Ross T. Reid
Ross Thompson Reid was a pastoralist in South Australia and New South Wales. He is remembered in South Australia as the founder of Rostrevor Hall.
History
Reid was born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, and emigrated to South Australia with his parents, John Reid and Jane Reid who arrived in January 1839 aboard Orleana with their children and were the first settlers at Gawler:The children were brought up at "Clonlea", Gawler. Three of the brothers went in for pastoral property management: William took over Tolarno station on the Darling River, which he managed from the mid 1850s to the 1890s. Ross Reid and R. J. B. Reid initially had a share in the business; R. J. B. Reid left the partnership in 1868. Ross Reid was managing Mount Murchison station until at least 1866, then it was taken over by Dean & Laughton, and Ross joined William at Tolarno until 1867.
File:"Rostrevor", home of J. S. Reid at Woodforde.jpg|thumb|Reid's mansion "Rostrevor" after renovation c. 1890 by J. S. Reid, to resemble "Romsdal" in Toorak, Victoria.
Ross was a keen racegoer and owned several winning horses, notably Pride of the Hills. He purchased a large block at Magill, in the foothills of Adelaide, and there built a fine mansion which he named after Rostrevor, a seaside resort close to his birthplace.
By 1861, the Reid brothers had moved into the Bourke area and were in possession of West Bogan runs 20, 21, 22 and 30. Mooculta was sold to Russell Barton in 1868 and it remained in his possession until 1912. Ross T. Reid lived on nearby Tarcoon Station from around 1868 until 1872, when it was sold to F. H. Randell. Tolarno station was one of the largest and most successful sheep stations on the Darling, shearing up to 250,000 sheep a year. While Tolarno was in the hands of the Reid brothers the only practical freight communication was by steamboat on the Murray-Darling system to ports such as Echuca, Mannum and Goolwa. In 1875, the Reid brothers and Hugh King purchased the Jane Eliza from captains Davies and Dorward, and also had an interest in steamers Gem, Jupiter, Menindie and Shannon. Thousands of tonnes of wool were shipped and the Reid brothers made a fortune.
Tolarno was in the 1880s badly infested with rabbits and was used as a test bed for Dr. Butcher's experiments with "Tintinallogy disease", which proved to be a false hope. In 1887 he put "Rostrevor" on the market; it was purchased by Melbourne businessman J. S. Reid. A prolonged drought hit the country in the 1890s, with a considerable loss of stock. Several banks failed and a country-wide recession hit Australia, with consequent loss of sales and low prices. He retired to Glenelg, South Australia, where in his home, "St Leonards", he died, aged 82, and was buried in the family vault, Magill.
Family
At O'Halloran Hill, South Australia, on 12 February 1868 Ross Thompson Reid married Lucy Reynell, eldest daughter of John Reynell and Mary Reynell, née Lucas. John arrived aboard Surrey in October 1838; Mary arrived aboard Orleana early in January 1839; they married on 31 January 1839. She was in England when husband died. Died in Adelaide but accorded a minimal death notice and no obituary.- Lucy Livingstone Ross Reid born Bourke, married Mr Scott lived in Natal, Sth Africa.
- Olive born Tarcoon Station, married Edward Eversley Thomas on 5 January 1899
- Mabel "Maisie" Ross born at Tarcoon Station, married David Alexander Murray Brown in Penang on 25 February 1901. He was General Manager, Pinang Gazette Press.
- Reynell Ross-Reid, born Ross Reynell Reid, married Hannah Daws, lived in Leeton, New South Wales
- Lydia "Lily" Ross-Reid married Dr. William Frank Driscoll in Stockton, California on 2 November 1900
- Douglas Ross-Reid married Eliza Jane Tremellen, lived in Underdale
- Hilda Ross-Reid
- Elliot Ross Reid
- Allan Ross-Reid married Maude "Stevie" Stevenson on 10 March 1910, lived in New South Wales
- Trevor Ross Reid
- Eleanor Ross Reid married Major George "Boysie" Bayard Bray, Indian Army