Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/546

 520 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The late Mr. David Reid THE late Mr. David Reid labored for many years in the Province of South Australia, and, in his later days was one of the leaders of industry in Adelaide. He was born in 1823 at Stirling, Scotland, within sight of the famous castle. Educated in his native town, after leaving school, he became an apt pupil in the tanning business. In 1857 he came to the colonies, spending his first two years of colonial life in Victoria, being- engaged in a large tannery establishment at Richmond. De- ciding to come to South Australia in 1859, he quickly obtained a position as foreman at the tannery of Mr. Dench, a pioneer in the leather trade of that Province. He next launched, on a modest scale, the " Stirlingshire Tannery," an institution which, in after years, assumed large dimensions. This is situated at Hindmarsh, and now regularly em])loys 60 hands. Its beginning was unpretentious, nevertheless, by a daily conserva- tion of forces and expansion of facilities, Mr. Reid soon built up a s])lendid trade. Well supplied by machinery, at the time of his death the Stirlingshire Tannery was regarded as one of the best- equipped in the Province. Mr. Reid had the knack of gathering round him first-class employes, and there are still men working in the with him at the start. The leather manufactured has always borne a high name for quality, which is not to be wondered at when it is remembered that Mr. Reid — a shrewd and observant man — learnt the art of tanning in the old country. Mr. Reid, while always having the interests of Hindmarsh at heart, never engaged in public affairs. For many years he resided at Torrenside, but afterwards removed to Mills Terrace. North Adelaide, and it was there he died, on January 11. 1898, after a short illness. His .son, Mr. J. H. Reid, proved to be a valuable assistant in the tanning business, and, jjosse.ssing good commercial acumen, is a worthy head of an institution like the Stirlingshire Tannery, and ranks as a leading figure in local industrial matters. Stump &■ Co., Photo tannery who were