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Alexander Kirk
Birth:11-8-1818,
Peelhouses, Parish of St Mungos, Lockerbie, Scotland
Death: 26-7-1912, One
Tree Hill, Little Para, Golden Grove, Sth Australia
Buried:Golden Grove
Cemetery, Sth Australia
Arrived in Sth Australia6-7-1839,
Pt Adelaide, aboard the 'Lysander'. Aged 20yrs.
Agent, M. Wardell
Emigration application No. 4157. Embarkation No. 2437.
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Presbyterian.
Clementina Smart.
Birth:
14-10-1826, Parish of St Cuthburts. Edinburgh, Scotland
Parents:
John Smart and Agnes Wilson.
Death:
27-2-1909, One Tree Hill, Little Para, Golden Grove, Sth
Australia
Arrived in Sth Australia: 13-8-1939, Pt Adelaide, aboard 'Ariadne'.Aged
15yrs.
Emigration Application No. 4498. Embarkation No. 2538.
Religion: Presbyterian
Alexander and Clementina married on May 7th 1845, Wakefield
Street, Adelaide
The
Colonisation Commission for South Australia, Adelphi Terrace,
London, put regulations in place to ensure the majority of South
Australia's pioneers were young people.
The regulations were also an attempt to balance out the social
structure of the colony.
Free public meetings were held across Britain to inform, suggest
and offer people passage, paid or free, to the new colony of
South Australia, 'Land of Promise' in which to begin a new life
for themselves and their families.
To be eligible for free passage one had to meet the regulation
criteria.
- Single or married as long as under
30years of age.
- Be willing and intending to work.
- Intend to settle in the colony.
- Be certified by a Surgeon or Physician that
they are free of any disease which could shorten or impair one
physically or mentally.
- Be certified by two respectable householders
that they are honest, sober, industrious and of good character
and likely to remain so.
Agricultural labourers, shepherds and domestic servants (male
and female) were sought to take advantage of free passage to the
new colony.
A young Scotsman
by the name of Alexander Kirk, a farm labourer, applied for and
was granted free passage to South Australia. He left family and
his homeland of Scotland to make a new life for
himself.Alexander Kirk left the port of Liverpool on 180' March
1839, aboard The Lysander, Captained by William Currie, along
with 217 other passengers bound for the new colony of South
Australia. The Lysander docked in Port Adelaide on 6"' July
1839.
Alexander
found employment, he was involved in the building of the Old
Port Road and then on the construction of the Government and
McLaren wharfs at Port Adelaide.
His single mans sleeping quarters was a half tun (100 gallon)
wooden barrel which had the advantage of being moved in any
direction to keep out poor weather.
Before long he bought some cows and squatted on land at
Campbells Springs on the Little Para.
"Squatting" at this time was a legal activity.
especially on land that was not included in Colonel Lights first
survey. This saw him become the first to settle in the area that
we now know as Golden Grove.
It is said that the native grasses at the time were so high that
the cattle could not be seen when laid down. With feed being so
abundant the yield from the herd was high.
Alexander had to carry his butter on his shoulders the 14 miles
to Adelaide, as he had no other means of transportation. There
he would barter for goods that he needed:- tools, groceries,
boots and the like.
Mr. John Barton Hack paid 4,000 pounds for a survey of the
unsurveyed land, which saw Alexander rent land from Mr. Formby
until he could afford to purchase his own land.
The
height of the goldrush in Victoria, 1851, saw Alexander and
three companions walk overland to Mt. Alexander near Bendigo
It took them 5 weeks to reach their destination. They were away
for 8 months; it was the flooding of the workings that saw them
return to South Australia, this time by coach.
They returned with 40 lb weight in gold and were described as
being successful diggers in comparison to many in the district
who returned penniless.
Alexander purchased 3 more sections of land, 1734, 5434 and 5431
increasing 'Kirklands' to a total of 356 acres.
Carting copper from Burra to Pt. Adelaide, under contract, to
supplement his income, like many in the district, saw him away
from home for great lengths of time. Life for Clementina could
not have been an easy one.
Both Alexander
and Clementina were active within the community. They along with
other settlers, Robert Smyth. Joseph Gould and Rueben Richardson
raised 318 pounds to construct a road through private property.
When the District of Highercombe boundaries were outlined, the
settlers north of the Little Para had no connecting roads to the
district. Snake Gully road was opened May 10th 1859.
Although Snake
Gully road was in constant use it was still hazardous to cross
the Little Para. In 1871 a grant for 1,000 pounds from the South
Australian Government was sought and received for the
construction of a bridge. The bridge opened May 3rd 1871.
Along with several other prominent people of the district,
Alexander is named as one of the original trustees of the Golden
Grove Presbyterian Church. A document stating this is under the
foundation stone. The church opened June 26th866 and Alexander
was Treasurer for 19 years. He also served as a Councillor on
tile District Council of Tea Tree Gully in 1875 and 1876,
Between
1846 and 1870 ,Alexander and Clementina had 10 children.
They celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 1905. They
survived 4 of their children.
Clernentma died on February 27th 1909, aged 83 years.
Alexander died on July 26th 1912. aged 93 years.
They are buried at Golden Grove Cemetery along with daughter
Hellen and son John.
Alexander
Kirk’s obituary in The Observer August 3rd 1912 mentioned he
enjoyed a garne of cards and would walk 7 or 8 miles to watch
sports. He was an energetic man who loved to go on long walks.
He was known to fell a tree for sornething energetic.
He was one of South Australia's oldest pioneer settlers.
At the time of his death he had 6 surviving children, 26
grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.
The District has
remembered and acknowledged many of the settlers to the area by
naming roads and streets after them.
There is a Kirk Street in Redwood Park but unsure if named with
Alexander in mind.
Kirklands' is also a long‑standing important. visible part
of settlement within the District of Tea Tree Gully.
Bibliography
Reference
Books from Family History section, T.T.G. Library.
A Smart Heritage. Elizabeth B. Smart
From Settlement to City. Ian Auhl.
Living in S.A. A Social History.
Migrant Ships for South Australia 1836 - 1850, B. Parsons.
South Australians 1836 - 1885. Volume 1.
Reference
Books and Microfilm, Family History section State Library.
Emigrant Labourers (Pikes Index) 1836 - 1886. Lysander 39/27
AOCJ.
Source GRG 35/489.
Lloyds shipping Register. Volume for 1839.
Manifest and passenger lists. GRG 41/8
Microfilm. Observer 3-8-1912 page 41a.
Register of Enimigrant Labour applying for a free passage to SA,
183 6-184 1. Pro Co 386/149‑51
Shipping Prior to 1840.
Internet.
http:/.One Tree Hill Sketchbook. Steven A Hill.
www.familysearch.org
www.merseysidemuseum.com.uk
www.scotsorigins.co.uk
www.southaustralia.com
www.southaustralianhistory.com.au
Emailed Mr. James Handley (relation) who lives in Lockerbie
Scotland, Who was kind enough to clarify some information at the
Dumfries Library.
Places
visited.
Maritime
Museum. Port Adelaide.
Golden Grove Cemetery and Church.
Snake Gully Road, located Kirklands.
State Library.
TTG library.
In
researching this topic we found many different pieces of
information and have attempted to be as accurate as possible.
Many thanks to my Mum, Dad and Gran who have assisted me with
this project.
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