Full name: Alexander Reid

Born: Klip River Farm, Swellendam, 23 November 1878

Deceased: Kensington Sanatorium, Johannesburg, 18 May 1952

Club: Hamiltons

Province: Western Province

International career: 1903: 1 test

Alec Reid’s great-grandfather, James Reid, a millwright, with his son Alexander, came from Perth in Scotland in 1817 with Benjamin Moodie, the miller, on the Brilliant. In 1840 his son, Alexander, started farming on the farm Klip River in the Swellendam district. Alexander’s third son was also named Alexander, the father of Alex and Bert Reid, both international rugby players.

Alec Reid worked for Barclay’s Bank in many places including Piet Retief and Vryburg. His brother Bert played for South Africa in 1906-07.

Alec Reid was a signatory to the amalgamation of the Hamilton and Sea Point clubs in 1909. He became a life member of the Hamilton-Sea Point RFC in 1913. In the same Hamiltons team with him were Baby Shum, Jock Anderson, Charlie Brown (who was on the committee but resigned half way through the season because he got married), Tommy Hobson and Arthur Burmeister, all of whom played for South Africa. Also in the team were J Dobbs (an Irishman), WG Mills and HC Flockhardt, all of whom played for Western Province. In those days they charged gate money to The Track for people who wanted to watch Hamiltons practise! Alex Reid was the first chairman of the Far East Rand Rugby Sub-Union.