Thank you Cody - I will do as many little history videos on Northern Plains towns as I can. So little history has been documented unfortunately. Even trying to find extensive histories of Salisbury or Gawler is a challenge. Most of it is all very brief and vague. Then there's finding relevant images to support the narrative too, of course. We'll get there, little by little. Cheers for watching mate, much appreciated 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it Andrew - there isn't a lot I could find on Virginia unfortunately. But I'll continue to dig and post local history as I can. I'm currently working on a more in-depth mini-doc on the history of life at the Smithfield Hostel. Should be out some time next month
i remember playing football in Virginia back in the mid 80's...they were a hard core bunch that we Elizabethans appreciated and respected. Many of the town folk were of Italian heritage by that time though... market gardeners etc.. thanks for the long term memory test Will, and the interesting history lesson
Oh man - I came across a number of Virginia football team photos from the early 20th century - they definately looked a hard core bunch...lol. My pleasure mate - thank you for watching.
Cool. Yeah, all the North has basically been one big migrant town with shifting nationalities over time, hasn't it? Elizabeth itself began as a migrant town, predominantly English to begin with. That has massively changed in a short period of time. My former primary school (the one still partially standing) is now a Muslim college, my local shops predominantly African run. Nothing stays the same. Where I used to get my short back and sides as a kid is now an African restaurant run by a lovely lady with a great story to tell about how she managed to escape civil war and begin her dream of opening a restaurant, that dream being realised in Smithfield Plains. It's wild just how different everything is to when we grew up. I love it. I just don't like how history has been so neglected in the area - and no reverence placed on local historic sites such as Windsor Green, the Octagon or even Hotel Elizabeth, which was the very first building ever erected in the town centre. That one is on the Elizabeth City Council itself - nothing to do with Playford - though they probably would have demolished that too, had it still been standing when they took over. The original building ever erected in the town centre should definately still be standing. Ah, well! Cheers again for watching David - always appreciated mate. I'm currently working on a more in-depth mini-doc on life at the Smithfield Hostel. Should be out next month sometime
@@elizabeththatwas I lived very near where that Hostel was, a few years after it went defunct, in Smithfield. There was once an Army Ordinance / Magazine somewhere out that way in the war years. The old spur line used to point that way, but was decades disused. Do you plan on looking in to that?
@@elizabeththatwas I will look forward to the hostel one. I live where the hostel once was. The last remnants (just foundations) of the old army huts could still be seen in an undeveloped area for many years. Just about all gone now with a retirement village being built on the site. All that is left now is streets with the names of ships that once brought migrants. Strathaird, Strathmore, Canberra, Iberia, Arcadia, Oriana.
It would have been an extremely hard and taxing life, for sure Faloo. Everything would have taken great effort and time just to get the most mundane of daily chores done. Thank you for watching 🙏
Thank you for watching. For more Elizabeth (and Adelaide) That Was, please Like the video and hit the Subscribe and Bell icons. Cheers, Will :-)
Great video! If you haven’t already should definitely make a video on the history of two wells
Thank you Cody - I will do as many little history videos on Northern Plains towns as I can. So little history has been documented unfortunately. Even trying to find extensive histories of Salisbury or Gawler is a challenge. Most of it is all very brief and vague. Then there's finding relevant images to support the narrative too, of course. We'll get there, little by little. Cheers for watching mate, much appreciated 🙏
Great video again love these old stories of Adelaide and the original people settling around the state.
Glad you enjoyed it Andrew - there isn't a lot I could find on Virginia unfortunately. But I'll continue to dig and post local history as I can. I'm currently working on a more in-depth mini-doc on the history of life at the Smithfield Hostel. Should be out some time next month
Thankyou for showing this historical video; I have always loved history from being a small child.
My pleasure Gillian. Glad you enjoyed it :-)
Awesome pics and recalling the history of Virginia was very interesting ...and on the way the North opened up.....Great job ...Thank you for sharing
My pleasure Vin. Thanks again for watching 🙏
Another great thanks
Always my pleasure Christine. Thank you again for your support 🙏
very interesting...my parents settled in Virginia in 1975...great to know its history.
I wish there was more available. Glad you enjoyed - the North has some great history. Thank you for watching annarks :-)
i remember playing football in Virginia back in the mid 80's...they were a hard core bunch that we Elizabethans appreciated and respected. Many of the town folk were of Italian heritage by that time though... market gardeners etc.. thanks for the long term memory test Will, and the interesting history lesson
Oh man - I came across a number of Virginia football team photos from the early 20th century - they definately looked a hard core bunch...lol. My pleasure mate - thank you for watching.
Lived just 15 minutes from Virginia . Thanks showing the history of the town. Not relying about the Irish settlement, interesting.
My pleasure. Thank you for watching :-) Will
In my day many from Virginia were either Greek or Italian. I went to Gawler High and many if not all in Virginia went there.
Cool. Yeah, all the North has basically been one big migrant town with shifting nationalities over time, hasn't it? Elizabeth itself began as a migrant town, predominantly English to begin with. That has massively changed in a short period of time. My former primary school (the one still partially standing) is now a Muslim college, my local shops predominantly African run. Nothing stays the same. Where I used to get my short back and sides as a kid is now an African restaurant run by a lovely lady with a great story to tell about how she managed to escape civil war and begin her dream of opening a restaurant, that dream being realised in Smithfield Plains. It's wild just how different everything is to when we grew up. I love it. I just don't like how history has been so neglected in the area - and no reverence placed on local historic sites such as Windsor Green, the Octagon or even Hotel Elizabeth, which was the very first building ever erected in the town centre. That one is on the Elizabeth City Council itself - nothing to do with Playford - though they probably would have demolished that too, had it still been standing when they took over. The original building ever erected in the town centre should definately still be standing. Ah, well! Cheers again for watching David - always appreciated mate. I'm currently working on a more in-depth mini-doc on life at the Smithfield Hostel. Should be out next month sometime
@@elizabeththatwas I lived very near where that Hostel was, a few years after it went defunct, in Smithfield.
There was once an Army Ordinance / Magazine somewhere out that way in the war years. The old spur line used to point that way, but was decades disused. Do you plan on looking in to that?
@@elizabeththatwas I will look forward to the hostel one. I live where the hostel once was. The last remnants (just foundations) of the old army huts could still be seen in an undeveloped area for many years. Just about all gone now with a retirement village being built on the site. All that is left now is streets with the names of ships that once brought migrants. Strathaird, Strathmore, Canberra, Iberia, Arcadia, Oriana.
yes I grew up in Virginia too, and went to Gawler High in 80s (many Greeks/Italians) and now I work there.
As "romantic" as this seems you can tell by their faces they had hard life's. Thanks for this interesting local stuff 👍 😀
It would have been an extremely hard and taxing life, for sure Faloo. Everything would have taken great effort and time just to get the most mundane of daily chores done. Thank you for watching 🙏