Alexander Reid

After Marthinus Steyn's death, Klippe Rivier was split into three, and in 1837 one portion was sold to William Hopley (the surveyor), one to Alexander Reid and one to P G Steyn. After a few months, Hopley sold his portion to Alexander Reid, and P G Steyn sold his portion to F W Reitz, setting the scene for the future Reitz tenure. Alexander Reid (born 1806) was the son of James Reid, one of the Scottish settlers brought to South Africa by Benjamin Moodie in 1817. Alexander married Hermina Hubertha Deneys, youngest sister of F W Reitz's wife, and also daughter of District Secretary Gerhardus Cornelius Deneys. Alexander farmed his land with wine, whet and sheep. In 1849 his ram was the best on the Swellendam show, and he was a leading light in the community. The Reids lived at Klippe Rivier from 1837 to 1867. One of Alexander's sons, Gerhardus Cornelius Deneys Reid (born 1854) married Aletta Barry, and as owner of Auld house, he became custodian of the Barry relics in the Overberg, a tradition which was carried out by both he and his son, Mike (born 1897). Both were Mayors of Swellendam, and Mike Reid was the mayor at the time of the Royal visit to South Africa in 1947. It was in 1860 that Thomas Bowler painted his well known picture of "Swellendam, from near Reids", which was painted on the banks of Klippe Rivier, looking towards the town. Alexander Reid's father was a millwright in Scotland, and in James Walton's book, Walton lists a watermill at Klippe Rivier, existing in 1845. Klippe Rivier's mill has finally been located after some sleuthing by local historian, Simon Streicher, assisted by Hopley's maps and diagrams copied from the Archives. The remains of the mill may be seen lying far south east of the farm, now situated on the neighbouring farm, surrounded by labourer's cottages.