Burra Record (SA : 1878 - 1954) Wednesday 21 February 191741881

Old Identities.
Mr. RICHARD REED
Few of those identified with the
earliest days of the Burra Mine still
survive. One of them is Mr Richard
Reed, who celebrated his eightieth birth-
day on January 22, and who has the
honour of being the oldest resident of
Burra. He was born in Cornwall in 1837,
and at the age of 10 he came to Australia
with his parents. They first settled at
Kapunda, where Mr Reed's father was
engaged as a miner, and 12 months
afterwards they went to Burra. The
subject of this sketch was engaged on
the mine in whim driving and soon, and
after having worked there for a few
years turned his attention to plastering.
When the Victorian goldfields were  
opened up, he went to the sister State,
but was not very successful in that
venture. In 1853 and the following
year he made three trips to the Victorian
diggings. Then, going back to Burra
again, he purchased a team of bullocks,  
and was engaged in carting wood and
other requirements for the mine. Much
of the carting in those days was done by
pack mules, which were the property of
the Burra Copper Company. Later on
the company purchased wagons. The
ore was first carted to Port Wakefield,
that being the nearest port, and later on
to Port Adelaide. Mr Reed recalls
some instances of men working on
tribute on the mine, in which some large
sums of money were earned within a
short space of time. The men working
on top were mostly "on tribute," but
the underground employes had wages.
The hours for the underground men
were from 7 o'clock until 3. In those
days the blacks were very numerous,
and it was no uncommon sight to see
them holding their corrobborees. The  
Burra Creek was a picture, says Mr
Reed, as on each side were magnificent
gum trees. These were gradually cut
down and used on the mine. Some idea
can even now be gained of the beauty of
the scene by a visit to Princess Royal
Station, seven miles from Burra, where
there are numbers of similar trees.
These, too, are gradually dying out. Mr
Reed finally turned his attention to-  
wards sheepfarming, and took up a
property close to Burra known as Wan-
dillah. He contrasts conditions of the
early days with those of later years. It
was with difficulty that money was se-
cured on loan at 10 per cent interest
then, he said, and the price of wool was
far below to-day's average. The
droughts af 1863 and 1865 were very
disastrous to Mr Reed, and he lost prac-
tically everything. About 14 years ago
he retired and went to Aberdeen to live.
He married in 1859 Miss Ann Henwood,
daughter of Mr John Henwood, of Burra,
and there are three sons and three
daughters — Messrs. Richard (Aberdeen),
John (Mongolata), James (Wandillah),
and Mesdames George Sara and C. H.
Bartholomaens (Aberdeen), and Miss
Reed, who lives with her father. Mrs  
Reed died about four years ago. Mr
Reed has never taken any active part in
public life. He is still very active, and
he celebrated his recent birthday while
"doing" the Murray trip with his
daughter.