Thomas Horton James and Robert Pringle
Carrington Park - Map 5
Carrington Park was managed by Robert Pringle in the 1830's. It was part of an 1822 grant of 2000 acres to merchant Thomas Horton James who was an absentee landowner.
Robert Pringle
Robert Pringle arrived in the Colony on the Denmark Hall in 1824. Other passengers on the Denmark Hall included Mr. and Mrs. Ries and two children, one having been born on the passage; Miss Matilda Jennings, Mr. George Bunning, Mr. William Elliot, Mr. William Malcolm, Mr. Thomas Gregory, Mrs. Selina Tomlins, and Elizabeth Davis. Steerage Mr. William Gibson, Mr. Thomas Birkett, Mrs. Mary Marshall and Master William Marshall.According to the Obituary of Robert Pringle's daughter Mabella Winton King one hundred years later, he had been engaged by the Australian Agricultural Company.
Land Acquisition
When he first arrived he managed Carrington Park for about six years, during which time he built up his own flocks and acquired an extensive land holding 'Bective' on the Liverpool Plains as well as several other leases of sheep and cattle stations at Liverpool Plains.Robert Pringle purchased part of the Carrington Park estate from Thomas Horton James in the mid 1830s. Location upper left on the map below.
Marriage
Robert Pringle married Mabella, the daughter of John Inches in August 1837.Death
Mabella Pringle died in Sydney in September 1860 and Robert at 'Bective' fifteen years later on 13 February 1875.Bective
Six months before Robert passed away a visitor to Tamworth described the estate Bective -Before leaving Tamworth for the New England district I had a drive of twenty two miles along the road which leads to Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett, the Darling and the Namoi, halting on my way at Mr. Robert Pringle's head station, 'Bective', and further on a Summerhill both as choice spots as any in the Liverpool Plains district. Five miles distant from the town is Wallamon a cattle station of the Peel River Company, and nine miles from that over plains came in view the boundary fence of the company, the gates passed through, the splendid purchased land of Mr. Robert Pringle is entered upon, and two rails on 'Bective' - native appellation Bubbogullion - is made, where a Government township was laid out some few years back.
There are some strange tales told of the reason why this station, which has been held by Mr. Pringle for over thirty years, was cut up and at the particular point where shearing sheds, yards, and other improvements were situated. The act caused serious inconvenience to Mr. Pringle and a very large outlay so that his homestead should be preserved. I did not see any other inhabitants of Bective than the members of Mr. Pringle's family, his son in law, Mr. Kingscott, and the station employees. The improvements are indeed first rate. Among them is a fine brick store, nearly as large as any in Tamworth and a very neat cottage dwelling built on a most delightful site which affords a charming view of forest and mountain scenery - Sydney Morning Herald 2 June 1874
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