Place Names of South Australia - B
Balaklava
Nomenclature
The first settlers in Balaklava were James and Mary Dunn, who came from Burra in 1847 and built Dunn's Hotel on the Balaklava-Hoyleton Road.' (See Place Names - Dunn Bridge..) The Aboriginal name for the district was wirukutj - 'the place of cuckoos' and, according to T.R. Bowman who wrote the name as 'weerockety', the cuckoo place was two fine waterholes in the River Wakefield near Balaklava. Charles Fisher and others laid out the town in 1869 on section 1, naming it after a Crimean War battle, which derives from the Turkish words balik - 'fish' and yuva - 'net'; the Bay of Balaklava is one of the richest fishing areas in the Black Sea. The name also occurs in Scotland where a village was christened 'Balaclava' (sic) two years after the famous charge of the Crimean War; its former name was Balnuig - 'village on the bay'.
General Notes
An obituary of the town's founder, Charles Fisher, is in the Register,
29 November 1902, page 7a.
The school opened in 1872; examinations are reported in the Chronicle,
26 April 1873, page 7a; also see
18 February 1893, page 3g.
Observer,
14 October 1882, page 13c,
26 July 1913, page 16d.
An Arbor Day is reported in the Register,
28 July 1894, page 6h.
Information on the Agricultural High School is in the Advertiser,
9 June 1928, page 26h;
a photograph is in the Chronicle,
16 June 1928, page 54,
of the school's band on
10 April 1930, page 36.
The district's first ploughing match is reported in the Advertiser,
28 August 1871, page 3b; also see
Observer,
22 August 1874, page 5d.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Ploughing Matches.
The new Bible Christian Chapel is described in the Register,
24 November 1871, page 5a.
A cricket match, Balaklava versus Dalkey, is reported in the Register,
30 May 1873, page 7b.
"The Balaklava Railway Station" is in the Observer,
5 October 1878, page 20d.
The completion and opening of the railway to Hamley Bridge are reported in the Register,
26 November 1879, page 5d and
16 and 22 (supp.) January 1880, pages 5f and 1c.
The first rifle shooting match is reported in the Chronicle,
14 August 1880, page 12d.
A show is reported in the Observer,
25 September 1880, page 523a.
Photographs of a Show are in the Chronicle,
8 October 1904, page 30,
Observer,
5 October 1907, page 29,
Chronicle,
11 October 1934, page 40.
A dinner to J. Verco, JP, is reported in the Register,
26 January 1881, page 6g.
The opening of the Institute is reported in the Register,
16 April 1881, page 6b.
A stump-jump implement trial on Mr Laffer's property is reported in the Register,
3 September 1881 (supp.), page 1e.
Information on the "King" agricultural implement factory is in the Observer,
20 February 1904, page 25b.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Farming - Farm Implements.
The opening of Mr W. Blake's Foundry is reported in the Chronicle,
1 September 1883, page 9b.
Volunteer forces manoeuvres are reported in the Register,
6 and 7 April 1885, pages 6c and 6e and
the opening of Verco Brothers' roller-mill on
30 September 1886, page 5b.
The town is described in the Advertiser,
7 May 1877, page 5f:
-
The township is built on the bank of the River Wakefield and near the spot long known as Dunn's Crossing. The township is scarcely three years old, as the most important buildings - Messrs Verco Brothers Mill and Brebner's Hotel - were erected in 1875. The total number of inhabitants is nearly 200. The only place of worship is a Bible Christian Chapel, which has a manse connected to it. The Wesleyans hold services in a private building and the Roman Catholics have purchased a site for the erection of a chapel.
There are three respectable stores with a large assortment of goods. Two machinists have large establishments and appear to be doing a good trade; the same may be said of three local builders and carpenters. There is one boarding house and many boarded houses, besides several stone residences amongst which are the school house and teacher's dwelling. The temporal wants are provided for by two butchers, a baker, a greengrocer, a fruiterer, a tinsmith, a bootmaker, a saddler and harness maker, a brickmaker and a lime burner.
Also seeThe Lantern,
24 September 1881, page 4 (poem),
Register,
2 December 1886, page 7f,
29 September 1903, page 6f,
20 January 1904, page 8a,
Chronicle,
4 September 1909, page 40d.
Photographs are in the Observer,
22 October 1921, page 24,
4 October 1924, page 34,
15 May 1926, page 33,
2 April 1927, page 31.
Photographs of a Show are in the Chronicle,
8 October 1904, page 30,
Observer,
5 October 1907, page 29,
Chronicle,
11 October 1934, page 40
(see South Australia - Miscellany - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows ) and
of the town on
16 February 1907, page 40e; also see
Observer,
13 February 1904, pages 24-25.
"Prosperous Balaklava" is in the Register,
17 August 1908, page 7a,
"Balaklava - A Neglected Town" on
5 June 1909, page 7g; also see
Advertiser,
30 August 1909, page 6i and
Register,
22 January 1910, page 14f,
28 December 1926, page 5,
Observer,
15 June 1912, page 18b,
The presentation of prizes for the destruction of sparrows and their eggs is reported in the Register,
7 January 1891, page 5b.
Also see South Australia - Flora and Fauna - Sparrows.
"Methodism at Balaklava" is in the Advertiser,
25 July 1904, page 7b.
Photographs of the laying of the foundation stone of the Methodist Sunday School are in the Observer,
16 August 1924, page 35,
of church tennis courts on
13 February 1926.
A coursing event is reported in the Chronicle,
9 September 1893, page 14g.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Coursing.
"The Balaklava Murder" is in the Observer,
12 and 26 October 1895, pages 24e and 30b.
A Catholic picnic is reported in the Chronicle,
8 January 1898, page 18b.
Biographical details of A.W. Steinwedel are in the Register,
29 April 1902, page 5d,
Observer,
14 June 1902, page 25c.
Photographs of the town are in the Observer,
13 February 1904, pages 24-25,
16 February 1907, page 40e.
Information on and photographs of the laying of the foundation stone of the Methodist Church are in the Register,
26 July 1904, page 6e,
Chronicle,
30 July 1904, page 34a,
of ther Catholic Church in the Observer,
11 June 1910, page 31.
Photographs of a horse race day are in the Chronicle,
24 March 1906, page 30,
23 March 1907, page 32,
Observer,
2 and 16 March 1912, pages 32 and 32B.
The Critic,
14 March 1917, page 14.
Information on a racecourse is in the Express,
11 March 1908, page 1f.
Information on the history of local horse racing is in the Advertiser,
7 October 1932, page 22g.
"In and Around Balaklava" is in the Advertiser,
17 August 1908, page 10f.
A photograph of a Boy Scout patrol is in the Chronicle,
23 July 1910, page 32,
of coronation celebrations in the Observer,
8 July 1911, page 30,
of retired farmers on
9 December 1911, page 31,
of laying water supply mains on
19 August 1911, page 32,
of a ladies' hockey team in the Chronicle,
15 June 1912, page 32,
of a machine built by Illman & Sons on
28 December 1912, page 31,
of motor cycle races on
5 May 1923, page 34,
of the opening of a bandstand on
26 June 1926, page 40,
of the fire station and council chambers on
26 March 1927, page 40.
A photograph of the fire brigade is in the Observer,
27 August 1921, page 25.
Biographical details of Mrs H. Hall are in the Register,
19 May 1911, page 4f.
A photograph of the croquet club is in the Observer,
14 September 1912, page 29,
of a football team on
20 September 1913, page 33,
of a fire at Geering's store on
11 October 1913, page 31,
of an Australia Day celebration on
7 August 1915, page 29,
of an SOS Day on
5 January 1916, page 30,
of motor cycle races on
5 May 1923, page 29,
of tractor trials on
1 August 1925, page 32,
of eagles shot on Mr O. Uppill's farm on
30 July 1927,
of golf championships on
29 June 1929, page 32.
The opening of a new courthouse is reported in the Observer,
8 November 1913, pages 16c and 32 (photos).
Biographical details of Mrs J. Plunkett are in the Register,
29 April 1914, page 10a,
of Mrs Indiana Reuter on 31 July 1915, page 10g,
of Carl L. Reuter on 2 June 1928, page 12f.
The diamond wedding of Mr & Mrs A.W. Steinwedel is reported in the Register,
17 November 1916, page 4f,
the golden wedding of Mr & Mrs J.C. Jantke on 3 February 1920, page 7b.
Biographical details of Mr & Mrs Charles Alderman are in the Register,
4 April 1922, page 6g.
The opening of the hospital "free of debt" is reported in the Advertiser,
14 March 1922, page 9f.
The opening of a branch of the Primary Producers' Bank of Australia is reported in the Register,
12 May 1923, page 9e.
The opening of a branch of the Savings Bank of SA is reported in the Register,
30 July 1924, page 10e.
"Truculent Aborigines - A Lively Afternoon at Balaklava" is in the Advertiser,
31 March 1925, page 13e.
Register,
1 and 30 April 1925, pages 11c and 12b.
Biographical details of George H. Lange are in the Register,
16 August 1927, page 12f.
of A.W. Robinson on18 April 1928, page 9d.
The farming reminiscences of George H. Lange are in the Observer,
20 August 1927, page 6a.
"Fifty Years of Local Government" is in the Advertiser,
14 March 1928, page 12d.
A photograph is in the Register,
15 March 1928, page 10.
Photographs of golf championships are in the Observer,
29 June 1929, page 32.
A photograph of a football team is in the Chronicle,
18 July 1935, page 33.
Balaklava - Obituaries
An obituary of W.J. (J.C.?) Verco is in the Register,
22 December 1891, page 3c,
Observer,
19 December 1891, page 27a,
of Charles S. Grey on 12 January 1907, page 38d,
of W.T.S. Harris on 2 October 1909, page 38d.
An obituary of A.W. Lower is in the Register,
11 March 1904, page 2h
of C.S. Grey on 7 January 1907, page 6g,
of W.T.S. Harris on 28 September 1909, page 4h,
of Frederick Penfold on 1 July 1913, page 6i,
of S.J. Willis on 6 November 1913, page 8a,
of G.C. Neville on 7 June 1915, page 6h.
An obituary of E.G. Traeger is in the Observer,
11 January 1913, page 41b,
of Mrs Kempe, wife of Pastor Kempe, on 10 May 1913, page 41a,
of G.C. Neville on 12 June 1915, page 44b.
of Mrs Indiana Reuter on 7 August 1915, page 46a,
of George Stevens on 20 October 1917, page 12d,
of Mrs G.C. Neville on 13 April 1918, page 18c.
An obituary of John Kirkland is in the Register,
7 September 1916, page 4h,
of Edwin Fisher on 2 November 1920, page 4i,
of Mrs Mary S. Harris on 31 October 1921, page 6g,
of Mrs Thomas Lowrie on 27 December 1923, page 6f.
An obituary of Mrs Elizabeth C. Jefferies is in the Observer,
14 October 1922, page 35c,
of Charles Alderman on 6 December 1924, page 38a,
of C.W. Mills on 17 March 1928, page 50a,
of W.H. Sires on 5 May 1928, page 49a,
of Henry Virgo on 2 June 1928, page 49c.
An obituary of C.W. Miels is in the Register,
10 March 1928, page 12a,
of William H. Sires on 27 April 1928, page 11e,
of Harry Virgo on 26 May 1928, page 13b.
Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
B
