The Southern Argus

The Southern Argus is a newspaper first published from March 1866 in Port Elliot, South Australia, and then in Strathalbyn from 1868 to the present.[1][2] It was usually published on Thursdays.

Front cover of the Southern Argus, 29 September 1866

History

The Southern Argus (as distinct from the Northern Argus published in Clare) is one of the state's oldest country newspapers, privately owned by the Elliott and Jones families for 140 years. It was founded by Ebenezer Ward (1837–1917) in Port Elliot as a weekly newspaper, the first issue appearing on Saturday 17 March 1866. While primarily called the Southern Argus, for the first decade it was also subtitled;[3] "And Strathalbyn, Wellington, Milang, Langhorne's Creek, Woodchester, Mount Barker, Echunga, Macclesfield, Bull's Creek, Clarendon, Noarlunga, Willunga, Aldinga, Sellick's Hill, Myponga, Normanville, Yankalilla, Rapid Bay, Cape Jervis, Inman Valley, Bald Hills, Hindmarsh Valley, Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, Middleton, Currency Creek and Goolwa,.and River Murray Advertiser."

Ward expected that the new southern port of Port Elliot was to become an enterprising outlet for the River Murray trade. Using the original Observer printing press, Ward set up the newspaper in the small coastal town; its first office was previously J. Barton's shop. In mid-April 1868, following financial difficulties and ownership changes, the production of the newspaper moved to William Colman's shop in Strathalbyn,[4] then on 5 December 1868, to their new building adjacent to the Strathalbyn Post Office. It was purchased in 1871 by William Fisher and Joseph Elliott (c. 1833 – 21 May 1883), the latter whose brother James Elliott was the first owner of The Kapunda Herald.[5] Elliott bought his partner out shortly after.[6]

The long title of the newspaper persisted until 5 July 1877 when it was shortened to the Southern Argus and River Murray Advertiser. On 4 January 1893, it lengthened again to The Southern Argus Strathalbyn, Goolwa, and River Murray Advertiser, later variously re-adding Victor Harbor, Milang, Meningie. On 14 August 1940, the subtitle was finally removed.

Literature

The Southern Argus published serials and poems by South Australian writers. The first serial was Middle Life: a tale by James Dunlop, in 1870.[7][8]

Distribution

The publication's early coverage included the towns of: Strathalbyn, Wellington, Milang, Langhorne's Creek, Woodchester, Mount Barker, Echunga, Macclesfield, Bull's Creek, Clarendon, Noarlunga, Willunga, Aldinga, Sellick's Hill, Myponga, Normanville, Yankalilla, Rapid Bay, Cape Jervis, Inman Valley, Bald Hills, Hindmarsh Valley, Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, Middleton, Currency Creek, and Goolwa.

Preservation and digitisation

This newspaper title has been preserved on microfilm by the State Library of South Australia.[9] It has been digitised from the microfilm for the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Project of the National Library of Australia.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Trove". Retrieved 29 November 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Catalogue. State Library of South Australia. 1866. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  3. "Advertising". Southern Argus. Port Elliot, SA. 17 March 1866. p. 1. Retrieved 25 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "An Editorial Migration". Southern Argus. Port Elliot, SA. 4 April 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Jottings". Southern Argus. Port Elliot, SA. 5 November 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 25 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia. The author of this history (Joseph W. Elliott) apparently did not have access to back issues, as the dates and some of the facts do not accord with the contemporary records.
  6. "The Late Mr. Joseph Elliott, J.P." Southern Argus. Port Elliot, SA. 24 May 1883. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "MIDDLE LIFE". Southern Argus. V (231). South Australia. 13 August 1870. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "SA Memory". Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  9. Catalogue. State Library of South Australia. 1866. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  10. "Trove". Retrieved 29 November 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
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