Charles Rasp
Charles Rasp, the founder of Broken Hill, died suddenly on 21 May 1907. Rasp emigrated from Germany to Victoria in 1869 at the age of 23 years. Although a chemical technologist he sought work on outback stations. It was while working on Mount Gipp station in New South Wales in 1883 that Rasp found pieces of ore which proved to contain silver and lead. In partnership with others he took out leases for 120 hectares of land and, although the first returns were disappointing, Rasp persisted, adding more land to the leaseholdings. In 1885 a company was floated which was called the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited. By late that year he was a wealthy man, for in the first full year of operation the BHP Company made a profit of almost £100,000. In July 1886 he married Agnes, a waitress in a Rundle Street coffee shop, whom he met while he was in Adelaide to have some ore assayed. They built their home ‘Willyama’ at Medindie. While Agnes enjoyed the position which wealth brought and liked to entertain lavishly, Rasp remained a quiet and studious man. He continued his interest in mining becoming director of some companies and holding shares in other mining ventures. After her husband’s death in 1907 Agnes went to Europe where, after an adventurous time, she remarried in 1914. Her new husband was killed in World War I and she returned to Adelaide as Baroness von Ledwitz. She became a recluse at ‘Willyama’ until her death in 1936, a mentally disturbed old woman. Judith Brown, Town Life in Pioneer South Australia, Rigby, Adelaide, 1980, pp. 69-76.
Zoological Gardens
The Zoological Gardens were opened by the Governor, Sir William Robinson on 23 May 1883. In the early 1880s The Zoological and Acclimatization Society, headed by its President, the Chief Justice, Sir Samuel Way, proposed to establish a zoo on 13 acres of Botanic Park. At first there was some opposition from the committee administering the Botanic Gardens, but eventually the land was granted on the understanding that there would be no more requests for further land. The head-keeper’s lodge was built in 1882, the rotunda in 1884 and the director’s residence in 1887-88. In spite of the original undertaking, in 1885 a further two acres were added to the zoo and another five acres in 1898. Some of the animals were moved from the Botanic Garden site and more were obtained through the generous donations of well known Adelaide citizens. At the opening the Governor congratulated the Society on establishing the beautiful gardens and went on: I take this opportunity of saying that I hope you will never desist from trying to prevent any encroachment upon those parklands which are so beautiful and beneficial both to the health and recreation of the citizens. Michael Burden, Lost Adelaide, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1983, p. 192.The South Australian Register, 24 May 1883.usan Marsden, Paul Stark, Patricia Sumerling (eds), Heritage of the City of Adelaide, Corporation of the City of Adelaide, 1990, pp. 278-279.
Publication of the Eagle
On 21 May 1953 the Advertiser announced that the first publication of its boys’ magazine, the Eagle, was on sale for ninepence. It was ‘designed to capture the imagination of boys and satisfy their zest for adventure, their love of sport and their interest in the scientific marvels of the day’. It was claimed that the magazine conformed to the standards expected by parents and teachers. The list of pictorial features, some in colour, included: Dan Dare, pilot of the interplanet space fleet of the future; The Great Adventurer (the story of Saul of Tarsus, who became St Paul); the exploits of the BBC radio character PC 49; Jeff Arnold in Riders of the Range; Professor Brittain explaining the working of a giant telescope; Harris Tweed, ‘extra special intelligence agent’; Rob Conway, ATC cadet in search of a secret city; Heroes of the Clouds, the story of pioneers of the air; boxing lessons by Freddie Mills, former light-heavyweight champion; a description of a famous British express train; and the story of Skippy the Kangaroo. 125 Years of the Advertiser, Advertiser Newspapers Limited, 1983, p. 158.
George Hawker
The South Australian Register of 22 May 1895 reported that George Hawker had died at his home, ‘The Briars’ in Medindie, the day before and described him as a man of ‘strong yet amiable character and unimpeachable integrity’. He was given a state funeral on 23 May. In 1841 George and his brothers, Charles and James, took up land near what is now Clare on the Hutt River which they called ‘Bungaree’. They moved their sheep from Nuriootpa, their first run, and set about building a house. In 1843 James sold his share to the others and moved to Moorundie on the River Murray. Later George and Charles divided the property, with Charles having the portion known as ‘Anama’ and George retaining ‘Bungaree’. On Charles’ death George bought back ‘Anama’. When the government decided to place pastoral land up for auction the Hawkers were able to raise the finance to purchase their lease-holdings. ‘Bungaree’ sheep became renowned for their high class wool. In 1858 George Hawker, who was an MA from Cambridge, entered Parliament and was made Speaker in 1860. He went overseas for a time in 1865, but on his return re-entered politics in 1874, and remained in the parliament until his death in 1895. He left a family of nine sons and six daughters. The town of Hawker is named after him and his home at Medindie became McBride’s Hospital. Rodney Cockburn, Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia, Volume I, Adelaide, 1927, pp. 14-15.