Green's Exchange

George Green (c. 1820 – 20 January 1895) arrived in South Australia in March 1848 aboard David Malcolm from London. He had studied civil engineering in Britain, but finding little demand for the profession, turned to land surveying, with offices at 65 King William Street adjacent the Bank of Australasia from 1850.[1] By June 1853 he was advertising as a land agent and auctioneer with offices at the same address, under he title "Exchange Auction Mart" (still operating 1886). He also acted as a gold buyer for some of the banks, was for a time a director of the Moonta mines, and managed "Green's Exchange Room", which operated from May 1853 to at least November 1889.[2]

Green had an arrangement with one William Green of Melbourne, who conducted a similar business from premises at 74 Queen Street, Melbourne[3] later 30 Queen Street as "Green's Land, Share, and Adelaide Agency"[4] later land agent and auctioneer at 71 Russell Street, proved insolvent 1863,[5] back to 74 Queen Street in 1864. His subsequent history and relationship with George Green (if any) is yet to be found.

Green entered into partnership with J. H. Parr as auctioneers and commission agents sometime before September 1857 and W. G. Luxmoore joined before November that year. The partnership Green, Parr & Luxmoore was dissolved in March 1863.[6] He had a separate partnership with William Wadham (1824–1895)[7] from around 1857; Wadham moved to partnership with George Dutton Green (1 May 1850 – 27 April 1911) as Green & Co.

Green built a home on Palmer Place, and Wadham built a residence,.[8] "Rhyllon", a few doors away.[7] He retired around 1880, though his involvement with the Exchange ceased around 1875, and returned to England, where he died, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters.[9]

In 1854 Green remodelled the interior, to make a large open room suitable for meetings, concerts and receptions, though the pillars supporting the roof structure made it unsuitable for use as a ballroom.[10] On both sides of the main entrance to the Exchange were offices of the South Australian Telegraph Department. Charles Todd, the Superintendent of Telegraphs, had those on the lefthand side, and the public offices on the right. The Exchange room was directly behind these offices; and on each side of the gallery which overlooked "The Room" (which had a glass roof) was a number of small professional offices, occupied by such as solicitor Henry Hay Mildred. The offices over the Telegraph Office were occupied by solicitors Belt, Cullen, & Wigley. Businessmen mentioned as habitués include T. F. Monteith, F. P. Bayley, C. J. Barry, William Mitchell, Walter Duffield, Capt. John Hart, John Dunn, Beeby & Dunstan and Thomas Magarey. The southern side was then a vacant block, with a garden behind the railing fence; later an extension of the Bank of Australasia. The northern side was a wine and spirits store used by R. H. Wigg, later the Bank of South Australia, and the Union Bank. Scott, Young, & Co., drapers, occupied the next building, the rear of which housed Henry Noltenius' wine store. The building was later leased by Hill, Mills, & Co., railway carriers, and their successors C. R. Darton & Co. This building occupied the northernmost site of what became Bowman's Arcade,[11] which occupied most of the eastern half of Town Acre 109.

Green's lease elapsed shortly after his son George Dutton Green and others erected the Pirie Street Exchange, and the site reverted to T. G. Waterhouse, for whom Broken Hill Chambers (opened 1890), was built on the site by William McLean[12][13] of the Melbourne firm of McLean Brothers, Rigg & Co.[14] to the design of English & Soward. A feature of the building was a glass-roofed arcade running clear through to Gilbert Place.[15] The freehold was sold to William Kither acting for Keith Bowman, and renamed Bowman's Arcade,[11] which served Adelaide for a hundred years, and home of John Mack's camera shop.

A few highlights

• The first meeting of Stock Exchange members was held at Green's Exchange Rooms on 9 October 1854.
• A hastily called meeting of prominent citizens planned a farewell to Governor Young, who had been summarily transferred to Van Diemen's Land.[16]
• Green's Exchange was not only used for general meetings of the Adelaide Choral Society, but also for their concerts.[17]
• Meetings of the South Australian Chamber of Commerce were also held there.
• A gathering full to overflowing was called in March 1856 to protest Governor MacDonnell's sacking (through Police Commissioner Warburton) of Superintendent of Police Tolmer, by all events a zealous and efficient officer, and the hero of the Gold Escort, while promoting more sociable but less diligent officers.[18]
• Green's Exchange was used by Rev. John Crawford Woods as a meeting-place for Unitarian Christians and for promoting socially progressive causes.[19]
• A well-attended public meeting was held on 31 August 1858 at Green's Exchange, presided by Governor MacDonnell, formally to found the Aborigines' Friends' Association.[20]
• On 1 September 1858 a very large meeting almost unanimously called on the City Council to borrow £30,000 to build a Town Hall, and other public amenities.[21]