Andrew Tennant (pastoralist)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Tennant was a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist, businessman and politician.
, Roxburghshire
, Scotland
, to John Tennant and his wife Jessie Aitken. Soon after they migrated to South Australia
with an assisted passage, arriving in either the Duchess of Northumberland or the Duchess of Sutherland with John Colton
on 19 December 1839. Andrew was educated at E. W. Wickes' school in North Adelaide
.
John began "pastoral pursuits", initially at Dry Creek
on the Adelaide Plains
, and then at Chain of Ponds in the Adelaide Hills
, Lyndoch Valley in the Gumeracha district, and Burra
. John became the first person to successfully move stock overland from Adelaide
, via Port Augusta to Port Lincoln at the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula
. He purchased Tallala station, 15 miles (24.1 km) from Port Lincoln, from a Mr. White of White Park, and raised cattle and sheep there for many years.
In 1853, Andrew commenced his own "pastoral pursuits", taking cattle west from Port Lincoln and settling for seven years on an abandoned site near Elliston
, before owning several stations on southern Eyre Peninsula at Mount Wedge, Coffin Bay, and Streaky Bay.
On 28 August 1862 he married Rachael Christina Ferguson in Adelaide.
, and a number of stations in New Zealand. In 1880 his eldest son John moved to New Zealand where they took up 25,000 acres of pastoral land. Andrew also owned a number of properties in the city of Adelaide
.
in the South Australian House of Assembly
. He then moved to the Legislative Council
where he represented the Northern District from 1898-1902.
), on 19 July 1913, and was buried in the Brighton cemetery. He was survived by his wife, three daughters and three of his four sons.
(1821-1884) of Avenel, Medindie), in a double-wedding with her sister on 28 January 1891 at St. Peter's Church, Glenelg.
Their first child, William Ranson Mortlock, was born in November 1891, but died at Essenside on 16 July 1892, aged 8½ months.
Rosie and W.T. had five sons in total and lived at Martindale Hall
, Mintaro, but only one reached adulthood.
Following the death of her husband in 1913, her second son (John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, 1894-1950) returned to South Australia to control the expansive family estate. In 1926 they donated £2,000 to the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and in 1936 they donated a further £25,000 to establish the "Ranson Mortlock Memorial Research Trust" at the Waite Institute in memory of her first son (William) Ranson Mortlock.
Mrs R.F. Mortlock died on 12 August 1939 at her home at Palmer Place, North Adelaide, and was buried at the North Road Cemetery, leaving her son John the sole surviving member of the Mortlock family. Of her own siblings, she was survived by her brother John who lived at Kooringa, and her two sisters.
. John died in 1950, and left a huge estate which was held in trust by his wife. The estate funded, amongst other things, the Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Dorothy died in 1979 - the marriage had produced no children.
and Carntyne. Their son William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray was born in 1905. Clayre died on 22 October 1958.
, a beachside western suburb of Adelaide
, South Australia
.
in 1873.
The building was sold again in 1926, and again in 1930, but by now had become a "magnificent block of 10 self-contained flats". In the 1930s and 1940s, to spend one's summer holidays at Essenside Mansions was worthy of mention in the Advertiser's Social column. In July 1937 an announcement appeared in The Advertiser for "a bridge party for the St Peter's Glenelg Lacrosse Club" to be held at Essenside.
Early years
Andrew was born on 20 June 1835 at HawickHawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
, Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, to John Tennant and his wife Jessie Aitken. Soon after they migrated to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
with an assisted passage, arriving in either the Duchess of Northumberland or the Duchess of Sutherland with John Colton
John Colton
Sir John Colton KCMG was an Australian politician, Premier of South Australia and philanthropist.Colton, the son of William Colton, a farmer, was born in Devonshire, England. He arrived in South Australia in 1839 with his parents, who went on the land...
on 19 December 1839. Andrew was educated at E. W. Wickes' school in North Adelaide
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
.
John began "pastoral pursuits", initially at Dry Creek
Dry Creek, South Australia
Dry Creek is a mostly industrial suburb located north of Adelaide, containing significant wetlands and a substantial area devoted to salt crystallization pans, managed by Cheltenham Salt Limited....
on the Adelaide Plains
Adelaide Plains
The Adelaide Plains is the area in South Australia between the Mount Lofty Ranges on the east and Gulf St Vincent on the west. The plains are generally fertile with annual rainfall of about per year....
, and then at Chain of Ponds in the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
, Lyndoch Valley in the Gumeracha district, and Burra
Burra, South Australia
Burra is a pastoral centre and historic tourist town in the mid-north of South Australia. It lies east of the Clare Valley in the Bald Hills range, part of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, and on Burra Creek. The town began as a single company mining township that, by 1851, was a set of townships ...
. John became the first person to successfully move stock overland from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, via Port Augusta to Port Lincoln at the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges. It is named after explorer Edward John Eyre who explored some of it in 1839-1841. The coastline was first explored by...
. He purchased Tallala station, 15 miles (24.1 km) from Port Lincoln, from a Mr. White of White Park, and raised cattle and sheep there for many years.
In 1853, Andrew commenced his own "pastoral pursuits", taking cattle west from Port Lincoln and settling for seven years on an abandoned site near Elliston
Elliston, South Australia
Elliston is a small coastal town in South Australia on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula 169 km northwest of Port Lincoln and 641 km west of Adelaide. The township is located on Waterloo Bay....
, before owning several stations on southern Eyre Peninsula at Mount Wedge, Coffin Bay, and Streaky Bay.
On 28 August 1862 he married Rachael Christina Ferguson in Adelaide.
Pastoralist
In 1866 he leased "Baroota" near Port Germein, and subsequently bought and sold a number of properties in the mid-north, north-east and far-north of South Australia, resulting in him owning a number of large stations of over 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) in area. Although initially interested in cattle, he also developed an interest in sheep, and owned land further south near RivertonRiverton
Riverton is the name of several places:In Australia:*Riverton, South Australia, a small town and former railway junction in the mid north of South Australia*Riverton, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
, and a number of stations in New Zealand. In 1880 his eldest son John moved to New Zealand where they took up 25,000 acres of pastoral land. Andrew also owned a number of properties in the city of Adelaide
City of Adelaide
The City of Adelaide is a local government area in the metropolitan area of Adelaide, South Australia. It covers the original Adelaide city centre settlement, , North Adelaide, and the Adelaide Park Lands which surround North Adelaide and the city centre.Established in 1840, the organisation now...
.
Businessman
Tennant was a director of the Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd. from its inception, a justice of the peace, a Freemason, and was heavily involved in breeding, raising and racing thoroughbred horses. He also held interests in coal mines and gold mines.Politician
From 1881-87 Tennant represented the seat of FlindersElectoral district of Flinders
Flinders is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after explorer Matthew Flinders, who was responsible for charting most of the state's coastline. It is a 55,260.6 km² coastal rural electorate encompassing the Eyre Peninsula and...
in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
. He then moved to the Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
where he represented the Northern District from 1898-1902.
Later years
Tennant died of diabetes and senile dementia in his home, Essenside, (Moseley Street, GlenelgGlenelg
Glenelg may refer to:Places*Glenelg, Highland, Scotland*Glenelg, South Australia, a beachside suburb of Adelaide*Glenelg River *Glenelg River *Shire of Glenelg, Victoria, Australia...
), on 19 July 1913, and was buried in the Brighton cemetery. He was survived by his wife, three daughters and three of his four sons.
John Tennant
Eldest son John moved to New Zealand in 1880. In 1898 it was reported that "he has been residing there for the last 18 years, he took up 25,000 acres of pastoral land". In 1913 he was reported as "Mr. John Tennant of Princess Royal Station"; in 1939 as "John who lived at Kooringa".Rosina Forsyth Tennant
Eldest daughter Rosina (Rosie) Forsyth Tennant was born at Port Lincoln. She married William Tennant Mortlock, (son of the late William Ranson MortlockWilliam Ranson Mortlock
William Ranson Mortlock arrived in South Australia on the Imaum of Muscat on 9 November 1843. Along with his son, William Tennant Mortlock , grandson, John Andrew Tennant Mortlock , and John's wife Dorothy Elizabeth Mortlock , the Mortlocks have left the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, the...
(1821-1884) of Avenel, Medindie), in a double-wedding with her sister on 28 January 1891 at St. Peter's Church, Glenelg.
Their first child, William Ranson Mortlock, was born in November 1891, but died at Essenside on 16 July 1892, aged 8½ months.
Rosie and W.T. had five sons in total and lived at Martindale Hall
Martindale Hall
Martindale Hall is a Georgian style mansion near Mintaro, South Australia which appeared in the film Picnic at Hanging Rock. It was built in 1879. The architect was Ebenezer Gregg of London, and the chief supervisor was Adelaide architect Edward John Woods...
, Mintaro, but only one reached adulthood.
Following the death of her husband in 1913, her second son (John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, 1894-1950) returned to South Australia to control the expansive family estate. In 1926 they donated £2,000 to the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, and in 1936 they donated a further £25,000 to establish the "Ranson Mortlock Memorial Research Trust" at the Waite Institute in memory of her first son (William) Ranson Mortlock.
Mrs R.F. Mortlock died on 12 August 1939 at her home at Palmer Place, North Adelaide, and was buried at the North Road Cemetery, leaving her son John the sole surviving member of the Mortlock family. Of her own siblings, she was survived by her brother John who lived at Kooringa, and her two sisters.
John Andrew Tennant Mortlock
In 1948 John discovered he had cancer. In December he married Dorothy Elizabeth Beech, (who had been managing the Mortlock Estate's accounts), at St Peter's Cathedral, AdelaideSt Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide
St Peter's Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is the seat of the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide...
. John died in 1950, and left a huge estate which was held in trust by his wife. The estate funded, amongst other things, the Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Dorothy died in 1979 - the marriage had produced no children.
Clayre Jessie Tennant
Second daughter Clayre Jessie Tennant was a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). On 6 January 1891 she became engaged to, and on 28 January 1891 in a double wedding with her sister at St. Peter's Church, Glenelg, she married, William Anstruther-Thomson (b. 6 September 1859, d. 17 April 1938, age 78) who, amongst many other things, was Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of South Australia from 1889-1891. After a wedding feast at Essenside, they sailed for England the next day. They settled in England and together had two or three children. In 1904 on succeeding to the Carntyne estate, William adopted the name of Gray, becoming William Anstruther-Gray of KilmanyKilmany
Kilmany is a village in Fife in Scotland.It is notable for being the birthplace of Jim Clark, former world champion Formula One racing-car driver. There is a statue of Clark in the village, unveiled in 1997 by Sir Jackie Stewart....
and Carntyne. Their son William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray was born in 1905. Clayre died on 22 October 1958.
Essenside
Essenside was located on the northern corner of Moseley and College Streets, GlenelgGlenelg
Glenelg may refer to:Places*Glenelg, Highland, Scotland*Glenelg, South Australia, a beachside suburb of Adelaide*Glenelg River *Glenelg River *Shire of Glenelg, Victoria, Australia...
, a beachside western suburb of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
1868-1876
Edward M. (Ned) Bagot acquired the land in 1868 and erected an eight-roomed house on the site designed by Rowland ReesRowland Rees
Rowland Rees was an Australian architect, civil engineer and politician. Born in Gibraltar and educated in Hong Kong and Sheffield, he moved to Adelaide in 1869. In November 1870 he married Ada Caroline, daughter of an Adelaide solicitor...
in 1873.
1877-1921
Andrew Tennant acquired the property in 1877 and made significant extensions to the original building.Essenside Mansions
Mrs A Tennant died on Friday 13 May 1921. Essenside was put up for auction on Tuesday 20 December 1921. The house was purchased by Mr. A. A. Heaslip who divided it into nine flats and named the building "Essenside Mansions".The building was sold again in 1926, and again in 1930, but by now had become a "magnificent block of 10 self-contained flats". In the 1930s and 1940s, to spend one's summer holidays at Essenside Mansions was worthy of mention in the Advertiser's Social column. In July 1937 an announcement appeared in The Advertiser for "a bridge party for the St Peter's Glenelg Lacrosse Club" to be held at Essenside.