The Jackman Gooden Collection
Preserving South Australia's Architectural Heritage
In 2000, a quiet but remarkable handover took place, one that would open a window into South Australia’s architectural past.
The firm of Jackman Gooden, long respected in Adelaide for its work across civic, commercial, and residential design, made the decision to part with its earliest architectural plans. Jackman Gooden Architects have their origins in the firms of English and Soward, and Garlick, Jackman and Garlick. A series of partnerships eventually evolved into Jackman Gooden, names that appear repeatedly within the collection itself; the firm had built a reputation for thoughtful, detailed design and a deep engagement with the evolving character of the state. By the late 20th century, their archive had grown into a rich record of not only their own projects, but also earlier works that they had inherited, collected, or preserved over time.
Rather than dispersing these plans privately, the firm ensured they would find homes where they could be properly cared for and shared. Institutions and organisations across South Australia selected plans relevant to their own histories. The State Library secured the remainder, securing a substantial and varied collection that might otherwise have been lost to public view.
What arrived at the State Library was extraordinary! More than 500 hand-drawn and often delicately coloured plans, each one a glimpse into the vision and craftsmanship of architects working across generations. Among them are the works of notable figures such as Thomas English, George Soward, Roland Rees, Daniel Garlick, and members of the Jackman family themselves, Herbert Louis, Sydney, and Herbert Montefiore, alongside Lancelot Gooden.
Together, these plans map out a vivid architectural landscape. There are elegant homes and sturdy warehouses, churches filled with light, bustling hotels, clubrooms, shops, banks, and sports pavilions, each drawing capturing not just a building, but an idea taking shape on paper.
View a selection of drawings
We've added the following designs to the State Library online Redbubble shop, in case you’d like to gift a notebook or poster to an avid architecture fan.
Architectural drawing of the Ramsgate Hotel. SLSA: BRG 238/1/25
Architectural drawing of the Elephant and Castle Hotel. SLSA: BRG 238/1/171/1
Architecture drawing for the Anglican Church at Renmark. SLSA: BRG 238/1/5
Architectural design drawing for the refurbishing of the Britannia Hotel, corner Kent Terrace, Adelaide. SLSA: BRG 238/1/12
Architectural design drawing for the Wesleyan Church, Norwood. SLSA: BRG 238/1/23
Architectural design drawing for the Church of St. Augustine, Port Augusta. SLSA: BRG 238/1/37
Architectural design drawing for proposed shops for Calder & Pritchard on Rundle Street. SLSA: BRG 238/1/38
Proposed pavilion and additions, Adelaide Oval for South Australian Cricket Association. SLSA: BRG 238/1/110
Architectural drawing for Royal Exchange Hotel proposed to be erected at Kadina for William Rounsevell. SLSA: BRG 238/1/176
Architecture drawing for a proposed marine residence at Boston Bay, Port Lincoln for Frederick Sison. SLSA: BRG 238/1/4C
In the years since their acquisition, the collection has become a favourite among researchers and visitors alike, occasionally stepping into the spotlight through displays in the Mortlock Chamber and on the Treasures Wall. Behind the scenes, however, an equally important story has been unfolding. The Library’s archival and preservation teams have worked carefully to stabilise, catalogue, and ultimately transform access to the collection.
View the collection online
Once accessible only through a single finding aid, each plan now has its own detailed, searchable catalogue record. Through the dedicated digitisation work of the Library’s Digital Preservation team, the entire collection has now been brought online, where it can be explored through the State Library catalogue's image viewer.
Perhaps most significantly, the removal of copyright restrictions puts these plans into the public domain and provides them with a new life. No longer confined to storage or limited viewing, they are now freely accessible, inviting anyone to trace the lines, colours, and ambitions of the past.
It’s well worth taking the time to explore them. Within these drawings, you can still feel the careful hand of the architect, the optimism of a growing city, and the enduring legacy of a firm that chose to share its history with the future.