History of the Site
Brookside Cellars started life as a winery and distillery, and then became stables for a trotting stud. Later the Cellars became storage for the Tourist Bureau before being used by a range of community groups including Tranmere Sea Scouts, Kensington Ballet School, Gospel Presbyterian Church, Canary Club SA, Gums Landcare, and more.
In 1838 the 'Canton' arrived in Adelaide with the Scott family from Liverpool. Also on board were William Scott’s sister and her husband David Wylie. The two families requested, and were granted, two adjoining blocks in the original sections, in the Hundred of Adelaide, as laid out by Colonel Light. Section 273 was granted to David Wylie and section 274 was granted to William Scott.
William Scott built a home on the 80 acre section and named it “Brookside”. His sister and her husband, built a school on their section. They named their property “Tranmere” meaning “across the sea” – after Tranmere, Birkenhead, England, were they had lived. He died in his home on January 2nd 1866.
As a mark of respect, the ships then in Port Adelaide at the time of his death lowered their flags to half mast. He is buried in the family vault, in the West Terrace cemetery, near to his friend the Rev T Q Stow. He left a wife and eight children.
His eldest child was Jane Margaret Scott. She married Joseph Herbert Thornley, a manager with the Bank of South Australia. He managed the Victor Harbour, Goolwa and Gawler branches. He was also an Anglican Synod Custodian of the Seal member and also a member of the Board of Advice for Gawler district schools.
David Wylie Scott was the second eldest son. He married Margaret Cochrane Little, the daughter of his father’s business partner in Scott & Little. He became the editor of the Port Adelaide News. His wife was a noted artist of flowers and her paintings were sold all over the world.
David Wylie Scott died at Brookside on December 2nd 1887. He died on the morning of a fundraising fete to be held in the gardens at Brookside. The press stated it was a poor attendance, due in part to the death, in part to the wet weather and in part to a garden party being held at Government House on the same morning.
After the death of his father Robert John Scott looked after the property. He was a Captain in the first Adelaide Rifles. The Shiraz wine from the Brookside vineyard won great praise at a tasting in France. They also won a medal at the Victorian Exhibition in 1867. Robert John Scott was convicted of indecent exposure in 1885. His counsel pleaded insanity and he was sent to the Parkside Asylum. The vineyard was leased by his business partner J Taylor Holmes.
Messrs Holmes & Son have lately erected a large wine cellar at their vineyard at Brookside. The cellar itself is 100 feet long by 26 broad and 15 feet deep, and there is a room above 12 feet in height.
Messrs J Holmes & Son's Vineyard, Brookside.
On Thursday, May 3, we paid a visit to Messrs Holmes & Son's premises, at Brookside, where they have been engaged in winemaking during the past three years. The day had been set apart for the annual harvest festival, and accordingly there was more than ordinary stir and bustle, a large number of invited guests being present. The present harvest was finished about a week ago, the produce gathered in yielding abont 25,000 gallons of wine. At Brookside, which is picturesquely situated near Magill, Messrs Holmes & Son have 47 acres of land under cultivation, but besides the produce of this area they buy large quantities of grapes from other growers. They have also a small vineyard at North Kensington, where the wine is bottled and prepared for the home market, under the superintendence of Mr J Holmes.
The Brookside premises are managed by Mr J T Holmes. The business of the firm has latterly increased so much that Messrs Holmes & Son commissioned Mr F K Gurner to build them a new vat, which has been completed and placed in their cellars. It is made of jarrah wood, and has a holding capacity of nearly 10,000 gallons, the inside measurements being 14 feet 2 inches in height and 12 feet 11 inches in width. The vat, which will be used for blending wines for the home market and export, is said to be the largest in the colony. It is certainly a most creditable piece of workmanship. Messrs Holmes & Son have a smaller vat, made last year by Mr Gurner, which is capable of holding 3,500 gallons, and is also used for blending wine. The casks used by the firm number altogether 42, and each holds 500 gallons. Their huge cellar is lofty and spacious, and well adapted to the purposes for which it was built. It is 103 feet in length, 26ft feet in width, and 25 feet in depth. Adjoining the cellar there is a commodious shed, and near this the wine presses, which are four in number, are situated. The presses, instead of being worked on the screw principle are rendered self-acting by leverage, a system which we are told answers well. Six men are employed all the year round, and about 70 during the winemaking season. These facts will give our readers some idea of the extent of Messrs Holmes & Son's business. The wines made by the firm are of good quality, judging from the sample we tasted, and we are assured that they are the pure juice of the grape, nothing being used to fortify them.
Messrs Holmes & Son have also planted 4,000 gum trees around their premises. The entrance is already guarded by several giant eucalypti, but when the younger trees have grown to their natural size they will greatly add to the beauty of the domain.
In accordance with good old English custom, Messrs Holmes & Son gave a dinner to their harvest hands on Thursday. About 70 of the fair and sterner sex sat down to an excellent repast, laid out in the cellar, and justice was done to all the good things provided. Mr J Holmes, in a few kindly words, referred to the good behaviour of the boys and girls and young men and women who had been engaged in the winemaking, and at the close of the dinner three hearty cheers were given for the firm.
During the afternoon dancing, cricket, foot races, and other amusements were indulged in, and in the evening an entertainment, including singing, instrumental music, and recitations, was given. Altogether a very pleasant day was spent.
Brookside was purchased by Joseph Salvatori Guidi in the 1920s. He was a successful business man from Broken Hill and owned a number of properties. At one time he was chairman of the Gas Company. In his early days he was interested in sport and the theatre. This love for the theatre was responsible in his building of the Tivoli Theatre in Broken Hill. Problems arose about the granting of a licence to him. A judge sent from Adelaide to sort out the problem, remarked this was blackmail. The locals replied “No this is Broken Hill”. Meanwhile Joseph had set up a stable and stud at Brookside for trotting horses.
References:
South Australian Register (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 12 January 1876
South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide SA) Thursday 17 May 1877
Campbelltown Library 'Digital Diggers'
