Adelaide, do you remember... the John Martin's Christmas Pageant?

WATCHING last weekend's Christmas Pageant, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic for all those fabulous years when it was known as the John Martin's pageant.

1977. What a year. Elvis had only just left the building. Source; State Library of South Australia.

THE annual Adelaide Credit Union Christmas Pageant is, without a doubt, a fantastic event. But watching it last weekend, I couldn't help but feel the pangs of nostalgia when I thought back to all those fabulous years, from the 1950s through to the 1980s, when the event was known as John Martin's Christmas Pageant.

CHRISTMAS 1977

1977. What a year. Elvis had only just left the building. Source; State Library of South Australia.

PRE-WWII - CHRISTMAS 1933

Father Christmas' arrival was not as grand back then as it is today. In fact, when the pageant first started, way back in 1933, there were only about 12 floats, four bands and 200,000 spectators, who turned out witness something they'd never seen in their city before. The parade lasted approximately 40 minutes. All participants were staff from John Martin's, Adelaide's largest family retail store at that time. The first pageant ran from Angas Street to John Martin's, in Rundle Street. Early costumes were made of crepe paper, but Father Christmas was still the most important of them all. The pageant did not begin its new route from South Terrace until 1953.

The people whose chimney he borrowed were furious, but Santa brought much joy to the rest of Adelaide. Source; State Library of South Australia

WE WEREN'T ALWAYS P.C AT THE PAGEANT

WHILE the Pageant as an annual event lives on, there have been some welcome changes over the years. This photo is from the 1937 pageant and is a perfect example of how social mores, thankfully, have changed. The float, based on a controversial nursery rhyme, featured ten people dressed in black face, sitting on a log. It remained a regular feature of the pageant until the late 1960s when, as a reflection of our changing values, it was retired. And rightly, so.

A chapter in our pageant history we're glad is in the past. Source: State Library of South Australia.

NELLIE THE ELEPHANT

Nellie the elephant broke down almost every year in those days! They've obviously given her a new motor as she seems to get through every year now!

Rumour has it Nellie may be brought out of retirement if the Noarlunga line doesn't open soon.

NIPPER AND NIMBLE

Nipper and Nimble have been in every pageant since the beginning and have always been crowd favourites. It was such an honour to be chosen to ride either one!

Before Cavalia there was Nipper and Nimble! Pageant favourites.

MARCHING BAND, 5AD, OLD CRITERION - 1957

Ken Taylor sent in this photo of the Christmas Pageant which was taken by his father in 1957 and which shows the Adelaide Drum and Fife Band, of which Ken was a member at the time, marching past the old 5AD building on the corner of King William and Waymouth streets. That building was replaced shortly after this was taken, by The Advertiser building which has since been replaced by the ANZ Bank building. There's the old Criterion Hotel in the background too, now also demolished..

Here comes the marching band. In the background is radio 5AD and the old Criterion Hotel, now gone. Source: Adelaide Remember When reader Ken Taylor.

Here's Father Christmas arriving at Johnnies, some time in the sixties.

Santa. He was very big in Adelaide in the sixties.

The Christmas Pageant, in living colour. 1960s.

SANTA'S MAGIC CAVE

And remember when Father Christmas took up residence in the Johnnies Magic Cave right in the middle of the toy department? When you could actually see Santa while you waited in line for your moment to sit on his knee? When they gave away a free Christmas stocking with a comic, pencils and other little surprises? When you were allowed to take your own photos? When all the department stores filled their windows with nativity scenes and the season wasn't all about making money? When Nipper and Nimble, and the jolly old fellow in the red suit, were where they ought to be and everything in the universe was in its right place? It might not have been as flash as it is today but, oh, what a memory!! And then you could go shopping in Johnnies for all your Christmas presents.

Global warming clearlry was a problem in Adelaide, even way back in the day. That's why it's snowing. In Australia. In December. In doors. Source:

Santa, spiffy in red at this year's pageant.

Are you being served? Source: Glen.H Flickr

Johnies, stocking only the latest fashions. Photo: Glen.H Flickr.

Santa, spiffy in red at this year's pageant.

THE PAGEANT TODAY

We still love the pageant. More than 300,000 people turned outto see Santa in 2013. See our gallery of photosThis column appears on The Advertiser website every Friday. If you have any great old history from Adelaide, or anywhere in South Australia, send it to us. We may feature your photos and stories in future columns. You can also get updates from The Advertiser's Facebook page and Bob's Adelaide Remember When Facebook page.

Week 1- Adelaide, do you remember the days in the old school yard?

Week 2- Adelaide, do you remember the places where we used to hang out?