The town of Rhynie was laid out in 1859, to a plan deposited by Robert Milne.
Milne came from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where the Scottish town of Rhynie is situated close to Balmoral Castle.
The name 'Rhynie' in Gaelic, means "running water", and Rhynie S.A. with its springs of fresh water, seems aptly named.
Rhynie is approached through lovely country, much of which is devoted to vine and fruit growing; the remainder carries crops of more or less luxuriant growth.
In a direct line the town is only four miles north west from Riverton, and at one time was a thriving place.
Over a hundred years ago the mill was destroyed by fire, and since then the town has had no other mill. This event, with other circumstances over which residents bad no control, deprived Rhynie of its commercial reputation.
A. The Rhynie Mill
On Tuesday (25th) Mr. David Howard's new steam flour mill had its first trial. A large
number of the neighbouring farmers, storekeepers, and tradespeople had gathered together to witness it.
As an apology for no speech-making I may remark that this is not the opening of the mill, as it is yet only in an incomplete state, but merely a trial of the engine.
The building was commenced about three months since, and has been solely built by one pair of hands, viz, Mr. Nottle, of Macaw Creek, who deserves great credit for the workmanship, and also for the expedition he has shown.
It stands at the southern end of the township, is three storeys high, and presents a most prominent appearance on entering the township either way.
The engineering part has been conducted by Mr. Andrew Jones, of Adelaide. The engines are wholly of colonial manufacture, including all the brass fittings. The mill is fitted up with all the latest improvements—silk-dressers and apparatus for ridding the grain of that most obnoxious evil, smut and drake.
Harvest operations commenced early last week. The first new wheat was brought to the mill on the 13th instant. On the following day steam was got up, and the mill is at it again, eighteen hours per day, turning out splendid flour from the new grain.
All the machinery has been overhauled and put in good working order; no expense having been spared by the energetic proprietor.
RHYNIE. December 27, 1875.
Several improvements have been made lately in this town, sundry new buildings having been put up, including a neat cottage built by Mr. H. Curnow. of the new firm who have purchased the mill property; and a store built by Mr. R. Edwards on an open space between the new Council Chamber and Mr. F. Claridge's store, adding greatly to the appearance of the place.
Steam was got up at Messrs. Curnow and Pine's mill lately, and they seem to be doing a brisk trade, judging from the quantity of wheat that is being brought to their premises. The junior partner (Mr. Pine) was for some years in the employ of Mr. D. Howard as miller and foreman, and Mr. Curnow has been a settler for many years in Woolshed Flat
They have spared no expense or trouble in putting the machinery into thorough working order.
CORONERS' INQUESTS.
FIRE AT RHYNIE.
An inquest was held at Rhynie on Friday, October 26 1883, by Mr. J. W. Castine, J.P.,
and a Jury of twelve, to enquire into the cause of the fire which destroyed the Rhynie flour mill on the previous day. Mr. A. Nicholls was foreman of the Jury.
John Henry Curnow said —
"he was the owner of the mill. Was last on the premises between 4 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. At that time everything was safe and the mill was working.
"On Thursday morning, between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., one of his workmen roused him and said the mill was on fire.
"He at once went to the mill and saw it was alight from top to bottom. Remained on the spot till daylight. Tried to reach the office to get the books after seeing that he could not save the building.
"He and Mr. Carter, the miller, recovered books produced from the office. Said no idea how the fire originated, unless some of the bearings had become heated. They did sometimes, when it was usual to put black lead or molten fat on them. Did not notice that they were heated on Tuesday,
"Was insured for £2,000 in the City Mutual Fire Insurance Company, but was not sure if that included more than £600 on the stock. Thought it was £600 on the stock, and £1,400 on the buildings and machinery. The premiums were paid and the policy would not expire till next May.
"Stock consisted of wheat, flour, bran, pollard, bags, and a lot of sundries. Could not say who locked up the mill. Should have stopped working at the end of the week for want of wheat. Had not given any of the men notice to leave. Allowed smoking on the first floor, but had told the men to stop at times."
Alexander Carter, of Rhynie, miller, said— "Am in the employ of Mr. Curnow. Was aroused on Thursday. at 2.40 a.m. by Mr. Baker, who said the mill was on fire. Immediately went round and blew the Whistle. Noticed the flames through the engine-room door. Shut the outer door, and met Mr. Curnow.
"They went together to the office window, and got one book through the window. Afterwards saw Mr. Curnow, who had walked through the flames to the office and brought out another book.
"When witness first saw the fire the flames were confined chiefly to the first floor. Have been in Mr. Curnow's employ two years. Was working up to 6.46 p.m. on the day previous to the fire.
"Could not form an idea as to the origin of the fire. Am a smoker, and smoking is allowed only on the ground floor; but have smoked on the other floors when stone-dressing.
When leaving the mill the previous evening locked all the doors safely. If a light is used it is usually a candle; but there no light was used on Wednesday. Think there were thirty tons of flour, and eleven tons of bran and pollard in the storeroom and mill."
John James, stoker, Rhynie—
"Am employed by Mr. Curnow, and was working at the mill on Wednesday up to 6.45 p.m. Usually stoke the engine and help inside. Assisted on Wednesday to clean the mill previous to stopping it. Was upstairs about half an hour before leaving to put the wheat over the stones. Before leaving the mill had ceased to work."
The Jury returned the following verdict:
—"That the mill was destroyed by fire on the morning of October 26, and that there is not the slightest evidence to show how the fire originated."
The Jury wish to add as a rider, that smoking should be strictly prohibited in mills.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.—On Monday last the store of Mr. Secombe, at Rhynie, near Riverton, was burnt to the ground, and a large quantity of goods and clothing were consumed. The inmates had a very narrow escape.
There is a mystery about the matter, our information being to the effect that the shop door was found open, and the till, which contained only some coppers, was discovered outside the premises.
As a magisterial investigation will be held, it is probable that some light may he thrown upon the, at present, very mysterious affair. We unde stand that none of tho property was insured.
At time of writing there is little astir (moving or stirring, especially with much activity or excitement), but
Mr. J. H. Curnow, the storekeeper and postmaster;
W. H. Popham, the saddler; and
G. Bowden, the blacksmith; and
Riordan (Baker's Spring Hotel) stick to the town.
Miss E. Paterson conducts the state school, while religious matters ore attended to by the Rev. W. E. Perrin (Riverton). church of England, and the Rev. J. J. Nicholls (Riverton), Methodist.
Some large holders of land reside within a mile or two of the township, notably Mr. Waite, who engages extensively in sheep-breeding as well as farming, and invariably secures first prizes for any sheep exhibited by him at whatever show he exhibits. He reports very favourable lambing thin season, and satisfactory clip of wool.
Messrs. J. and W. Kemp, E. Harris, and Uphill Brothers also own and work good properties, as well as conducting sheep-breeding to a considerable extent.
B. The Hermitage Estate
Mr. Andrew Tennant's property of 30,000 acres (the Hermitage), runs to within a mile of the town and away south-west. Mr. T. Cleary is in charge as manager. Their principal industries are farming and sheep-breeding, with occasional fruit gardens.
"Baker's Springs"
is named for William Baker, who drove a large flock of sheep 40 miles north to the Springs, and on to Hermitage Station. This was not an easy task, with many wild dogs and unfriendly natives impeding his slow progress.
The Springs, an area of three fresh water springs in close proximity, greatly impressed Baker, and that area became known as "Baker's Springs".
The aborigines were in great numbers, and Mrs. Baker recalled seeing the fires of sixty native camp fires at night. One night they stole 900 sheep, which Baker tracked and recovered from the Mintaro district after firing his rifle to frighten the thieves.(1)
NEED OF LAND REFORM.
By G. Way.
It may be of interest to some of your readers to have a brief description of the Hermitage "sheep walk". It extends on the eastern side to the village of Rhynie or about four miles from Riverton; on the western, nearly to Balaclava.
For the first few miles after leaving Rhyne the country is somewhat hilly, timbered with gum, peppermint, and shea-oak, and permanently watered by two creeks that empty into the River Wakefield. For a distance of some ten miles the Wakefield wends its way through hill and dale and good agricultural land. This portion of the river, unlike nearer the sea, does not stop running during the summer months.
These thousands of acres are worked for the best of the year by about four men. If they were divided up they would provide work for as many hundreds.
In our necessity there appears a danger that too high a price may be paid for the repurchase of such areas. A Progressive Land Tax drafted to apply directly to large holdings should undoubtedly bring these lands under the plough.
Obituary.
MR ANDREW TENNANT.
The death occurred last Saturday afternoon at Glenelg of Mr Andrew Tennant, after an illness of several weeks. The deceased who for many years had been largely interested in the pastoral industry was one of the best known men in the North.
The " Register" published on Monday the following memoir;
—"The late Mr Andrew Tennant was a native of the Scottish country of Roxburg, and was born in 1835. He was brought to Adelaide in infancy by his father (Mr John Tennant) who arrived in 1838.
The father began sheep-raising at Dry Creek, and son was afterwards sent to school at Mr Wicks' Academy, North Adelaide.
When 18 years of age the deceased took cattle and sheep into the far west, near to the shores of Lake Newland, and settled on a holding which had been abandoned by Mr Pinkerton. After several years in that district he owned stations successively at Mount Wedge, Coffin Bay, and Streaky Bay.
In 1866 Mr Tennant leased the Baroota Run, near Port Germein, but drought compelled him to remove. A little later he bought Uldalya Station, at Alice Springs, which comprised 5,000 square miles, with 11,000 head of cattle. He subsequently purchased Moolooloo (800 square miles) and Willippa Stations, which he held until his death.
Besides these the deceased possessed much more pastoral property and freehold property in the City of Adelaide and (The Hermitage) 13,000 acres near Riverton.
From 1881 to 1887 Mr Tennant represented the Flinders District in the House of Assembly, and in 1898 was elected as a member of the Northern District in the Legislative Council, and represented it until 1901.
The deceased gentleman had been associated with the directorate of the Adelaide Steamship Company since its formation, and was also a director of the China Traders Association.
He was a great lover of the thoroughbred, and bred and raised horses which achieved success on the turf.
Mr Tennant has left three sons—
Mr John Tennant, of Princess Royal Station;
Mr W. Tennant, of Point Lowly Station, Port Augusta West ; and
Mr Fred. Tennant, solicitor, of Adelaide
—and three daughters—
Mrs W. T. Mortlock, of Martindale Hall;
Mrs Anstruther-Gray, of London and Milmany (Scotland) ; and
Mrs R. M. Hawker, of Bungaree, near Clare.
Hermitage History:
Monte Flora at the Hermitage, Salter Springs
William Salter of Angaston and Saltram wines took out the leasehold here in 1845. He also held the Baroota Station leasehold north of Port Pirie near Mt Remarkable.
Salter later sold his Hermitage property to Flinders Ranges pastoralist Benjamin Ragless who in turn sold it to Andrew Tennant in 1881.
At that time the Hermitage contained 13,000 acres mainly of pastoral hilly country.
Salter Springs
East of Salter Springs in the ranges between it and Rhynie a leasehold run was taken out in 1851 by George Anstey and Thomas Giles. This area was resumed by the government and subdivided for farming in 1878. Thus Giles Corner was named after Thomas Giles.
A small village emerged here after some of the leasehold the lands were resumed by the government and sold to farmers in 1858 to 1861. The private town of Salter Springs was created by land owner Alexander Hay.
One of the first settlers was Robert Smyth from Belfast who eventually built a grand home with bay windows (1879). One of his sons Dr Michael Smyth attended this school and later became a Rhodes Scholar in 1960.
The Hermitage estate was subdivided by Andrew Tennant for farmers in 1923.
ERSKINE PARK SOLD FOR £7/6/- PER ACRE
The disbandment of final remnants of the 'Hermitage' and 'The Run' which in early times embraced most of the country now known as Salter's Springs and Alma, was completed last Monday when the W.A.A. West Estate known as 'Erskine Park' was sold at the Owen Institute for £7/6/- per acre.
The 4,242 acres comprising the property were first auctioned as a whole and, when not sold, were offered in six lots. With the exception of the homestead and its 983 acres, all lots were disposed of to adjoining landholders.
Purchasers were as follows:
592 acres — F. W. Michaelanney;
1,138 acres (two lots) — G. Uppill;
756 acres — J. Dundon and A.M. Ross and J. Wilson each a part of Lot 6, comprising 783 acres.
C. All Rhynie's Schools
Mr Potts, the hotel keeper, was so civic-minded that he erected a school room in 1862, which was rented to the trustees of the proposed public school.
RHYNIE.
[From our own Correspondent.]
The building of a public school was set on foot some two and a-half years ago; trustees
were appointed, subscriptions promised to the amount of £120, and twenty inhabitants became jointly with the trustees responsible for the balance of about £130, which, with the promise from the Education Board of £200, made £450, the cost of the structure.
Tenders were advertised for and accepted, but, unfortunately, no agreement was signed. The contractor came to Rhynie, and ascertaining the cost of material, &c., gave up the contract.
From that time until the last meeting no action has been taken in the matter. A schoolroom has in the meantime been rented bv the trustees, who became responsible for the rent, &c.
It may be observed in your issue a few weeks since, that the trustees bad given up their trust, paying up the amount due for rent and sundry expenses, (£6/15/8) authorizing the desks to be sold by auction, to pay the amount, and who stated—"had the public come forward more liberally to their assistance they would have been pleased to see the school continued."
The public now seeing that something must be done to keep the desks and school, called a public meeting in November last, and collected £6 15/, thereby refunding the trustees for the debt incurred, and it resulted that a public meeting should, by advertisement aud notices, be convened for Thursday, the 1st instant.
RHYNIE, December 21.
Two Sisters of Mercy are now located in Rhynie, and I hear they are to open a school after the Christmas holidays.
In this town there is (already) —
a public school conducted by a competent male teacher, and
a private school taught by a thoroughly competent young lady.
At Woolsheds, about two miles from this, the public school is managed by a lady of superior qualifications; and
there are well-conducted Sunday schools in both places.—
The Methodist Church at Woolsheds, about three miles west of Rhynie, was originally built as a Wesleyan chapel in 1858-1859. After the new public school was earlier built, this did not meet with public approval, and when the Methodist church was erected, Miss Elizabeth Griffiths taught 23 pupils in the church.(2)
By 1874 the Methodist church did not wish to continue with schooling, so, in the Council Chambers, school was carried on for 68 children.
Rhynie was granted a license as a recognised public school in 1875, and a new school was built in 1885, which only closed in 1960, when children could be bussed to Riverton.
D. Rhynie Poisoning Case
At the end of the First World War, Alexander Newland Lee was accused of poisoning his wife and three children.
Born at World’s End (near Burra), Lee was a destitute labourer who severely injured his hand in a farm accident. Recovering at The Willows Hospital in the Barossa Valley, he fell in love with nurse Dolly Scholz, an attractive young woman of Prussian-German descent. The setting was post World War I, a time when her community was ostracised.
When Lee was arrested for murder at Rhynie and put on trial, the case attracted strong interest from members of the community. They crawled over the gates of the Supreme Court to try to get a seat in the public gallery and a glimpse of the accused.
It was deemed one of the most sensational criminal cases in South Australian history, and people waited outside the court in their hundreds to learn of Lee’s fate;
On April 1st, 1920, tragedy struck the small country town of Rhynie, a little hamlet not far
from Riverton in the States Mid-North.
The bodies of Mrs Muriel Lee and three of her five children, aged three, five and six years old respectively, were found dead, lying in their beds in their country home, murdered by husband and father, Alexander Lee.
Alexander had come home a couple of days prior, after being away for a lengthy time shearing sheep at homesteads around the State.
He had returned home drunk one night and accused his wife of a number of petty things, but had wound himself up, and accused her of having a series of “fancy” men in the house in his absence.
The night before the murder, Charles Glen, Mrs Lee's brother had visited the house. Alexander was laying on the sofa, smoking a pipe. Glen went to leave saying “I will get away now, as I want to get a pint of beer before 6”, after which Lee said, “A Pint would do me good.”
There was much speculation that Alexander Lee thought his brother, Leonard, may have been the father of the twins. This, he speculated, because on a day in March, Leonard had been standing at the front gate of the family home when Alexander had returned from work.
Alexander said unto him “Hello you F$#@er!” and then had continued to berate his wife inside the home saying “why don't you keep your fancy man in here?”
The police arrested Lee and, according to contemporary sources, Lee still protested his innocence. Still highly suspicious, the police conducted an investigation into Lee’s life.
They found that Lee had become deeply depressed after injuring his hand and, unable to hold down a steady job, depended on his brother for money to support his family.
The trial was deemed one of the most sensational criminal cases in South Australian history, and people waited outside the court in their hundreds to learn of Lee’s fate.
Strangely, a generation earlier, his Auntie Martha Needle, known as ‘The Richmond Poisoner,’ was hanged in the Old Melbourne Gaol for a similar crime. Did Lee know about his infamous Auntie?
“After a retirement of an hour and a half on Thursday — from 8.15 p.m. until 9.45 p.m. — the jury who had sat in connection with the murder trial of Alexander Newland Lee brought in a verdict of guilty and Mr. Justice Poole shortly afterwards sentenced the prisoner to death…
Lee, who took the dread sentence calmly, was removed to the Adelaide Gaol last night and, according to law, will be hanged twenty-eight days from the time of sentence. During that period he will remain at the Adelaide Gaol.” (The South Australian Register, June 1920).
Lee's death sentence led to the first protest against capital punishment in South Australia, in what the press dubbed a ‘Proposed Execution Holiday.’
The date of the hanging was set for 15 July 1920, the day H.R.H. Prince of Wales was visiting the state.
E. Missionary Annie Lock (1 August 1876 – 10 February 1943)
Annie Lock was born in 1876 into a Methodist share-farming family of 14 children in Rhynie, in South Australia, Lock was a practical woman with a very basic education. Annie Lock was the seventh child of English-born parents, Ann and Walter Lock. She worked as a dressmaker until 1901 when she entered Angas College, Adelaide to train as a missionary.
In 1903 she joined what would become the United Aborigines Mission. It operated on faith lines: missionaries were unpaid and could not actively solicit donations, relying on prayer to answer all needs.
Lock, like her colleagues, developed a nice line in inviting supporters to “join her in prayer” for very specific needs, such as “a nice staunch horse for £12”, hoping for a “practical” show of sympathy.
From 1903 to 1937, she lived in 10 mission camps across four states and territories. Renowned for being the “Big Boss”, she usually worked alone establishing “new work” — partly because her colleagues found her intensely uncollegial.
Lock’s life was like a “girls’ own” adventure story – albeit a teetotal and highly moralistic one.
She made epic horse and buggy journeys across the desert, camped in the middle of nowhere with few resources and was shipwrecked in a pearling lugger.
She railed against white men’s abuse of Aboriginal women, and she “rode rough-shod over rules and regulations, always managing to come out on top”, in the words of her obituary from her long-suffering mission society.
Many white Australians felt she went too far. She cuddled Aboriginal children, nursed the sick, and shared her campfire - even “drinking tea out of the same cup”.
She worked across Australia for nearly 35 years and played an important role in bringing the Coniston Massacre to national public attention.
She wasn’t only out of step with many of her contemporaries in her belief Aboriginal Australians deserved compensation: she also believed Aboriginal people had a future and they could be “useful citizens” of Australia.
When the Coniston Massacre took place Annie Lock was as instrumental in bringing about an official inquiry into what happened there.
Following her advocacy, along with that of Methodist Home Missionary Athol McGregor, a Board of Inquiry was appointed in December 1928. It was presided over by police magistrate, A H O'Kelly.
In 1929, Lock gave evidence at the Inquiry and achieved national notoriety when Hermann Adolph Heinrich, a missionary from Ntaria (Hermannsburg), declared that she had told him she would be "happy to marry a black".
This 'sensational' quote was reported around Australia and drew significant negative attention to her.
One of the findings of the inquiry was to partially blame racial unrest in the area on "a woman Missionary living amongst naked blacks thus lowering their respect for the whites".
After marrying a widower James Johansen on 15 September 1937 at the registrar's office, Port Augusta, Annie resigned from the U.A.M.
Johansen belonged to the Plymouth Brethren and ministered to Whites living on Eyre Peninsula; despite suffering from diabetes, Annie accompanied him on his travels.
She died of pneumonia on 10 February 1943 at Cleve and was buried in the local cemetery. Her estate was sworn for probate at £95 18s.
F: Other Rhynie Stories
References
Jean V. Moyle, The Wakefield, Its Water and Its Wealth, p.98
Jean V. Moyle, The Wakefield, Its Water and Its Wealth, p.134
Samantha Battams, The Rhynie Poisoning Case: The True Crimes of Alexander Newland Lee, eBook $4.95 at Amazon.com.au
Ann Lock (1876–1943) by Catherine Bishop, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15 , 2000
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