Alexander Reid and his Wife Smith Kidd Emigrate to NSW.
Alexander was a blacksmith and the son of Robert Reid and Isobel Nicol/ Nichol. Many blacksmiths in Scotland were living in poverty during the 19th century. If one looks at the census returns it is amazing how many were listed as paupers in the 1841 census. It appears that to have a skill did not automatically allow one to live a comfortable life, at least not in Scotland.
There is a story about how Alexander refused to be paid a pittance and was blacklisted from working as a blacksmith, this event is said to have been the driving force for his leaving Montrose, Angus. Alexander was a member of the of the Arbroath Ark Tent, which appears to be one of the many splits within the Scottish "Kirk". The other members of this Kirk supported his stance and one member, Brother John Garie composed a poem commemorating his departure for Australia. I suspect the minister of the kirk also gave him a reference because he was a Bounty Immigrant.
Alexander and Smith ( this was the name she was known by) had just married on the 21st of May in 1841, he was living with his wifes family the Kidds/Kyds at Barn Green Arbroath. William Kyd/Kidd was a shoemaker and shortly after Alexander and his wife Smith left for Australia the entire family took ship to the United States. They seem to have eventually settled in Michigan.
The family story is (myth?) Hamilton Hume and John Watson decided to build a steam powered Flour Mill in Yass in 1842 and that Alexander Reid was brought out from Scotland to do the job. In fact Hamilton Hume and John Watson commissioned William Orr an engineer of Sydney to supply a steam engine for the purpose, this was completed in October 1842 and brought to Yass for erection on a site near the Yass River. It may be that Alexander Reid was employed to work on the erection of the steam engine under William Orr. Whether this is true is difficult to say.
http://www.argylecounty.com.au/towns/yass.html
I would assume that there was little opportunity for any skilled person to make a comfortable living at that time, particularly so in Arbroath.The main events in Arbroath just prior to Alexander leaving his home for good, were: the building of the Brothock Bridge in 1840, Alexander Stephen loses the main part of his ship building yard to a rail link, In 1841, 58,000 Pounds is spent on improvements to the old harbour and the building of a new harbour. Although it appears that by 1841 Alexander Reid was already committed to emigrating to NSW Colony. Another event occured in 1840, this is the arrival of Robert Gammage a chartist from Northampton who had to leave off giving his speech on the platform after becoming ill and moved on up the coast to Montrose. It would be pure speculation at this late date but perhaps Alexanders attendance at this event precipitated his decision to leave his homeland.
Another difficulty is with his Bounty Emigrant status, the shipping indent states quite clearly that he was brought out by Robert Haws (Hawes, Howe) and Company, I can find no mention of this company in Sydney, if anyone does please let me know. I can only assume that his fare was paid by Robert Haws & company and the company was recompensed by the Government of NSW.
Alexander and his wife Smith arrived in Sydney on the James Moran in October 1841, they were still in Sydney in February 1842 when their first child was born, Robert Kidd Reid, in Sydney. He was baptised at St Andrews Cathedral, at this time it was still a wooden building, the present one still in the process of being built. I cannot find any information about when Alexander and Smith made the move to Yass. It may not have been until 1844 which is when the next child William was born. There was an economic recession in the 1840's in Sydney, perhaps the company that Alexander was working for went bankrupt, or downsized during the economic downturn and he had to go to Yass for work, perhaps he was recommended to William Orr when the work ran out in Sydney?
However I can find nothing to say he was brought out by Hamilton Hume to erect the Steam Flour Mill in Yass. Alexander was clearly working in Sydney during the first few months after his arrival and perhaps longer. Another family myth is that he built the first Denison Bridge at Bathurst, in fact the bridge was built by day labour under Mr Downey, if Alexander was working there it was to make the reinforcing rods that went into the trusses which were of wood. However, it is claimed that the rods were made at the government works at Glebe. Unfortunately all the bridges built by Mr Downey had serious design faults and all of them were replaced within 30 years either because they were needing repair or had been destroyed by floods. Perhaps Alexander worked there at the bridge site but purely to insert the iron rods into the trusses.
Eventually both Alexander and Smith decided to move back to Yass, presumably to open a blacksmithery in the town. The rest of their children were born in Yass. The blacksmith shop was located on Cooma Street Yass. It was here in 1858, that Smith fell into the fire and consequently died from the burns, , the baby she was holding died also. Smith would have died in extreme agony , it must have been a terrible thing for her children to witness.
Alexander and Smith ( this was the name she was known by) had just married on the 21st of May in 1841, he was living with his wifes family the Kidds/Kyds at Barn Green Arbroath. William Kyd/Kidd was a shoemaker and shortly after Alexander and his wife Smith left for Australia the entire family took ship to the United States. They seem to have eventually settled in Michigan.
The family story is (myth?) Hamilton Hume and John Watson decided to build a steam powered Flour Mill in Yass in 1842 and that Alexander Reid was brought out from Scotland to do the job. In fact Hamilton Hume and John Watson commissioned William Orr an engineer of Sydney to supply a steam engine for the purpose, this was completed in October 1842 and brought to Yass for erection on a site near the Yass River. It may be that Alexander Reid was employed to work on the erection of the steam engine under William Orr. Whether this is true is difficult to say.
http://www.argylecounty.com.au/towns/yass.html
It is also difficult to determine the exact reasons for Alexander and Smith emigrating to NSW, there does not appear to be any industry in Arbroath apart from ship building and this appears to be on a small scale. Spinning Mills were not built until after Alexander had left Arbroath, these industries would conceivably require a blacksmith and as stated earlier some blacksmiths in the area were listed on the census as paupers.
I would assume that there was little opportunity for any skilled person to make a comfortable living at that time, particularly so in Arbroath.The main events in Arbroath just prior to Alexander leaving his home for good, were: the building of the Brothock Bridge in 1840, Alexander Stephen loses the main part of his ship building yard to a rail link, In 1841, 58,000 Pounds is spent on improvements to the old harbour and the building of a new harbour. Although it appears that by 1841 Alexander Reid was already committed to emigrating to NSW Colony. Another event occured in 1840, this is the arrival of Robert Gammage a chartist from Northampton who had to leave off giving his speech on the platform after becoming ill and moved on up the coast to Montrose. It would be pure speculation at this late date but perhaps Alexanders attendance at this event precipitated his decision to leave his homeland.
Another difficulty is with his Bounty Emigrant status, the shipping indent states quite clearly that he was brought out by Robert Haws (Hawes, Howe) and Company, I can find no mention of this company in Sydney, if anyone does please let me know. I can only assume that his fare was paid by Robert Haws & company and the company was recompensed by the Government of NSW.
Alexander and his wife Smith arrived in Sydney on the James Moran in October 1841, they were still in Sydney in February 1842 when their first child was born, Robert Kidd Reid, in Sydney. He was baptised at St Andrews Cathedral, at this time it was still a wooden building, the present one still in the process of being built. I cannot find any information about when Alexander and Smith made the move to Yass. It may not have been until 1844 which is when the next child William was born. There was an economic recession in the 1840's in Sydney, perhaps the company that Alexander was working for went bankrupt, or downsized during the economic downturn and he had to go to Yass for work, perhaps he was recommended to William Orr when the work ran out in Sydney?
However I can find nothing to say he was brought out by Hamilton Hume to erect the Steam Flour Mill in Yass. Alexander was clearly working in Sydney during the first few months after his arrival and perhaps longer. Another family myth is that he built the first Denison Bridge at Bathurst, in fact the bridge was built by day labour under Mr Downey, if Alexander was working there it was to make the reinforcing rods that went into the trusses which were of wood. However, it is claimed that the rods were made at the government works at Glebe. Unfortunately all the bridges built by Mr Downey had serious design faults and all of them were replaced within 30 years either because they were needing repair or had been destroyed by floods. Perhaps Alexander worked there at the bridge site but purely to insert the iron rods into the trusses.
Eventually both Alexander and Smith decided to move back to Yass, presumably to open a blacksmithery in the town. The rest of their children were born in Yass. The blacksmith shop was located on Cooma Street Yass. It was here in 1858, that Smith fell into the fire and consequently died from the burns, , the baby she was holding died also. Smith would have died in extreme agony , it must have been a terrible thing for her children to witness.
Copy from newspaper inquest article...Yass Courier 1858.DEATH FROM INJURIES RECEIVED bv FIRE.-On Thursday afternoon an inquest was held before the Distrlct Coroner and a jury in the White Swan Inn, here, touching tho death of Mrs. Smith Reid, who died from the effects of severe injuries received by falling into the flre- rather more than a month ago. The following evi- dence was taken t-Alexander Reid-I am the husband of the deceased, and I reside in YASS; on the 30th of June last, I happened to leave home a little before nineo'clock in the evening; deceased appeared to be in good health when I left; on my return the same evening,about half-past 10 o'clock, I found the deceased and ber baby lying in the fireplace; I got her up and examined her body, and found that she was severely burned on several parts of her body; I procured some oil, with which I dressed the wounds; she undressed herself and went to bed ; next morning I called in Dr, Campbell, who attended her until her death ; deceased did not appear to be the worse of liquor when I left about nine o'clock; I can't exactly say whether she was sober when I lifted her from the fire-place, but I do not think she was the worse of liquor at the time ; when I saw the deceased lying in tho fireplace she appeared to be-fast asleep, although as the room was dark I could not see very well ; she appeared to me to be quite sensible after wards; the children were in the house, and in bed in the next room to where the deceased lay ; they were the only persons in the house; deceased told me afterwards that shee felt herself going as if in a fit, while the child was in her arms, and knew nothing more of what had occurred until after I had removed her ; "she told me there had been, no one in the house during my absence; she died about eleven o'clock last night. The jury returned a verdict-" That the deceased, Smith Reid, died from the effects of severe/burns received by falling into the fire on the 30th June' last."
This extremely sad event left all of his children motherless. It was the custom in the past, when a mother died leaving small children to be cared for, for the widower to seek out and marry very quickly some woman who was either widowed or an older single woman. This ensured his children were cared for and the widowers comfort was taken care of. Alexander like most men of that time did not see it as a mans job to care for children, he would see it as imperative that he find a woman who could take over the job.
At this point I must mention that Mary Ann McKenzie who had a child born in 1859, the child was named Janet McKenzie ( after Mary Ann McKenzies Mother) and her birth certificate had Alexander Reids name on it crossed out, as the father. I believe it is strange that Alexander did not take the opportunity to marry someone from Scotland and a Presbyterian, who was, as it it has been determined by Genetic testing, carrying his child. Possibly, either he did not know Mary Ann was pregnant with his child or he had already committed himself to Mary Catherine Rooney. At this distance in time it is impossible to say.
The unfortunate Mary Ann McKenzie had suffered with her mother and brother and sister in the Sutherland-shire Clearances in Scotland, these were the most violent and brutal of the clearances, as far as I can determine Mary had a child in Aberdeen, where the family finally ended up, to an unknown man. I think Mary Ann was indeed brave to come to a new country so far from Aberdeen and face an unknown future all alone. Even more terrifying when she found herself pregnant to a man who was marrying someone else and she did not have her family around to support her.
Janet McKenzie was not born until November 1859 and Alexander had married Mary Catherine Rooney in the previous June so it is difficult to know the sequence of events and who knew what and when at this point in time.
It was Difficult to find Mary Rooneys arrival in Australia, mainly because I had no idea of her home county in Ireland nor when she arrived in the colony. I did remember my father once telling me that Mary Rooney arrived in Moreton Bay, but that I dismissed as yet another family story/rumour. However I saw on Ancestry.com that there was somone who was researching the Rooneys of Yass, I sent her a message and she informed me that Patrick Rooney had a half sister by the name of Mary who came out to Australia and initially landed at Moreton Bay, this half sister also paid Patricks fare out to Australia, I was also informed that Patrick for reasons unknown travelled under his mothers maiden name of Gorman.
Once I had that information I found a Mary Roney (sic) on the list of persons paying a deposit for an immigrant by the name of Patrick Gorman ( mothers maiden name) Patrick stated on his shipping indent that he was a native of Templemore in County Tipperary. This information gave me the means to find Mary Rooneys arrival in Moreton Bay Colony on the Rajahgopaul in September 1852. Mary stated she was from Tipperary and both her parents were dead. Marys death certificate also states that her parents were Timothy Rooney and Margaret Gorman the same parents as Patrick Rooney. Why Patrick Rooney chose to travel under an assumed name is something for further investigation, obviously he had to state on the indent that he was joining his "half"sister to explain the name difference.
During this time Mary was working in Sydney and saving the money for Patricks deposit. Patrick arrived on the Rodney in 1854 he stated that he was only 18 years old. Patrick and Mary, at some point must have decided to move to Yass, however Patrick married Alice Cronan in Sydney in 1855 at the age of 19years. All three may have gone together.
This is how Sydney looked in the 1850's when Mary Rooney and Patrick Rooney were working and living there.
Mary Catherine Rooney was at least twenty eight years old when she married Alexander Reid in June 1859. Mary would not have had an easy life but she was a survivor, not only of the Irish famine but a dangerous trip by sea to the ends of the earth all alone, arriving in Sydney and finding her own way, it must have been frightening. By 1859 Mary had been in the colony for seven years. Eventually her brother Patrick would own an hotel in Yass.
Mary Rooney gave birth to a few children who died and only had one who lived. This was Michael Joseph Reid who also became a blacksmith like his father.Alexander Reid also became a publican like his brother in-law Patrick Rooney.
The last child Mary Rooney appears to have is Alexander Reid in 1864 and he died shortly afterwards. The birth certificate states that there were two males living and one female dead at the time of his birth. In the end only one child survived to adulthood and that was Michael Joseph Reid. The certificate also states that the mother was born in Galway, which I have proven to be untrue, but which demonstrates that all research must be thorough, even when there are certificates it still must be proven.
The system in Scotland certainly favoured the landowners, if you never gained the opportunity to acquire skills, such as working with horses (the elite of agricultural work in Scotland) or ploughing then you were condemned to being a labourer for the rest of your life. Robert Reids son Alexander was fortunate indeed to be trained as a blacksmith and to be able to go to Australia which was hungry for those with usable skills and where those skills were valued, as they certainly were not in his home country of Scotland. Even those who were unskilled were welcomed in Australia to help build a new nation.
This extremely sad event left all of his children motherless. It was the custom in the past, when a mother died leaving small children to be cared for, for the widower to seek out and marry very quickly some woman who was either widowed or an older single woman. This ensured his children were cared for and the widowers comfort was taken care of. Alexander like most men of that time did not see it as a mans job to care for children, he would see it as imperative that he find a woman who could take over the job.
At this point I must mention that Mary Ann McKenzie who had a child born in 1859, the child was named Janet McKenzie ( after Mary Ann McKenzies Mother) and her birth certificate had Alexander Reids name on it crossed out, as the father. I believe it is strange that Alexander did not take the opportunity to marry someone from Scotland and a Presbyterian, who was, as it it has been determined by Genetic testing, carrying his child. Possibly, either he did not know Mary Ann was pregnant with his child or he had already committed himself to Mary Catherine Rooney. At this distance in time it is impossible to say.
The unfortunate Mary Ann McKenzie had suffered with her mother and brother and sister in the Sutherland-shire Clearances in Scotland, these were the most violent and brutal of the clearances, as far as I can determine Mary had a child in Aberdeen, where the family finally ended up, to an unknown man. I think Mary Ann was indeed brave to come to a new country so far from Aberdeen and face an unknown future all alone. Even more terrifying when she found herself pregnant to a man who was marrying someone else and she did not have her family around to support her.
Janet McKenzie was not born until November 1859 and Alexander had married Mary Catherine Rooney in the previous June so it is difficult to know the sequence of events and who knew what and when at this point in time.
Mary Catherine Rooney.
Mary Catherine Rooney arrived in Moreton Bay Colony on 13th of September in 1852, on the shipping indent she states that her parents were Timothy and Margaret both dead. Mary could read but not write and she was 21 years old. The ship she arrived on the Rajah Gopaul ( various spellings) which had a very difficult voyage because some of the crew attempted to storm the womens quarters. The Rajahgopaul had a lot of single women on board.BREACH OF MERCHANT SEAMEN'S ACT.--On Thursday David Muir, John Malcolm, and Samuel Smith, were brought before Messrs. Duncan and D. M'Connel, at the Brisbane Police Office, for misconduct as seamen on board the ship Rajah- gopaul, lying in Moreton Bay. From the evi- dence of Capt. Dawson it appeared that the first named prisoner had been drunk and disorderly, and had assaulted the ship's officers ; and that Mal- colm and Smith had positively refused to perform their duties as seamen, when ordered to do so.
The last named prisoners, in defence, alleged that
they were not allowed any tobacco; but it did not appear by the ship's articles that they were en- titled to any. They further stated that they were in danger of their lives, from the Captain and mate ; and on being asked by the bench why they did not complain of this when the local authorities visited the ship, they replied that they had attempted to do so, but were not listened to. This statement was satisfactorily refuted by Mr Thornton, of the Customs, who deposed that they had only complained of bad meat, and on being desired by the chief officer to bring up some of the meat and let it be seen, they refused to do so. Capt. Dawson expressed his wish to have the prisoners sent back to the ship when dealt with, but they desired that they would do no more work. The Bench sentenced each of them to two weeks imprisonment, with hard labour, and afterwards to be returned to their ship by the Police.
It was Difficult to find Mary Rooneys arrival in Australia, mainly because I had no idea of her home county in Ireland nor when she arrived in the colony. I did remember my father once telling me that Mary Rooney arrived in Moreton Bay, but that I dismissed as yet another family story/rumour. However I saw on Ancestry.com that there was somone who was researching the Rooneys of Yass, I sent her a message and she informed me that Patrick Rooney had a half sister by the name of Mary who came out to Australia and initially landed at Moreton Bay, this half sister also paid Patricks fare out to Australia, I was also informed that Patrick for reasons unknown travelled under his mothers maiden name of Gorman.
Once I had that information I found a Mary Roney (sic) on the list of persons paying a deposit for an immigrant by the name of Patrick Gorman ( mothers maiden name) Patrick stated on his shipping indent that he was a native of Templemore in County Tipperary. This information gave me the means to find Mary Rooneys arrival in Moreton Bay Colony on the Rajahgopaul in September 1852. Mary stated she was from Tipperary and both her parents were dead. Marys death certificate also states that her parents were Timothy Rooney and Margaret Gorman the same parents as Patrick Rooney. Why Patrick Rooney chose to travel under an assumed name is something for further investigation, obviously he had to state on the indent that he was joining his "half"sister to explain the name difference.
During this time Mary was working in Sydney and saving the money for Patricks deposit. Patrick arrived on the Rodney in 1854 he stated that he was only 18 years old. Patrick and Mary, at some point must have decided to move to Yass, however Patrick married Alice Cronan in Sydney in 1855 at the age of 19years. All three may have gone together.
This is how Sydney looked in the 1850's when Mary Rooney and Patrick Rooney were working and living there.
Mary Catherine Rooney was at least twenty eight years old when she married Alexander Reid in June 1859. Mary would not have had an easy life but she was a survivor, not only of the Irish famine but a dangerous trip by sea to the ends of the earth all alone, arriving in Sydney and finding her own way, it must have been frightening. By 1859 Mary had been in the colony for seven years. Eventually her brother Patrick would own an hotel in Yass.
Mary Rooney gave birth to a few children who died and only had one who lived. This was Michael Joseph Reid who also became a blacksmith like his father.Alexander Reid also became a publican like his brother in-law Patrick Rooney.
The last child Mary Rooney appears to have is Alexander Reid in 1864 and he died shortly afterwards. The birth certificate states that there were two males living and one female dead at the time of his birth. In the end only one child survived to adulthood and that was Michael Joseph Reid. The certificate also states that the mother was born in Galway, which I have proven to be untrue, but which demonstrates that all research must be thorough, even when there are certificates it still must be proven.
The search for Alexander Reid's Parents and his place of Birth.
This research was difficult and protracted because the shipping indent for the ship James Moran stated Elizabeth was his mothers name and Robert was the fathers name. It also stated that his fathers occupation was quarryman, of all these statements only his fathers name was true. First I had to look on the census for all Robert Reids who were quarrymen, but none were living with a wife named Elizabeth.
In Scotland of course Quarrymen/masons only work for part of the year so I had to find someone named Robert Reid who was also a HLW ( Hand Loom Weaver) or a general labourer the rest of the year. Finally I came across an Advertisement in the Melbourne Argus in November 1857 this advertisement requested news of Alexander Reid or contact and news of his family adding that he arrived in 1842, which was inaccurate, but the inquirer was Robert Reid of Rossie Island Montrose. Someone else also directed my notice to the Melbourne Argus advertisement at the same time, this helped to focus my attention on the Rossie Island census returns for 1841. However that did not give me any leads. Nonetheless on checking the 1851 census I found him living there with his wife Isobel he was a general labourer living on a small croft of two acres and he was a labourer, he was stated to have been born in St Clements in Aberdeen, which again is untrue, his brother Peter was born in St Clements, Robert was born in Kincardine O'Neil as I found out when I discovered him on the 1861 census where he states accurately that he was born in Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeenshire. By the time of the 1861 Census Isobel had died and Robert was living with his daughter to his first marriage (Alexander Reids half sister) Elizabeth. and he was a pauper. Roberts wife in the 1851 census states that she was born in Logie Pert in Forfar (Angus) Isobel died in 1853. Alexander Reid's brother George died in 1846 in Craig, Rossie Island. George was five years younger than Alexander.
Alexander also had another half sister by the name of Mary who married John Wishart a flax dresser. His full sister Ratchell (sic) Rachel married a blacksmith by the name of David Burns, they ended up (1861 census) in the blacksmith shop in Aberlemno Angus (Forfar) David was employing one man and one boy. Alexander had an older brother David born in 1814 he was the first child born to Robert Reid and Isobel Nichol I can find no trace of him. Davids baptism was attended by Alexander Reid father of Robert Reid and John Nichol father of Isobel Nichol.
Robert Reid was born in 1780 in Kincardine O'Neil in Aberdeenshire to parents Alexander Reid and Isobel Mason/Masson. Alexander Reid was a Dyer and crofter.
Aberdeenshire is not in the highlands (Heilands) so the system of living on a permanent croft (land) did not apply in the lowlands a man went to a yearly fair and the landowner (big farmers) would employ them for a term usually six months or a year, depending on the farmers needs, then the crofter would have a home for a while, as a single man living in a bothey with a lot of other single men, and would gradually build up work experience either with horses or ploughing or as an agricultural labourer. As he gained in experience the more likely it was that he could gain a small croft of two or three acres with a dwelling and he could then marry and start a family. At the end of the contract to work the landlord would either ask him to stay on (bide a while) or he would say nothing at all, in which case the family would have to move on until they found another home with work attached.
In the case of Alexander Reid the elder I cannot find his origins because there is no paper trail to follow. When I do find him he is living on a croft by the name of Dalhaiki, which no longer exists, there is a Dalhaiki Wood so I will assume that it is in the general area of the Wood that the family lived, I do not know who the landowner was in the area around Kincardine O'Neil in Aberdeenshire, however I next find the family at St Clements in Aberdeen where their son Peter is born, in 1782. According to Peters baptismal record Alexander his father was working as a dyer in Aberdeen. Their previous children were born in Kincardine O'Neil. Alexander must have found a job with a croft at some period after this in the County of Kincardineshire at or near Abuthnott, This is where Robert Reid met and married Elizabeth Catanach, this is a very ancient Scottish name, the marriage took place in 1799, Elizabeth must have died around 1812 leaving two small daughters Mary and Elizabeth. Shortly after this sad event Robert married Isobel Nichol. Isobel was born at Logie Pert in Angus in or around 1782.
In Scotland of course Quarrymen/masons only work for part of the year so I had to find someone named Robert Reid who was also a HLW ( Hand Loom Weaver) or a general labourer the rest of the year. Finally I came across an Advertisement in the Melbourne Argus in November 1857 this advertisement requested news of Alexander Reid or contact and news of his family adding that he arrived in 1842, which was inaccurate, but the inquirer was Robert Reid of Rossie Island Montrose. Someone else also directed my notice to the Melbourne Argus advertisement at the same time, this helped to focus my attention on the Rossie Island census returns for 1841. However that did not give me any leads. Nonetheless on checking the 1851 census I found him living there with his wife Isobel he was a general labourer living on a small croft of two acres and he was a labourer, he was stated to have been born in St Clements in Aberdeen, which again is untrue, his brother Peter was born in St Clements, Robert was born in Kincardine O'Neil as I found out when I discovered him on the 1861 census where he states accurately that he was born in Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeenshire. By the time of the 1861 Census Isobel had died and Robert was living with his daughter to his first marriage (Alexander Reids half sister) Elizabeth. and he was a pauper. Roberts wife in the 1851 census states that she was born in Logie Pert in Forfar (Angus) Isobel died in 1853. Alexander Reid's brother George died in 1846 in Craig, Rossie Island. George was five years younger than Alexander.
Alexander also had another half sister by the name of Mary who married John Wishart a flax dresser. His full sister Ratchell (sic) Rachel married a blacksmith by the name of David Burns, they ended up (1861 census) in the blacksmith shop in Aberlemno Angus (Forfar) David was employing one man and one boy. Alexander had an older brother David born in 1814 he was the first child born to Robert Reid and Isobel Nichol I can find no trace of him. Davids baptism was attended by Alexander Reid father of Robert Reid and John Nichol father of Isobel Nichol.
Robert Reid was born in 1780 in Kincardine O'Neil in Aberdeenshire to parents Alexander Reid and Isobel Mason/Masson. Alexander Reid was a Dyer and crofter.
Aberdeenshire is not in the highlands (Heilands) so the system of living on a permanent croft (land) did not apply in the lowlands a man went to a yearly fair and the landowner (big farmers) would employ them for a term usually six months or a year, depending on the farmers needs, then the crofter would have a home for a while, as a single man living in a bothey with a lot of other single men, and would gradually build up work experience either with horses or ploughing or as an agricultural labourer. As he gained in experience the more likely it was that he could gain a small croft of two or three acres with a dwelling and he could then marry and start a family. At the end of the contract to work the landlord would either ask him to stay on (bide a while) or he would say nothing at all, in which case the family would have to move on until they found another home with work attached.
In the case of Alexander Reid the elder I cannot find his origins because there is no paper trail to follow. When I do find him he is living on a croft by the name of Dalhaiki, which no longer exists, there is a Dalhaiki Wood so I will assume that it is in the general area of the Wood that the family lived, I do not know who the landowner was in the area around Kincardine O'Neil in Aberdeenshire, however I next find the family at St Clements in Aberdeen where their son Peter is born, in 1782. According to Peters baptismal record Alexander his father was working as a dyer in Aberdeen. Their previous children were born in Kincardine O'Neil. Alexander must have found a job with a croft at some period after this in the County of Kincardineshire at or near Abuthnott, This is where Robert Reid met and married Elizabeth Catanach, this is a very ancient Scottish name, the marriage took place in 1799, Elizabeth must have died around 1812 leaving two small daughters Mary and Elizabeth. Shortly after this sad event Robert married Isobel Nichol. Isobel was born at Logie Pert in Angus in or around 1782.
The system in Scotland certainly favoured the landowners, if you never gained the opportunity to acquire skills, such as working with horses (the elite of agricultural work in Scotland) or ploughing then you were condemned to being a labourer for the rest of your life. Robert Reids son Alexander was fortunate indeed to be trained as a blacksmith and to be able to go to Australia which was hungry for those with usable skills and where those skills were valued, as they certainly were not in his home country of Scotland. Even those who were unskilled were welcomed in Australia to help build a new nation.
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ReplyDeleteThanks-a-mundo for the article. Really Cool. blacksmith
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