HSA 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.
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!
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.
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.
22 | Hotel SA | W W W . A H A S A . A S N . A U Back to Contents