Alexander William Thorold Grant of One Tree Hill

Alexander William Thorold Grant was one of the earliest settlers in the One Tree Hill district and represented one of the most prestigious families to come to South Australia at that time.

Born in England on the 29^th February 1820, Grant was the son of Alexander (Sandy) Grant and Helen Thorold.  His father was described as a “boon companion” of King William IV of England and was said to have played an active part in his sovereign’s coronation.  Alexander senior also resided for a time in France with his family who became proficient in several languages.

Alexander was keen to make his own way in life, however, and at the tender age of seventeen set out to make his mark in South Australia.  He was influenced in this decision because his godfather, Lord Glenelg, was Secretary of State for the Colonies when South Australia was first settled in 1836.  Before venturing to South Australia, however, he spent time in the Scottish highlands, gaining experience working with sheep.

He set sail from England on the “Hartley” in 1837 and arrived in South Australia that same year.   He is reported to have come with a sum of £1,000. 

By January 1840 Grant was squatting near the Little Para River.  Assisted by F.W.  Stokes, he acquired a Pastoral Lease which extended from the Little Para River to Gawler.  He ran 1300 sheep which were looked after by shepherds who lived in bark humpies, as did he.   There were no fences.  The sheep were constantly on the move and in need of water, especially in the warmer months, and as Smith’s Creek, Tenafeate Creek and the South Para River were the most likely sources of water, that is possibly how he became familiar with the areas of land he purchased in 1842 from the South Para River Survey. This land included Cornishmans Hill Road , One Tree Hill, which he named Tyeka ( Sections 1678-1684 of Munno Para) and Tenafeate Creek, named Tenafeate, (Sections 1638,1647-1649 etc. of Para Wirra).  This land later became part of the Yattalunga property. 

According to Jack Ifould, a well-known local resident, Grant also built a cottage at Yattalunga behind what later became the imposing Yattalunga homestead built by Philip Butler.

After improving his holdings at One Tree Hill, Grant and partner Stokes ventured north when seasons were good, and prospered on a pastoral lease at Kanyaka Station previously held by Hugh Proby son of the Earl of Carysfort.  Proby had drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Willochra Creek.

To assist in running these newly acquired northern properties James, Grant’s brother, who had served in the Royal Navy, set sail from England.  He appears to have arrived in the early 1850’s.  Accompanied by a friend, he set out for Kanyaka Station.  They were never to arrive. James Grant and friend became lost at some stage during their journey and both perished.

When their bodies were discovered some considerable time later, James’ remains were brought back to Tyeka for burial in the garden. The site was said to be surrounded by a stone wall.   There is a stone wall still there in the present day garden. 

Helen Grant, mother of Alexander and James, with another son Frederick and his new bride Arabella, also arrived in South Australia about that time.     

Helen is reputed to have brought cuttings from a willow tree on Napoleon’s grave at St Helena.  These cuttings were planted on the grave at Tyeka. It is also claimed that more cuttings were planted near a water hole at Starr’s Gully, Yattalunga.

Helen visited the Kanyaka property where Mount Helen, a peak in the Horseshoe Range north of Coonatto, was named after her.   During that time Alexander and Frederick Grant built Coonatto to what was described as “massive proportions.”

Meanwhile the family interests around the One Tree Hill district were still being maintained by managers or partners.   A partnership was formed with Philip Butler, uncle of Sir Richard Butler M.P.  Butler was later to take over some of the Yattalunga  property and build the imposing Yattalunga residence as it is known today.

According to a Mr Blackham’s notes on the OTH district, at some period around this time other parts of Grant’s OTH land were offered for sale. His shepherds were given first option to buy, at a reasonable price and on reasonable terms.  This can be authenticated by the fact that in 1852  John MacKenzie, possibly one of his shepherds, purchased some of this land and added it to the South Para land he had  already managed to acquire.   

By 1858, Alexander was his mother’s family’s only surviving male heir. His Grandfather Thorold had no surviving male issue and although his mother was a younger daughter of her family, she had produced the only male heir.  Alexander thus became heir to an estate worth at least 300,000 English pounds (a vast sum in those days).  He journeyed back to England to prepare for his inheritance, leaving his brother Frederick and F. W. Stokes (whose name is still synonymous with land features in the district), to manage the family’s South Australian interests.

After his return to England in 1858 Alexander married Anna Hamilton Stirling, daughter of Sir James Stirling – 1^st Governor of Western Australia.  They had five children. 

Alexander Grant’s grandfather died in 1865 and Alexander became successor to the Thorold estates.

He did not return to South Australia.