Hotel SA February 2021

150 Years of the AHA|SA AN UNRELIABLE GUIDE TO 1871

The AHA|SA was formed 150 years ago in 1871 in a world that bears little resemblance to Adelaide in 2021. The following is a potted (and sometimes humorous) history from the Association’s inaugural year, culled from authoritative sources such as Wikipedia and government websites.

A colonial election was held in SA but there were no major political parties at this stage because stobie poles and corflute were yet to be invented.

South Australia did have a parliament and the all-male representatives were quite united on the key issues of the day.

For instance, in 1871 South Australia became the first colony to allow a man to marry his deceased wife's sister.

Progress was patchy. Citizens could eat steaming hot pies to the smell of steaming horse manure … but getting a “cold one” was more problematic. The Coolgardie Safe was years away and fridges wouldn’t be invented for decades. Cellars kept beer cool, but not cold. In 1848, Adelaide received its first shipment of ice from America – presumably because we didn’t know the recipe for ice. By 1871 we had cracked that conundrum and deliveries from the “ice man” were common. It was a good time to be alive!

After three years of “disaster and privation” farmers were blessed with a bumper crop. Apart from that, according to the South Australian Register, 1871 was “barren of great achievements”. Publicans weren’t too unhappy because it meant the wowsers weren’t getting their way. On January 6, the newspaper reported a “soiree at the Town Hall in aid of the earlyclosing movement”. They’re still having soirees and cucumber sandwiches with their tea in 2021.

Adelaide City Councillors seemed to be on better terms with publicans in 1870. Instead of trying to close pubs down, two newly elected representatives hopped in a buggy, were paraded through the streets, “patronised the hotel keepers in Hindley Street” and shouted free beer for their supporters. (All of this was reported as a fine thing. Today’s headline would be “Buggygate: drunken councillors bribe punters in wild Hindley Street disgrace”.)

Of equal significance, our first pie cart was opened in 1871, presumably to go with a Coopers beer, which was first brewed in 1862. Some argue that the first pie cart was opened in 1861 but that was a stall and not a horse drawn cart. Besides, it’s a chicken and egg thing. How could you invent a pie cart before Coopers had been invented?

The South Australian Cricket Association was founded in 1871. In 1893 we won out first Sheffield Shield (there were only three teams). Alas, nobody can remember the last time we won it. It may have been 1893.

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