George Main (horse racing)

George Main (9 July 1879 – 31 August 1948) was an Australian pastoralist and horse breeder, chairman of the Australian Jockey Club (AJC)(later Australian Turf Club) from 1937 to 1945.

George Main, 1937
Main family plot, Cootamundra cemetery

History

Main was born in Ardrossan, Scotland, the eldest son of Hugh Main (c. 1831 – 9 August 1885) of Saltcoats, Ayrshire,[1] and educated at Troubridge School, where he was a member of the cadet corps, and shot at Bisley.[2]

He and his brother Hugh were brought out to South Australia by their father in 1884, and had a home "Lisnamorra", Medindie.[3]

Both were educated at Roseworthy Agricultural College.

In 1900 George enlisted in the Bushmen's Contingent, a South Australian volunteer force mobilised to fight in the Boer War.[2] He enlisted with the 7th Contingent in January 1902, at which time he was resident at Victor Harbor.[4]

Their father had two blocks on Kermode Street, North Adelaide, in partnership with Nathaniel Alexander Knox (died 1908) with five two-storey houses, all tenanted. He also owned a city block on the corner of Hurtle Square and Hanson Street with two shops and six houses. These properties were advertised for sale by auction in August 1908,[5] around the time the brothers made the move to Illabo, New South Wales.

The two men established the pastoral property "Retreat" at East Illabo or Bethungra, New South Wales, 12 miles (19 km) south west of Cootamundra, around 1906. Hugh enlisted with the 1st AIF and served in France during WWI, while George managed the property. Pte. Hugh Main returned 1n 1919; his part of the property was often called "Retreat East".

George Main was a successful horse breeder and studmaster. Notable stallions were Featherstitch (1905–1923) by Ayrshire,[6] and Limelight. Featherstitch, whom he purchased in 1909, was imported 1907 by James N. Hart (died 1920), and won the 1909 Tattersall's Stakes at Randwick, and was the sire of many good horses. Main raced several of his own horses, but unsuccessfully.

He married Mary "Polly" Weston of Kadlinga Station at Mintaro, South Australia on 3 March 1908,[7] and settled down at "Retreat". Their children included Jean Main, who married Clive Caldwell on 13 April 1940. Caldwell would later rise to fame (and a little infamy) as an "ace" RAAF fighter pilot.

Main was elected a member of the AJC in 1911 and elected to the committee in September 1921. He acted as temporary Chairman during the final illness of Sir Colin Stephen, and was elected to the position on 16 September 1937, resigning in November 1945, to be succeeded by A. G. Potter.

He died at "Retreat" on 31 August 1948 and his remains were buried at the Cootamundra Cemetery.[8] He was survived by his wife Mary, sons George and Hugh, and daughters Molly and Agnes "Toots" Main, and Jean Caldwell. His estate was valued at £32,036 for probate purposes.[9]

References
  1. "Family Notices". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900). 1885-08-10. p. 4. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  2. "The Bushmen's Contingent". The Express and Telegraph. XXXVII (10, 882). South Australia. 26 January 1900. p. 3. Retrieved 8 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia. A different George Main of F squadron was killed on July 1901.
  3. McDonald, D. I., "Main, Hugh (1883–1961)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2019-07-11
  4. "Organising the Contingent". The Chronicle (Adelaide). 44 (2, 264). South Australia. 11 January 1902. p. 37. Retrieved 11 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Advertising". The Observer (Adelaide). LXV (3, 489). South Australia. 15 August 1908. p. 27. Retrieved 9 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia. coincidentally property in Port Victor owned by the presumably unrelated George Main (11 December 1823 – 6 January 1905), from Greenock was being advertised at the same time.
  6. "Turf Notes". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. New South Wales, Australia. 20 July 1923. p. 42. Retrieved 10 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Family Notices". Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912). 1908-03-17. p. 1. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  8. "Obituary". Cootamundra Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 31 August 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 15 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Mr. George Main's Estate". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 1948-11-03. p. 9. Retrieved 2019-07-12.

Further reading
  • Terry Cowled & Graham Levett (2018), History of Bethungra : community and place.
  • Edith Pratt, Helen Hamilton, Illabo Public School. Centenary Committee (1984), A History of the Illabo District to commemorate the centenary of Illabo Public School, 1884-1984.
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