John Simson John Simson

Chairman 1876 - 1879

Scottish born John Simson (b.1823 – d.1896) came to Victoria in the 1850s to join his older brother Robert, a cousin and business partner of famed Western District pastoralist Philip Russell. John established his own pastoral station, Trawalla, near Beaufort, and became a committeeman and official judge at races at Ballarat and Geelong. He became inaugural Chairman of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club at its formation at Ballarat in 1875, continuing when the VATC became lessee of the Caulfield Racecourse. He was elected to the VRC Committee in 1876, becoming Chairman and officiating that year as judge at the Melbourne Cup. He lost his position on the Committee at the elections in 1880. In 1892 his daughter Margaret married L.K.S. Mackinnon, who served as VRC Chairman from 1916 to 1935.