Glenbuchat Heritage

171 Mill Artefacts 3

Glenbuchat Mill artifacts 2

In 2025 the Mill at Glenbuchat was gradually undergoing restoration.

During the process a number of artifacts of heritage interest were found.

Above are Photos of:

1 The Mill under restoration in 2025
It has been cleared and repointed and is awaiting a replacement roof.
2 and 3 A wooden box for holding tools found in the mill
4 An inscription inside the lid of the box
5 A Tin that previously contained chewing tobacco, of French origin
6 A metal disc inscribed George Chree Miller Glenbuchat 1911, possibly a tag for flour sacks.
7 A picture of Alexander Adam Reid


The wooden box was apparently a container for a number of large tools.

The text of the inscription was finally interpreted as:

Sapper A A Reid
6th Field Company Engineers
Australian Imperial Force

Search of the Australian Forces web site revealed:
Alexander Adam Reid
Regimental number 16470
Place of birth Glenbuchat Scotland
Religion Church of England
Occupation Carpenter
Address Hill End, Queensland
Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 28
Next of kin Mother, Mrs Isabella Chree, 'The Mill', Glenbuchat, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Enlistment date 3 July 1916
Rank on enlistment Sapper
Unit name December 1916 Reinforcements
AWM Embarkation Roll number 14/42/2
Embarkation details Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A67 Orsova on 2 December 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll Sapper
Unit from Nominal Roll 6th Field Company Engineers
Fate Returned to Australia 24 July 1919
Other details
War service: Western Front
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

6th Field Company Engineers
Each Division had three Field Engineer Companies under command, numbered the same as the Brigades of the Division.
The 2nd Division thus had the 5th 6th and 7th Field Company of Engineers on strength.
During WW 1 the Engineers undertook a raft of tasks broadly divided into mobility, counter mobility and construction as well as survey and mapping, and specialised tunnelling and mining operations. The Field Companies' scope of works concentrated on the former rather than the latter.
They undertook a broad range of tasks including preparation and supervision of the construction of defensive and gun positions, excavation of trenches and dugouts, erection of wire and other obstacles, preparation of command posts, signalling and water supply, field engineering, road and bridge construction and route maintenance. They also undertook obstacle breaching and crossing. For example, in the lead up to the attack at Mont St Quentin the Engineers were required to carry out two river crossing / bridging operations.
Engineers also had responsibility for signalling although this function became more specialised as the war progressed, eventually leading to the creation of a separate Signals Corps.




What was this box doing in the Mill at Glenbuchat?

This information from the Australian Army records above, reveals the name of his mother, Isobel Reid of the Mill at Glenbuchat
Isobel Reid was married to George Chree, the Glenbuchat miller and he was related to the Chree family of Sunnybrae.

Why was Alexander called Reid and not Chree and why does he not appear in the Ancestry.com family trees which are noted below?
Alexander appears however as a separate Ancestry family tree entry when he is in New South Wales Australia and the family tree does not mention his father’s name.

His mother Isobel is born in 1861 and married George Chree in 1905 when she was 44 and he was 37. Alexander however was born in 1888 when Isobel was 27 and George 20. Alexander however does not appear in the census returns in the Chree family when it notes that George is still at home in Sunnybrae. In 1920 voters’ role however George and Mrs. Isobel Chree are living in Crofts with no mention of Alexander.

It is assumed therefore that Alexander was possibly fostered or adopted and was no longer in Glenbuchat. It appears that he emigrated to Australia and from 1914 is mentioned in the Australian defence forces and moves to service in France in 1916 at the age of 28. He returns home in 1919. He most likely visited his mother at Glenbuchat before going home and left his tool box at the Mill.

Tobacco Tin

The picture above is of a tin that contained Chewing Tobacco. It was available in France but came from Morocco. Presumably it was brought back from France by soldiers perhaps Alexander Reid himself. The tin is labelled ‘Tacac a Chiquer Makla El Hilal

"Tabac à chiquer" is French for chewing tobacco. In English, it refers to a type of smokeless tobacco product that is placed in the mouth, typically between the cheek and gum, to release flavour.
The term "tabac" is also used in French to refer to tobacco in general.
"À chiquer": This translates to "to chew" in French.
Chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product where the user places a portion of tobacco in their mouth, usually between the cheek and gum, and chews on it to release flavour and nicotine.
French tobacco shops: In some countries like France and Spain, a "tabac" or "tabaccheria" is a shop licensed to sell tobacco products.

Metal Disc

The Metal disc with the inscription on it of George Chree Miller Glenbuchat 191. It is assumed that this might be a disc used to close a bag of flour and thus give an early ‘sell by date’

Reid Family

Adam Reid
B. 3 Apr 1801 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
D. 23 Apr 1886
Parents:
Father: Peter Reid Mother:
Mother: Mary Dingual
Marriage 1: 2 Jul 1838 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Spouse: Isobel Crawford
Children:
Ann Reid B. 18 May 1840 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct D. 3 Jul 1901
Marriage 2 : 7 Apr 1849 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Spouse: Mary Chree
B. 28 Apr 1829 Baltimore, Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
D. 3 Aug 1889 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Parents:
Father: William Chruie
Mother: Mary Dawson
Children:
Mary Ann Reid
Jean Reid B. 3 Nov 1851 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct D. 18 May 1892
Janet Reid B. 6 Sept 1853 Baltimore, Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct D. 7 Mar 1933 Boutiebank
Margaret Reid B. 23 Nov 1855 Baltimore, Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Adam Reid B. 18 Apr 1859 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Isabella Reid B. 7 Jun 1861 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct D. 1942 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Peter Reid B. 1863
Hellen Reid B. 5 Apr 1866 Baltimore, Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct D. 25 Jun 1868
William Reid B. 5 Apr 1866 Baltimore, Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct
Catherine Elizabeth Reid
Charles George Reid B. 1870 D. 8 Aug 1900 Denmill, Touch
John Alexander Reid B. 3 Mar 1874 Glenbuchat, Abd, Sct

Isabella Reid
Birth 27 Jun 1861 Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Death 11 Mar 1942 Glenbuchat, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Parents Adam Reid 1801–1886
Mary Chree 1829–1889
Sppouse 1 ?Unmarried
James Anderson
Helen Elizabeth Reid 1884–
Spouse 2 Marriage 7 Dec 1905 St Nicholas, Aberdeen,
George Chree (twin) 1868–1952
Child
Alexander Adam Reid 1888–1970 (?Adopted)

Chree family

John Chree
Birth 26 Dec 1824 Strathdon, Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire,
Death 28 Jul 1900 Sunny Brae, Aberdeenshire,
Parents
William Chree 1779–1855
Mary Dawson 1788–1863
Spouse 1
Elizabeth McGrigor 1831-
Children
Robert McGrigor Chree 1853–1915
John McGrigor Chree 1856–1885
Spouse 2
Catherine Innes 1831–1918
Children
Alexander Chree 1858–1908
William Chree 1860–1915
James Chree 1861–1933
Charles John Chree 1864–1945
Mary Dawson Chree 1866–1915
Peter Chree 1868–1936
George Chree 1868–1952
Helen Chree 1870–1958
Ann Chree 1872–1896
Adam Reid Chree1874–1953


1891 Scotland Census
Name John Chree
Age 66
Estimated Birth Year abt 1825
Relationship Head
Spouse's Name Catherine Chree
Where born Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire
Address Sunnybrae
Occupation General Merchant
Household members Name Age
John Chree 66
Catherine Chree 58
Robert Chree 38
Alexander Chree 32
Charles J Chree 26
Hellen Chree 21
George Chree 23
Ann M Chree 21
Beattrice Forbes 9 Mo

George Chree
Birth 18 Mar 1868 Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire,
Death 1952 Cluny, Aberdeenshire,
Parents
John Chree 1824–1900
Catherine Innes 1831–1918
Spouse
Isabella Reid 1861–1942
Marriage 7 Dec 1905 St Nicholas, Aberdeen,
Child
Alexander Adam Reid 1888–1970 (?Adopted)
Picture above

Alexander Adam Reid
Birth May 1888 Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Death 17 Jan 1970 Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Parents
Unknown father
Unknown mother
Spouse and children
Mildred Jane Walker 1894–1983