General meetings, which feature an address from a guest speaker, are free and are held at the Burnside Community Centre at 7.30pm on the third Monday of each month. Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the general meetings.
View the full record of past meetings, including details of the talk and how to access recordings.
Upcoming Meetings
7:30 pm Monday 19 August 2019
From the Buffalo to Beaumont: the olive in South Australia
Presented by Margaret Ford
The olive has been an essential commodity for centuries, a source of oil for medicine, food, and even waterproofing boots! Several olive plants came out on HMS Buffalo in 1836. One of those trees is said to survive in North Adelaide. There have been olive oil scandals, including SA oil sold as pure, but contaminated with cotton seed. Names such as Stevenson, Bailey and Davenport are part of the South Australian story. A tiny piece of paper, probably a label from an olive oil bottle of about 1890, claiming purity, no contaminants, was the impetus for this talk.
Margaret Ford trained as a primary school teacher in 1964-65 and has been learning ever since. She has been principal of 4 primary schools, project manager for state-wide education areas like crime prevention, provided advice to the Minister for Education and written replies for Hansard. Her passion has always been history, especially the social history of South Australia. She has presented papers to state history conferences and associations on topics ranging from Spitfires to Crossley cars. Her passion for the study of olive oil began at Beaumont House, working as a volunteer with the National Trust.
All welcome. No charge. Refreshments provided.
Location
Coralie Soward Hall, Burnside Community Centre (adjacent Burnside Library)
401 Greenhill Road, Tusmore SA 5065
Enter car park from Fisher Street, off Portrush Road
7:30 pm Monday 16 September 2019
Photographers and photography in SA in the 19th century
Presented by Howard Speed
South Australia has a rich colonial photographic history, including Australia’s first landscapes, first Art society and first Royal photographer, all of which will be outlined. The works of Townsend Duryea, Robert Tennent, “Professor” Robert Hall, and the Nixon family will also be illustrated. We are fortunate that today’s photography has been based on such a sound footing from our early colonists.
Howard Speed joined his first camera club in 1956, and over the years has used the moving image and still images in both black and white and colour. Twenty years ago, the South Australian Photographic Federation appointed Howard as its historian. He has organised two retrospective exhibitions, interviewed and been interviewed about photography and written four photographic histories.
All welcome. No charge. Refreshments provided.
Location
Coralie Soward Hall, Burnside Community Centre (adjacent Burnside Library)
401 Greenhill Road, Tusmore SA 5065
Enter car park from Fisher Street, off Portrush Road
7:30 pm Monday 21 October 2019
Harnessing the River Murray: a journey of discovery: archives and voices from the past
Presented by Helen Stagg
All welcome. No charge. Refreshments provided.
Location
Coralie Soward Hall, Burnside Community Centre (adjacent Burnside Library)
401 Greenhill Road, Tusmore SA 5065
Enter car park from Fisher Street, off Portrush Road