The Adelaide Times was established by Allen, an experienced newspaper man, in partnership with John Brown and William Barlow Gilbert.^[1] Allen, who had just visited England in 1845-1848, had previously worked on other local newspapers, the Southern Australian and South Australian Register, and periodicals such as South Australian Magazine and Monthly Almanac and Illustrated Commentator.^[1]

The newspaper's original format and masthead were copied from The Times of London. It was published weekly from October 1848; semiweekly from October 1849; three times a week from March 1850; and, daily from April 1850.^[2] As was common for the time, it evolved through various titles, such as The Adelaide Times and General Commercial Advertiser (15 January 1849 – 10 September 1849) and The Times (6 March 1850 – 16 November 1853).^[2]

In November 1853 Allen sold the newspaper to a consortium, including Richard Hanson, Robert Torrens, George Stevenson, John Brown, and Edward Gwynne.^[3] W. M. Akhurst, who was reporter and sub-editor, resigned rather than work under the new owners. The Adelaide Times was later sold to Allen's former partner, Gilbert, but in 1855 Gilbert went bankrupt and the newspaper was re-purchased by Allen, who himself went bankrupt in early 1858.^[1] Shortly afterwards, Rev. John Henry Barrow, a former editor of the South Australian Register founded the morning newspaper The South Australian Advertiser and a companion weekly The South Australian Weekly Chronicle.

Gilbert, who was a nephew of Thomas Gilbert, later moved to Victoria, where he worked for The Argus and became a reporter for the Victorian Hansard. Gilbert next returned to Adelaide, where he held various Government positions. He died on 13 March 1893.^[4]

The Adelaide Times (SA : 1848 - 1858) at Trove