George William John REID
Born 1881 in Kensington, Middlesex, England [20] [21]
Son of Scottish born coachman George REID and English born "Nora" Honora CAREY [20] [21]
Grew up with his parents, elder sister Catherine and younger brother Edward at 24 Saint Albans Road in Kensington [20]
Married Bessie Cecilia Teresa Claire DUTTON in 1902 in London, England [21]
He was a Solicitor's Clerk in 1901 and in 1911 he had no occupation as he was living on private means [20]
In 1911 was living with his wife Bessie and Amy C. TAUNTON at Hirondelle Beech in Alton, Hampshire, England [20]
He and Amy C. TAUNTON made arrangements in England to purchase farmland in Winchester, Western Australia [34]
The land was two "Ready-Made Farms" from the Midland Railway Company's Improved Farms Scheme [34]
Rather than virgin bush the land came partially cleared, fenced, with a four roomed house and a water supply [34]
On 18 February 1914 they paid an £80 deposit to the Company to purchase 964 acres of farmland in Winchester [34]
They sold their 14-20 horsepower Alldays & Onions car to the Midland Railway Company for £150 on 20 May 1914 [34]
On 20 May 1914 they paid the Midland Railway Company £88/14/-, which was owing on the 5% deposit for their farm [34]
He departed London, England on the steamship Orsova and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 7 July 1914 [70]
They signed a contract to purchase 964 acres in Winchester from the Midland Railway Company on 1 August 1914 [27]
The 964 acres was Lots M912 and M913 of Victoria Location 2023 and cost £4402, payable by instalments over 20 years [27]
His wife and Amy C. TAUNTON departed London, England on the steamship Commonwealth on 15 October 1915 [203]
Farmer of Auchindoir Farm in Winchester in partnership with Amy C. TAUNTON as "Reid & Taunton" 1914-1920 [6] [19] [34]
It is presumed their farm was named Auchindoir after the place of the same name in Aberdeenshire, Scotland [P1]
Despite Winchester being considered a waterless district, a bore struck water on his farm at 40 feet in July 1914 [86: 21-Jul-1914]
In early 1915 the Industries Assistance Board (I.A.B.) supplied them with seed wheat, supper, fodder and store [34]
As they had no horses or implements the Midland Railway Company supplied through a mortgage the capital they needed [34]
Employed Frederick TUNGATE on the farm, who he'd met on his voyage to Western Australia on the Orsova in 1914 [19] [34]
In March 1915 applied unsuccessfully to purchase a further 740 acres from the Midland Railway Company for 7/- per acre [34]
After harvesting their 1915 crop they sold 600 bags of wheat, and in 1916 they had 207 acres of crop on their farm [34]
During July 1916 they purchased oats and chaff amounting to £10/13/- from Frederick W. PARRICK of Winchester [34]
In August 1916 they signed a petition to the Midland Railway Company requesting the price of their farms be reduced [34]
In 1917 they had 200 acres of their farm seeded in wheat[10: 19-Jun-1917]
The I.A.B., which gave assistance to establishing farmers, would give them no further assistance by early 1918 [34]
He approached the Midland Railway Company to see whether they were grant him financial assistance to carry on [34]
The Midland Railway Company decided to offer him no assistance as they doubted he would succeed on his farm [34]
They didn't plant any crop whatsoever on their farm in 1918[34]
Resided on Lot M913 of their Auchindoir Farm in Winchester 1915-1920 [6] [19] [44]
His complaints to the Midland Railway Company were said to have been "many and various" [34]
Member of the Winchester-Carnamah branch of the Farmers & Settlers' Association in 1917 [34]
He conducted Winchester's Post Office from their home on Lot M913 of Auchindoir Farm [34]
His home on Auchindoir Farm was the polling place for Winchester for the Commonwealth election on 5 May 1917 [39: 30-Apr-1917]
The Winchester Post Office at his home was a polling place for the State Legislative Assembly election held in 1917 [10: 22-Jun-1917]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a doctor at Three Springs [34]
Member of the Winchester Hall Fund Committee - was Secretary 1919 [34]
Won 1st prize in a raffle raising money for the Moora Hospital Fund, which was drawn in Winchester on 17 May 1919 [10: 30-May-1919]
On 30 June 1920 the sale on their 964 acre farm was rescinded by the Midland Railway Company for non-payment of instalments [27]
Earlier in 1920 the Midland Railway Company had reduced the price and instalments on previously sold Ready Made Farms [34]
This offer, which was made and accepted by all other settlers on the Company's farms, had been purposefully not made to them [34]
The Midland Railway Company took possession of their seven year old Bay Gelding, Bay Mare in foal, [34]
Massey Harris 17-tyne spring cultivator, Massey Harris 13-disc grain and fertiliser drill, two sets of chains, five horse collars, [34]
five back bands and five sets of blinkers and sold them all by public auction [34]
The Midland Railway Company subsequently sold Lot M912 of their farm to John RAFFAN and Lot M913 to James L.B. WEIR [27]
Resided in Wyalkatchem 1921-1935, where he worked as a Clerk 1921-1922, Barman in 1925 and as an Agent 1926-1935 [6]
In 1949 he was working as a Yardman and Barman and was living at 149 Egan Street in Kalgoorlie [50]
Died in 1951 in York, Western Australia [15]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'George William John Reid' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 25 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/george-william-john-reid [reference list] |
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