Rev. Ridgway William Newland, frequently spelled "Ridgeway", was an English Congregationalist minister who with his large family emigrated to the young colony of South Australia, where he had a considerable influence in the Encounter Bay district. Many of his descendants were important in the history of the State. He has been called "The father of the South".
History
Newland was the minister of an Independent church of Hanley, in the Staffordshire Potteries region of England, for around 25 years. He emigrated to South Australia with his wife Martha, née Keeling, and their six children aboard the Sir Charles Forbes, arriving in June 1839. They settled in the Encounter Bay area, with a number of members of his congregation. He purchased a large property and after considerable effort established a successful farm. He built a church at Port Elliot. He assisted T. Q. Stow at the opening service of the new Freeman Street chapel in 1840, and again at the opening of the new Franklin Street schoolhouse in January 1845. He left to visit England early January 1845, perhaps on the Palmyra, and returned aboard the Kingston in January 1846, accompanied by a son. He died of injuries sustained when the mail coach in which he was travelling capsized and all passengers were thrown out.
Recognition
The first Newland Memorial Church was built in 1868 and extended as the Hodge annexe, replacing the "Tabernacle" built by R. W. Newland. A new Newland Memorial Church, built on land donated by Henry S. Newland, with a bequest from Simpson Newland, and designed by W. H. Bagot, was erected c. 1930 in his memory. On 25 December 1838, on the eve of Rev. Newland's departure for Australia, he was presented with a pair of communion cups, still held by the Newland Memorial Church.
Family
Rev. Ridgway William Newland was married twice: to Jane Sophia Benning then to Martha Newland, née Keeling ;with first wife
Watts Newland married Fanny Hester Taylor in 1853; he married again, to Margaret Egan in 1865. They were pioneers of Glencoe, then Hindmarsh Valley, later managed the Poonindie Aboriginal station, near Port Lincoln.
Simpson Newland married Jane Isabella Layton on 12 September 1872
William Newland married Abbie Lowe in 1862, introvert.
Catherine Humphries Newland married Alfred George Webb in 1858. He was auctioneer of Port Elliot, later manager of Ellerslie station, Adelong. He married again, to Mary Amelia, some 30 years his junior. He sued nephew Cyril D'Arcy Leaver for libel. Leaver had accused Webb of illicit relations with his adopted daughter Louisa Larpent. He died shortly after settling out of court.
