. The toe of the left boot was torn open. About half a dozen holes were burnt in the singlet, and a small hole was burnt in the soft felt hat.
  On examination of the body he found the hair on the back of the head and ears singed, about half a dozen small burns on the back between the shoulder blades corresponding with the holes in the singlet, a bruise about an inch square between the eighth and ninth rib on the left side, the pubic hair singed, a burn about the size of the palm of a hand on front of the right leg between the knee and ankle, a small burn under the right big toe, and the hair singed on the right leg up to the knee.
 From these appearances he considered death to have been caused by lightning stroke, and to have been instantaneous.[4]

 

Alexander was buried in the Penola cemetery, with the Reverend D.A. Souter ministering over the procession.[5] Alexander is buried alongside his uncle, Thomas MacDonald, who died just two weeks prior.[6]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] Youth, Horse, And Dog.', The Register, (28 January 1907), p. 5.

[2] 'TRAGIC DEATH AT PENOLA.', The South Eastern Times, (29 January 1907), p. 2.

[3] 'KILLED BY LIGHTNING.', The Register, (29 January 1907), p. 4.

[4] 'THUNDERSTORM HEAR PENOLA.', Border Watch, (30 January 1907), p. 2.

[5] ‘Patterson’, Cemetery Search, Wattle Range Council, (2025), https://www.wattlerange.sa.gov.au/living-here/cemeteries/cemetery-search?action=grave&id=254374.

[6] 'THUNDERSTORM HEAR PENOLA.', Border Watch, (30 January 1907), p. 2.

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Lightning Strikes – The Death of Bertha Cook.

 Lightning Strikes – The Death of Bertha Cook.



 On Monday 4 February 1929, 25-year-old Bertha Cook was doing her washing in her backyard, while her son Lloyd played nearby. Her husband Fred, a returned soldier and fruit grower, was working in the front yard. The sky was overcast but did not look threatening. As thunderstruck a bolt of lightning struck Bertha in the head. Lloyd was struck by the shockwave that followed, but through his daze, managed to get into the front yard of the property and alert his father that something was wrong with Bertha.[1]

 Fred came into the backyard to find Bertha’s clothes ablaze.  He put the fire out and tried to revive his wife, but she was dead. He then ran for medical help. Lightning had struck her on the shoulder, her shoulder and legs were ‘charred to cinders,’ and her shoes were ‘torn from her feet like tissue paper.’[2]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'Latest News.', West Coast Recorder, (7 February 1929), p. 2.

[2] 'WOMAN KILLED.', The Advertiser, (7 February 1929), p. 13.; 'Woman Killed by Lightning.', The Narracoorte Herald, (15 Feb 1929), p. 4.

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Lightning Strikes – Islington.

 Lightning Strikes – Islington.



In December 1895, sisters, Mrs King and Mrs Daly were walking along the North Road near the Reepham Hotel at Islington when lightning struck. The two ladies were thrown to the ground unconscious. When both ladies were roused, neither could use their legs. Mrs King was taken into the Reepham Hotel where it was revealed she had been severely burned across her body, her hair had been singed, and her boots blown from her feet.[1]
Mrs Daly was far more fortunate, escaping with a severe shock only. A horse that was standing not far from where the two women were struck, was killed instantly.[2]

The ladies were attended by well-known Adelaide Doctor C.G. Lermitte. Dr Charles Gower Lermitte was born in Canada in approximately 1862. He was educated in medicine at Richmond England.[3]
 On 28 May 1889, Charles married Augusta Katherine Winifred Scott at Walkerville, South Australia.[4]

In 1890 the couple moved to Deloraine in Tasmania where Charles worked as a Doctor.[5] In 1900, Dr Lermitte was working from Olive House, Gilberton, South Australia.[6]  In October 1920 it was reported in the Adelaide Observer that Doctor Lermitte had committed suicide at his home in Kent Town. He was found dead in his bed by his wife. It was concluded he had taken prussic acid, what we know today as hydrogen cyanide.
During an inquest into the doctor’s death, it was shown that he had been in a suicidal state for some time prior. A letter was produced at the inquest in Dr Lermittes hand, which stated he had previously taken 43 grains of sulphate of morphia, enough to kill 3 or four men, but he had barely felt affected.
 The coroner was surprised at the ruling of temporary insanity and questioned the jury. Several of the Coroner's own friends were intimately acquainted with the doctor and did now think he would take his own life. [7]

Charles Gower Lermitte, M.R.C.S. Eng. & L.S.A. Lond. was 40 years old at the time of his death. He owned medical practices at Gilberton, Kent Town and Norwood.[8] Dr Lermitte was buried at Nailsworth Cemetery.[9]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'The Sunbeam Society.', Evening Journal, (7 December 1895), p. 4.

[2] 'STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.', The Advertiser, (7 December 1895), p. 5.

[3] Charles Gower Larmitte, District 14, Richmond, Surrey, Class: RG11; Piece: 844; Folio 844, GSU roll: 1341200. England Census, (1881), p. 29.

[4] Lermitte – Scott, Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1949, Vol. 159, (1889), p. 1130.

[5] Medical Directory, Tasmania PO Directory, (Wise), (1890-91), Australia, City Directories, (1891), p. 390.

[6] Lindsay, Practitioners Resident Abroad, The Medical Directory (1900), p. 1799.

[7] 'THE LATE DR. LERMITTE.', Adelaide Observer, (25 October 1902), p. 31. 

[8] 'DR. C. LERMITTE.', The Express and Telegraph, (17 October 1902), p. 1

[9] Dr Charles Gower Lermitte, Find a Grave, (1902), https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/227319684/charles_gower-lermitte

Tuesday, 10 June 2025

Lightning Strikes – The Tragic Death of A.H. Chapman.

 Lightning Strikes 

– The Tragic Death of A.H. Chapman.



 On October 7, 1907, 21-year-old Alfred Harold Chapman of Weaver’s Lagoon, was working on the farm of Mr James Latty near Yorketown.[1] Chapman was droving stock from a paddock heading back towards the farmhouse when a storm passed overhead. Lightning erupted, with one bolt striking Chapman as he rode his horse.
 A report into the lightning strike stated that the lightning entered Chapman through his head, splitting his hat in two, and blowing its remains over 12 feet away. The lightning traveled down the side of his head, burning his face, ear and neck, before burning through patches of skin on his chest and legs. Most of his shirt and other clothing were found over 12 yards away (approx. 10.5 metres) from his corpse. Chapman was holding a dead rabbit in his hand, which had been caught by the dog which accompanied him – the dog remained unharmed.[2]
The saddle on which Chapman was riding had a hole burned through it. There were lightning marks on the horse’s shoulder, and down its forelegs towards its hooves. Despite the thunderstorm, no rain fell on the dead man on horse.[3]

' body was transported back to Adelaide. He was buried at Clarendon Cemetery, near his family home. He had been at the Yorketown farm only a few weeks. [4]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'TELEGRAMS.', The Narracoorte Herald, (8 October 1907), p. 2.

[2] 'Yorketown', Yorke's Peninsula Advertiser, (11 October 1907), p. 3.

[3] 'KILLED BY LIGHTNING.', The Register, (8 October 1907), p. 9.

[4] 'Yorketown', Yorke's Peninsula Advertiser, (11 October 1907), p. 3.

Tuesday, 3 June 2025

Lightning Strikes – The Tragic Death of Harold Gilding.

 Lightning Strikes

 – The Tragic Death of Harold Gilding.



On October 18, 1898, 15-year-old Harold Gilding of West Mardon was in his parents’ garden when a thunderstorm rolled through. Harold was speaking to his mother, who stood just a few yards away when a flash of lightning appeared, which struck Harold to the ground.
 The bolt tore Harold's clothing from his body and burnt him from head to foot. It was reported that the lightning entered through his forehead, passed around inside his head, burned all his hair off, and then exited through his foot, singeing his boots.[1] His boots were blown off his body and found some distance away.[2]  Despite being knocked down due to the blast, his mother received no injuries, other than the shock of her son being burned alive in front of her. Harold’s nine-year-old brother, Benjamin, who was also outside picking peas at the time of the lightning strike received scratches on his face from the soil and stones which the lightning raised into the air and catapulted in his direction.
 Dr Borthwick was called to assess and expressed his opinion that the electricity had passed through the boy killing him instantaneously. No inquest was held. [3]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025



[1] 'STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. A Lad Killed.', The Express and Telegraph, (18 October 1898), p. 2.

[2] 'TELEGRAMS.', Port Pirie Recorder and North Western Mail, (19 October 1898), p. 3.

[3] 'STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.', Adelaide Observer, (22 October 1898), p. 28. 

Saturday, 17 May 2025

Gawler Underground - The Prince Albert Hotel


Prince Albert Hotel

109 Murray Street, Gawler


  The Prince Albert Hotel on Murray Street opened as the New Bushman Hotel on 31 March 1847 – the sign above the door states it was opened in 1859 by J. McEwan, but this is most likely the date it opened under the Prince Albert name. It retained this name until 30 March 1851, when it was renamed Young’s Hotel. The name reverted to the New Bushman Hotel in July 1852, then Smiths Hotel from 1855 until March 1859, when it was renamed The Prince Albert Inn. As of April 1869, the hotel has had the name The Prince Albert Hotel.[1] In the late 1990s, it became Fibber Magee’s until 2011.[2] The hotel name was then reverted to The Prince Albert Hotel. The hotel’s current legal trading name is the P/A Hotel.[3]

  A local legend states a tunnel used to run underneath Murray Street from the Gawler Arms Hotel into the Prince Albert Hotel, with another tunnel running up to the Hutchinson Hospital (built in 1913) on East Terrace. There is no evidence in the basement to prove either of these alleged tunnels true.



Go Underground via this link:



Researched and written by Allen Tiller

[1] Ibid.

[3] The South Australian Government Gazette, No. 123, (3 August 2000), p. 414.

Thursday, 15 May 2025

Gawler Underground - Imprint Flowers

Imprint Flowers

1 Tod Street Gawler


 


The building located at 1 Tod Street, now Imprint Flowers, started as Taylor and Ponder Carpenters and Builders in 1855.[1] Ponder left the company, and a new partnership started with Alexander Forgie. Taylor and Forgie were carpenters and builders, and sometime in the 1870s, extended their business to include undertaking. In 1902, Alexander Forgie died, dissolving the partnership of Taylor and Forgie, however, Alexander’s sons, Alexander junior and James Forgie, took over the business.

  In 1908, The Bunyip newspaper reported that a fire gutted the ground-floor offices of Taylor and Forgie, but it did not penetrate through to the boarding house above.[2]

  There is a belief that this site was used as a morgue – and there may be a little truth in that - occasionally bodies were stored here, but the reality was, in the Victorian era, when people died their bodies were prepared for funerals in their own homes. This was generally due to there being no refrigeration storage, so people were buried within a few days of death. This changed once embalming became the norm, and this is more likely the period, in the early 1900s, that bodies were stored here temporarily.

Taylor and Forgie moved to Cowan Street, Gawler, in 1968. Since then, the shop has been a coffee house, a secondhand store, a baby shop, Bake and Brew, Fairy Secrets, and a flower shop.







Researched and written by Allen Tiller


[1] 1942 'TAYLOR & FORGIE', Bunyip, 24 July, p. 2.

[2] 1908 'A FIRE.', Bunyip, 1 May, p. 2.

Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Gawler Underground - Table Top Warfare

Piles Building


146-154 Murray Street, Gawler.

Built in 1877 for owner John Pile by Mr J. J. Peek of Gawler South.[1] The shop on the end that was most recently B Music was built by Taylor and Forgie Carpenters around 1880.[2] This retail shop has been F. Lines and Sons Butchers, W. Miller Butcher, and Arthur T. Hewett Butchers.
The Commercial Bank of South Australia, Stewert Music Emporium, and H.B. Crosby have all occupied the premises; as have many other businesses, including R.J. Lavis Draper and Grocer, Gawler Curtains and Blinds, The Salvation Army, Stratco, Malcolm Buckby M.P., Reminisce Photography and a family-run deli.

International movie connection: Frank Thring Sr. worked at H.B. Crosby, making boots. Thring married Gawler born Grace Wight while they were both actors in the Gawler Theatrical Club. Frank and Grace's daughter, Viola, known as Lola, dated future Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt before dumping him and marrying his father! Thring later founded EffTee Pictures - a massively successful movie house. Frank Thring's son with his second wife Olive, went on to star as Pontius Pilate in Ben-Hur, and starred in the movies The Howling 3, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and a host of TV commercials.

In the early 1980s, artist Audrey Emery opened the Brownstone Jazz Cellar, a coffee shop in this basement. The Brownstone Jazz Cellar only lasted a couple of years; it was incredibly successful, but with success came rent increases that priced it out of the cellar. It closed circa 1983.



Go Underground and visit the basements via this link



TABLE TOP WARFARE


[1] 'Editor's Notes.', Bunyip, (9 February 1912), p. 2.

[2] 1878 'COLONIAL MANUFACTURES.', Bunyip (Gawler, SA : 1863 - 1954), 12 July, p. 2.

Tuesday, 8 April 2025

Chicago – South Australia

 Chicago – South Australia



Did you know that South Australia once had a suburb named Chicago?

 Chicago was an industrial area 5 miles from Adelaide, which had a school and its own football club.[1] The Yatala South District Council decided that the name needed to be changed due to confusion with Chicago South Australia mail being mistaken for Chicago, Illinois, USA mail.
 The Chicago Post Office, South Australia, stated it did not matter that the name was changed, as it was to avoid confusion.[2] However, there was conjecture in local newspapers that the real reason the name change was first suggested was that the ‘name reminded them too much of gangsters, daylight hold-ups, and "Scarface" Al Capone.’[3]

Names suggested for the renaming included Booth and Makinville (in honour of Mr. Norman Makin Speaker of the House of Representatives), Killarney, Northview or Suburbia.[4] Mawson was suggested but rejected due to the name being used in Western Australia.[5]  Braeville and Mapleton were also suggested but were vetoed by the Nomenclature Committee, owing to similar place names in Australia.[6]
While new name suggestions were considered some members of the public believed the area should be absorbed into nearby suburbs, such as Islington, Kilburn, SunnyBrae, and Islington Park. and Braeville. Ultimately, the Yatala District Council of the day, overseen by chairperson, R.A. Thompson, would have the final say on the name.[7]

A name was chosen by the council and debated in Parliament. Kilburn was chosen as it complied with official requirements, ‘inasmuch, as it is a wholesome word; and does not clash with any existing place names in the Commonwealth.’ [8]   The News reported on the name transition the following,

Kilburn is the designation of a private subdivision adjoining Chicago. Hitherto the name has not been recognised officially in the Lands Titles Office. There is a suburb of London called Kilburn, and the name also occurs in Yorkshire and Derby Shire. In an earlier form: it is mentioned in Domesday Book, and its roots have reference to church and stream. Chicago is a Red-Indian word for "wild onion."[9]

The Mail, not long after the announcement of the name change from Chicago reported,

'Kill— Burn'

'What's in a name?' asked Shakespeare. Residents of Chicago will find that there is more in one than meets the eye. For the new name for Chicago, near Port Adelaide, is Kilburn. And Kilburn, according to the residents, sounds much more aristocratic than Chicago, which is reminiscent of battle, murder, and sudden death.
Kilburn, they say, suggests the emerald isle, with ruined castles dreaming by moonlit lakes and moss-covered walls and leprechauns.

But the Fates have conspired against Kilburn for latest cables from Chicago, America, state that gangsters after killing off their victims are suspected of burning the bodies.

Thus— Kill-burn.

It seems that Adelaide's Chicago cannot escape association with us shady namesake.[10]

 

Also changed at the same time, announced by Governor Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, was the suburb name Mellor Park, which was changed to Lockleys.[11]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2025

Photos:
Gregory's  Street Directory of Adelaide and Suburbs, State Library of South Australia, Map 36 (1936), https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2108#idx12271

[1] 'Chicago Club', News, (25 February 1925), p. 5.

[2] 'Renaming Chicago', News, (15 February 1930), p. 3.

[3] 'Name of Suburb Changed', The Standard, (23 March 1960), p. 7.

[4] 'Renaming Chicago', News, (15 February 1930), p. 3.

[5] 'Chicago Renamed', News, (26 April 1930), p. 3.

[6] 'Renaming Chicago', News, (7 April 1930), p. 4.

[7] 'Renaming Chicago', News, (15 February 1930), p. 3.

[8] 'Exit Chicago!', News, (3 May 1930), p. 3.

[9] Ibid.

[10] "Kill-Burn"', The Mail, (24 May 1930), p. 3.

[11] 'Kilburn Vice Chicago', The Advertiser, (13 August 1930), p. 10.