Smith Kydd

Smith Kydd was the fifth child of eleven born to her parents between 1811 and 1833: Isobel, William, Betty Hill, Margaret Smith, Smith, Robert, Elizabeth, James Taylor, Betty , Thomas Ross, and Ebenezer. Their marriage was recorded in both their parishes, hers at Arbroath and his at St. Vigeans.

Her marriage certificate lists Alexander Reid's occupation as blacksmith, and Smith Kydd's as servant. After they married they lived with her parents at Barn Green, Arbroath, for 5 weeks, where they were recorded in the 1841 census, before they boarded the James Moran, which set sail on 12th of June 1841 for Australia, arriving 6th October 1841.

For the socio-political circumstances of their emigration and notes on the ship and voyage, see the notes provided at: https://www.geni.com/projects/James-Moran-Scottish-bounty-immigrant-ship-NSW/5451.

They carried with them a poem written by Brother John Garie of the Arbroath Ark Tent, presented to them at a soirée on 1st June 1841, held in honor of "Brother and Sister Reid":

"We met around the festal board

our hearts in friendship bound.

Sweet sympathy to share with those

who leave their native ground.

No longer in fair Scotland's Isle

can they endure to stay

but hasten all o-er the stormy seas,

for regions far away.

Those scenes endeared to youthful love

can no longer bind

and hope with all its fairy joys,

will soon be left behind.

Why thus from every loving friend

can they so early roam?

What can induce the youthful pair

to seek a foreign home?

Is it because they wish to tread

o'er some romantic plain

and find amidst its living charms

all early joys again?

No, no, but since oppressors do

those lovely islands sway

destroying hope's last opening bud,

this leads their hearts away!

And now they fondly wish to find

beyond your distant skies,

What in their own beloved land

A tyrant power denies.

They go in peace, with our best love,

unto yon regions fair

and may that grace which keeps us here

still keep their bosoms there.

Then, though removed from friends most dear

He will lead safely on

and in, at length, to His own bliss

When time's short hour is gone. "

The Sydney Gazette and NSW Advertiser of Thurs. 7th Oct. 1841 reported that the James Moran's 163 bounty passengers were all well cared for and arrived in good health, though they suffered storms off the Cape which carried off the fore topmast.

The Reids settled first in Sydney, where their eldest son, Robert, was born in 1842. They moved to Yass, where Alexander set up a successful business. She was pious, and is said to have set up a school house in Yass. She died as a result of severe burns suffered when her skirt caught alight while she was asleep in front of the fire, with her youngest son, Alexander, in her arms. Her daughter Elizabeth nursed her for a month. She was buried in the Presbyterian section of Yass cemetery. Alexander survived his burns but died of a teething problem in 1859. She left behind eight children.

The Smith name is somewhat unusual, but derived from the custom of naming children in order after ancestors, and where the names were duplicated (such as Betty, in this case) the surname could be adopted to differentiate.