Andrew Kinleside and his time at Uppingham Station

Andrew Kinleside was born on 8 December 1851 in Umballa, West Bengal, India to Major Robert Kinleside and his wife Isabella née Carter. In June 1868, he played cricket for Uppingham School in Uppingham, Rutland England against Haileybury College. He was 17 years old and captained the team. His first appearance in Australian newspapers is in Hobart in November 1870 where he was mentioned as being a member of the Wellington Cricket Club. He married Alexa Watson at Collingwood, Victoria on 4 July 1877 and they had two sons Robert Ernest and Frank Andrew, and two daughters, Edith Alexa and Lucy Isabel. In partnership with George Henry Greene and Edward Mardman Macartney, Andrew purchased Tooma station near the Murray River in 1875. The partnership dissolved and Andrew sold his share in 1880. In the meantime, Greene purchased the Iandra estate in 1878. Andrew then selected 640 acres of land between Iandra and Koorawatha in 1882, gradually expanding his property to 2500 acres which he named Uppingham. The property also adjoined Walter Sydney Suttor’s Warrangong station. Andrew began stocking his station with sheep, selling 1000 head to John Forbes of Happy Valley in March 1887. In 1905, Uppingham was described as being on ‘undulating tableland quite 1150 feet above sea level. ’ It was ‘healthy for sheep’ and Andrew had Shropshires as well as some merino ewes to breed from. Andrew had subdivided the property into 11 paddocks with a well and 12 dams. His sons Robert and Frank were interested in agriculture, sowing 150 acres with White’s Purple Straw wheat, 80 acres with barley and 70 acres of rape (canola) at Uppingham. The family were also proud of their fine Clydesdales and other horses. The homestead was described as being almost in the shape of an L and made of stone, with ‘nice floral surroundings’ of roses, bamboos, a date palm, violets, ferns and creepers. On 2 August 1914, Andrew’s beloved wife Alexa died in Sydney aged 67. On 9 March 1932, Andrew sent his whole household of furniture, etc to auction at Uppingham. In 1934, the stock brand of AK at Uppingham was transferred from Andrew Kinleside and sons, solely to Andrew’s eldest son Robert. Andrew moved away and died in Sydney on 6 July 1940. Uppingham was sold out of the family’s hands during the 1930s. In 1967 Roy Batkin (a later owner of Uppingham) donated some bricks used in buildings at Uppingham Station during the 1880s and Kinleside’s stock brand to the Young Historical Museum where they are currently displayed. The bricks were manufactured by Henry Hart, a builder and contractor based at Cowra whose trademark on each brick was a heart impression.