Served in the Military

Introduction

This post is intended as a list of those who spent any time in the military, regardless of the service, conflict or whether they returned home. I may expand on the individuals in separate posts, especially where several members of a family served their country.


Speid Brothers
James Speid Benson

1873 -1963

WWI
Private, 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders (previously City of Aberdeen Volunteer Regiment), November 1914; commissioned, October 1916. Home service, Aberdeen, 1914-19.

John Speid Benson

1877 - 1916

WWI
Served in Central Africa. Sergeant, 26th Squadron Royal Flying Corps. 


Brown Brothers
Clement Brown

1891 - 1928

WWI
North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales) Regiment. 15543

James Patrick Brown

1894 - 1979

WWI
New Battalion. 10559

William Brown

1897 - 1917

WWI
Served in Amara, Turkey. Corporal, 7th Battalion. 7938. 


Alexander Family
Gervase Alexander

1774 - 1857

Physician and Captain of the Halifax Volunteer Corps of Infantry 1802

William Ryrie Alexander

1824 - 1892

During the Raj
Major General H.M. Bombay Staff Corps; Late Commandant 1st Sind Horse

Charles Henry Alexander

1870  -1937

Officer in 1st Northampton Regiment 

William Ryrie Alexander

1876 - 1951

Lieutenant in Royal Navy then volunteers in Canadian Expeditionary force - special enrolment as draughtsman during WWI. 77493

Fulco "Peter" Alexander

1909 - 1983

1932 Electoral Register lists him at Officers' Barracks at Royal Arsenal in Woolwich

Henry "Harry" Cerda Ryrie Alexander

1904 - 1966

Lieutenant in Royal Navy; enrolled in 1917

Basil Charles Maurice Ward

1898 - 1956

WWI
The husband of Lillias Barbara Elsa, daughter of William (b. 1876). Served as Lieutenant in 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment


Heyland Family
Arthur Rowley Heyland

1781 - 1815

Officer with 1st Battalion 40th Regiment. Killed at Battle of Waterloo

Alfred Thomas Heyland

1813 - 1897

Went to the Crimea as a Captain in 95th Regiment and achieved rank of Major General


Gowland Father and Sons
Edward Lake Gowlland

1876 - 1942

WWI
Royal Army Medical Corps

See this post for more about Edward https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Edward%20Gowlland

Geoffrey Gowlland

1903 - 1988

WWI
Lieutenant in Royal Navy

Langton Gowlland

1903 - 2002

WW1
Lieutenant in Royal Navy 



Gould Family
Lionel Aubrey Gould

1873 - 1923

WWI
Corporal in Military Labour Corps. 5618.

Charles Robert Gould


1920 - 1944

WWII
Lieutenant in Royal Armoured Corps and Dragoon Guards


Toogood Family
Alexander Decimus Toogood

1826 - 1874

Captain in the Bengal Fusiliers 1870 and Gentleman-at-Arms to H.M. Queen Victoria

Seymour Hood Toogood

1841 - 1926

Enlisted in 1882 and achieved rank of Major in Royal Artillery WWI

Charles Frederick Strangways Gwynne Toogood

1861 - 1936

Lieutenant in Berkshire Militia 1881

Cecil Toogood


1870 - 1958

1891 Lieutenant in South Front Barracks in Kent. WWI Major in Lincolnshire Regiment

Arthur Seymour Toogood

1872 - 1968

WWI
Major in R. War R

Hubert de Chair Toogood

1885 - 1970

WWI
Lieutenant then Captain in Royal Engineers

Alexander Cecil Henry Toogood

1900 - 1921

WWI
2nd Lieutenant in Lincolnshire Regiment

Harington Father and Children
John Harington

1873 - 1943

WWI
Brigadier General in Rifle Brigade

John Temple Harington

1909 - 1983

WWII
Achieved rank of Major in Rifle Brigade serving in the Middle East; received an MBE. 44106

Aline Lucy Harington

1918 - 2007

WWII
Sister of John Temple. Served in the Women's Transport Service

Walter Arnold Crispian Keppel

1914 - 1986

WWII
A nobleman and Lieutenant Commander in Royal Navy; husband of Aline

Walter Egerton George Lucian Keppel

1882 - 1979

WWI
Father of Walter Arnold. He was a Captain in the Scots Guards

Carington Father and Son
Charles Robert Carington

1843 - 1928

He served under William Ewart Gladstone as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1881 to 1885

Albert Edward Charles Robert Wynn-Carington

1895 - 1915

WWI
Son of Charles. Served as Lieutenant in Royal Horse Guards (The Blues); died of complications from amputated arm at Ypres.


Walter Stuart Blake

1880 - 1941

WWI
Served in South Africa. Sergeant, South African Infantry. 218

Percy Blow Stapleton

1879 - 1934

WWI
Corporal, Royal Tank Corps. 205492

Henry Disney

1701 - 1760

Doctor of Medicine and Captain 1720s

John Edward Sharpe

1823 - 1857

Lieutenant in 46th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry in India; he was killed during the Indian Mutiny on 14 July 1857 at Fort Sialkote. His grave is at Sialkote and has a memorial bearing the words "In memory of Captain J.E. Sharpe 46th Regt. N.I. Died at Sealkote 14th July 1857 aged 33 years. Erected by his brother officers."

Henry Charles Legge

1852 - 1924

Served as a Lieutenant in the Sudan 1884 - 1886 in 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Then in World War I, Lieutenant Colonel as Equerry to the King of which more elsewhere.

Edward Lake Gowlland: medical and military man, freemason and .....

1876 - 1942

Early Life

Edward is a distant ancestor being the husband of the wife of the brother-in-law of the 2nd great-nephew of wife of my 6th great-uncle. The details of his life have required me to give him his own post. What appears below (and the photo) is partly taken from the excellent biography on http://www.gowlland.me.uk/biographies.htm#zzedwardlakegowlland

Edward Lake Gowlland was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey to Richard Sankey Gowlland and Jessie Katherine Lake. He had 2 younger sisters: Katherine and Dorothy.

I will leave the biography site to provide more information on his ancestors, otherwise I would just be repeating everything already covered there. I will briefly say that in the 1881 England Census tells us that his father was a Private Secretary for HM Office of Public Works.

On 16 October 1893 Edward is listed on the register at University College London, for those taking medical exams. I was rather surprised to find that, in 1899 while still a medical student, he is initiated into the Freemason Lodge of Sancta Maria. The the list of members shows virtually all are in the medical profession from St Mary's Hospital and there is a brief history of the lodge at https://gsml49.freemasons.london/about/ on the site of the lodge with which Sancta Maria amalgamated in 2008 (Gihon Lodge).

A quick Internet search shows tells me that Sancta Maria was only founded in 1897, initially meeting in Freemasons' Hall, but in 1899 it had moved to Mark Masons' Hall. https://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane/record.php?ID=5491. Among its famous members were Sir Alexander Fleming and Sir Bernard Spilsbury.

In 1900 Edward has moved to Bournemouth, holding the qualification of Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) which later became a registrable qualification with the British Medical Association, when it was founded in 1858. Edward is not in Bournemouth very long as in 1900 he is now living in a boarding house in Paddington, London and is listed as a medical practitioner. 

Married Life

On 10 February 1902 Edward marries Dorothy Mary Thornhill, whose father Herbert is listed as a gentleman. Edward's own father is still at HM Office of Public Works. Edward and Dorothy move to Faversham in Kent where Edward joins the Freemason, Lodge of Harmony. He is now practising as a surgeon and physician in the firm of Anderson and Gowlland, listed at address of 54 East Street and 7 Newton Road. I have not been able to find out more about this firm.

Edward and Dorothy continue to live at 54 East Street and in 1907 Edward's name appears in the UK Navy Lists for 1907, against East Swale; I am unsure of the significance of these Sick Quarters records at the moment. The 1911 England Census shows that Edward must be running a successful medical practice as he now employs 3 servants and a governess for this 2 sons (twins Langton and Geoffrey born in 1903). 

With the outbreak of World War I the records show that Edward is sent to France where he achieves the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He is back living in the family home in Faversham in 1915. 

Things go wrong

On 29 January 1916 Dorothy receives a letter from Edward while she is living with her parents (dated 23 January). He writes,

Dear Dor

I think in these very bad times it will be best if you can persuade your mother and father to go to Faversham and live with you and shut up their house (this is of course no business of yours or mine but merely a suggestion for economy) they to pay you each what you paid them for board and lodging. I .. to tell you now that I have been particularly stupid and broken the 11th Commandment, which I didn't mean to do until after the War. Our life together has been so peculiarly unhappy that I am sure you will be glad to know that we need never live together again. I met someone in Devon whom I am fond of and we were found out, the result will probably be in the papers very shortly. I mean that the lady's husband is seriously thinking of taking proceedings and I am frightfully sorry that this should have come now when I simply cannot sit down and write business letters there is no time and opportunity. I have written to my Bankers to say that they shall in future send you £23 rather than £29 per month, as you won't have to pay for your board and lodging.

Yours affectionately

EG

Dorothy replies to Edward on 01 March 1916,

Dear Edward

I have been thinking on the situation arising out of your letter to me of the 23rd Januar 1916, and for the sake of our children I have come to the conclusion that I will allow bygones to be bygones but in return I ask you to give up this other woman and to now provide a home for me and the children and to live with me and them whenever your military duties will allow you to home whether on leave or permanently. If on consideration you are now ready to do these things for me and them please let me know as soon as possible when you will provide a home for us so I may make all the necessary arrangements before the children return from School for the Easter holidays. I may say I have not told the boys of your conduct as I have no wish to poison their minds against you and I hope they may not hear of the trouble which has arisen between us. 

Yours faithfully

Dorothy

Edward writes to her again on 03 March 1916

Dear Dorothy

You must understand me well enough to understand that I should not have behaved as I have done without due consideration. I adhere to every word of my letter dated 23rd January 1916 and under no circumstances do I intend to give up "this other woman".

I am very glad that you have not told the boys, it can serve no purpose to make them unhappy. I have written to them and told them that we shall not live in our old home and I want you to understand that my conduct in this other matter has had no bearing whatever on the necessity of leaving our house. 

Yours 

Edward Gowlland. 

On 10 March 1916 Dorothy petitions initially for a decree of restitution of conjugal rights. In short it required Edward to return to the marital home. Dorothy was granted her decree and it was served on Edward at 9 Bedford Row in Middlesex, where he was currently living. He was given 14 days to obey.

On 14 July 1916 Dorothy petitions for divorce. In a letter supporting her petition she states that Edward has not returned and is therefore guilty of desertion without reasonable cause; he has also frequently committed adultery with Mary Florence Alexander. She goes on to say that between the 02 and 08 May 1915 Edward and Mary Florence committed adultery at the Cotteridge Private Hotel in Woking and repeated this activity on 20, 21 and 22 May 1915  at the "Galloway", Commercial Road in Woking. 

Dorothy states that Edward is a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps and is now living at 4 Grafton Street, Fitzroy Square in Middlesex.  

On 20 October goes back to the court and states that, since then, Edward is guilty of adultery coupled with desertion. The court rules that the couple's children stay with Dorothy and that Edward needs to pay his wife's costs of £42 9s. 5d. In later proceedings Dorothy provides further information and petitions for maintenance; Edward is initially given 6 weeks to respond but is then allowed a further 2 months to respond. I am unsure from the documents if Edward responds to this? In 1929 there are further proceedings regarding maintenance. At this the court orders that Edward pay Dorothy £200 tax free from October 1929, in monthly instalments for as long as they both shall live. 

The other party

So let me now give the other side, regarding the "other woman", Mary Florence Reiffenstein who was born in Glasgow, Scotland to Christian Eduard Reiffenstein and Lillias Jane Corbet. Her family had moved first to Camberwell and then settled in Hampshire. Mary had 4 brothers and 2 sisters.

In 1902 Mary Florence had married William Ryrie Alexander who was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. The couple had 1 daughter. In 1914 William went to Canada on special enrolment as a draughtsman in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. 

On 31 August 1915, having returned from Canada, William files for divorce on grounds of adultery, and names Edward Gowlland as a co-respondent. In his supporting letter William refers to the same instances as Dorothy Mary, and we know from Edward's correspondence that has been he who was told or discovered the two. 

William states that he lives in England, but is currently stationed at the Napier Barracks and is a Lance Sergeant in the 30th Canadian Regiment. Mary is living Wodcombe Hyde Road in Paighton, Devon. At another hearing the court rules that his daughter will stay with him, presumably he will move out of the barracks. William receives his Decree Absolut on 16 August 1915 and there is one final proceedings for costs held in May 1916 which rules that  Edward Gowlland needs to pay costs of £69 12s. 8d.

At this point we know that Dorothy has only recently started on her divorce proceedings, but we must assume that once Mary was divorced she and Edward were still meeting up.

Later Life

In July 1917 Edward Gowlland marries Mary Florence Reiffenstein in Kensington and he continues to practice medicine in Surrey until his death in 1942. Mary dies on 18 June 1962 and leaves her effects to her now married daughter (from her first marriage) and a Richard Dallas Wood (solicitor). The value was £1865 18s.

In 1920 William marries Sibyl Marguerite Harrison in Thanet. The couple later move to Kensington where William is listed in the 1939 England and Wales Register as the director of a print supply company. William dies in 1951.

Dorothy does not re-marry. The 1939 England and Wales Register has her living with her mother; both women are living on their own means. They are still living at Dorothy's marital home and the women appear to have 3 other women living with them. Dorothy dies on 07 May 1963. Her home address is now listed as 28 Kenilworth Road, but she dies in King Edward Hospital. She leaves £890 6s. 8d. to her son Langton.

Final Words

I feel I need to make some sort of concluding statement. I doubt that "adultery" was unusual at this time (any more than it is now). Both men were in the military at a time when the country was at war, meaning the men would have spent time overseas or stationed at barracks in England, but away from home. I do feel sorry for Dorothy as she wanted to put Edward's affair behind her and for the two of them to make a home for their boys again (though they obviously went to boarding school). There has clearly been some trouble in Dorothy and Edward's marriage which has created increasing pressure and contributed to the situation. There is no hint at the state of marriage between William and Mary and, in this case, it is the wife who was having the affair. The only one to come out of the whole situation worse off is Dorothy. Although she received maintenance for the rest of her and Edward's life, she did not re-marry and was probably not making ends meet due to the 3 lodgers listed with her and her mother in 1939. Mary lived the longest and left a small sum compared to Mary.

Members of the Medical and Scientific Profession

This is a list of the men of medicine and science in the tree. It was common for professions to run in families as will be seen below.


Kenneth William Benson

 1945 - 2008

I have to start with the most recent, as he is my much missed Dad. He was born in Assam, India to John Gordon Benson and Elizabeth Moncrieff Blake. He studied and qualified from the University of Calcutta in 1968 and took advantage of the opportunity to come to the UK for practical experience. His intention had always been to then go back to India, but circumstances there meant he took the exam to go to the USA, and by this time he had met my Mum, Sylvia Ann Wanger. The two married, and I was born in 1973.

We settled in the UK with Dad practising as a GP in Staffordshire.


William Woolhouse

1643 - 1723

He is the grandfather of Henry Disney (below) and I can only speculate that this might have influenced Henry's choice of career. He is also the father in law of my 2nd cousin 12x removed. He was born in North Muskham, Nottinghamshire to William Woolhouse and Elizabeth Cade.

In 1660 he entered St John's College, Cambridge and graduated with a Masters from here in 1672. By the time he had completed his medical studies he had already married Mary Hacker (in 1670 in Flintham, Nottinghamshire). The couple had 4 children: 2 girls and 2 boys.

Henry Disney

1701 - 1760

Henry is my 3rd cousin 11x removed. He was born in Lincolnshire to John Disney and Mary Woolhouse. In 1721 in entered Queens College Cambridge and the following year he moved to Magdalen College. He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1727 and went to Leyden for practical experience.

In 1730 he married Martha Roebuck in Warmfield, Yorkshire. The couple had 1 son, Henry Woolhouse Disney. 

I have not yet been able to find out much about his career.

James Minot

1659 - 1696

James is not a direct ancestor, but his surname is a deriviate of Mignot, which is Huguenot (French Protestant). He was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts to George Minot and Martha Stocke. James' parents had married in Essex, England and migrated to the USA in 1630 so George could join the Dorchester Company (a company of merchant fishermen). 

Read more about the company here http://www.smplanet.com/teaching/colonialamerica/colonies/dorchester

James married Rebekah Jones in 1687; she had also been born in the USA. Sources indicate that James was a medical doctor, but they have been difficult to confirm.


Frank Ernest Musgrave

1856 - 1944

Frank is the 1st cousin 3x removed of the wife of my 5th great-uncle. He was born in Leeds, Yorkshire to Albert Musgrave and Mary Ellen Booth. 

Frank studied at Cambridge and Leeds Universities and qualified as a surgeon. In 1893 Frank married Louisa Stead and the couple had 1 daughter. The Musgraves made Leeds their home and Frank ran his practice here until his death.

The Falconers

Alexander Falconer

1874 - 1953

Alexander is the brother in law of my 2nd great uncle. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland to George Falconer and Mary McKillop. Alexander was 1 of 8 children; his father was a shipmaster who died in Ireland.

Alexander turns up in UK and Irish Medical Directory for 1900, working out of Tyrconnel House in Earby, Yorkshire. I have not managed to find him in either the 1901 England Census or 1901 Scotland Census, so must assume he had permanently moved to Yorkshire.The Directory shows that Alexander had qualified as a surgeon in Aberdeen, and was working for the Midland Railway and Other Friendly Societies and two other insurance companies, for workers.

Between 1900 and 1904 Alexander may have married Elizabeth Dougan Gibson, though again I have not located any records. In 1905 the couple have a daughter and 5 years later a son. Alexander remained practising in the area and was followed into the profession by his son.



George Donald Falconer

1910 - 1992

Son of Alexander (above) and nephew of wife of my 2nd great uncle. George was born in Yorkshire. In 1927 Alexander went on a trip as he is recorded in the UK Incoming and Outgoing Passenger Lists. He left the country in July 1927 for Port Said, Egypt and returned in September the same year.

On 20 October 1928 Alexander is registered to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh. By 1933 he is living with his parents in Yorkshire and the UK and Irish Medical Directory for 1900 for 1935 we can see he is working out of the same place as his, after graduating in 1933 as a surgeon. I am not sure how long Alexander continued to practice with his father in Yorkshire, but in December 1939 records show him marrying Lesley Mary Wilson in Wallasey, Cheshire. I have not found Alexander in the 1939 England and Wales Register. Nor have I found a record of any children for the couple.

George remains practising in Wallasey and the UK and Irish Medical Directories show that he had taken further studies, which he had completed in 1936 and that he had served as House Surgeon at the Victoria Centre Hospital in Burnley and as an Assistant Medical Officer at the Municipal Hospital, also in Burnley.


William John Carlyon Anstie

1910 - 1942

William is the 3rd great nephew of the wife of my 6th great uncle. He was born in Devon and died in Ceylon. I will write more about William in https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/2019/08/in-remembrance-of-those-who-died-in_28.html


Edward Lake Gowlland

1876 - 1942

Edward is the husband of the wife of brother-in-law of 2nd great-nephew of wife of 6th great-uncle. The details of his life would fit into so many categories, he was not only a surgeon, but also served in the military, was a Freemason and went through a divorce. He is therefore getting his own post.

The Toogoods of Somerset

Jonathan Toogood

1784 - 1871

Jonathan is not a direct ancestor, but has a career worthy of note. He was born in Sherborne, Dorset to John Toogood and Ann. Jonathan was apprenticed at the age of 14 to an apothecary-surgeon, Mr Hill Dawe in Bridgwater. After completing his 5 year apprenticeship he then continued surgical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, under surgeon Mr John Abernathy.

In 1806 he returned to Bridgwater and started work. He also married Ann Giles, and the couple went on to have 12 children, 3 of the boys followed their father into the medical profession.

Jonathan is remembered particularly for founding the Bridgwater Infirmary in 1813, an account of which is available in https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/biography/dr-jonathan-toogood-the-story-of-the,lesley-sutcliffe-9781527208261

Although retiring in 1845, Jonathan retained active in the area.


Isaac Baruch Toogood

1811 - 1887

Son of Jonathan (b. 1784) and Ann. He was born Bridgwater, Somerset and, while following his father into the medical profession, he became a General Practitioner in Devonshire. In 1838 he married Ann Elizabeth Henwood, whose father was listed as a Gent. The couple had 2 sons.


John Giles Toogood

1809 - 1875

He was the brother of Isaac and also born in Bridgwater, Somerset. Unlike his brother, John did follow his father in becoming a surgeon, specialising in ophthalmology at the Eye Dispensary. He appears to have taken over from his father, when he retired.

In 1840 John married Elizabeth Hiron, the daughter of another surgeon. 

Interestingly John also appears to have been admitted twice into Manor House, an asylum for lunacy patients in Warwickshire, in December 1855 and April 1856. It is not clear whether this was in a professional capacity or as a patient. 


Thomas Hiron

1786 - 1848

I have not, as yet, been able to find out much about him. He was born and died in Warwickshire. In 1810 he married Anne Archer and the couple had 3 children: 2 girls and 1 boy.

I do know that his son, also a Thomas, likewise became a surgeon and seemed to operate from the same location (the High St) as his father.


Thomas Wheatley Hiron

1819 - 1865

Thomas was also born in Warwickshire. He married Alice Fitzherbert Smith in 1846 and the couple went on to have a large family of 7 children: 4 girls and 3 boys.

Records show that Thomas died at sea, but I have not been able to find out more about this.


The Alexanders of Halifax

This family have produced the greatest number of doctors and men of science so far in my research. Much of the information has come from the excellent website https://sites.rootsweb.com/~calderdalecompanion/mma227.html#278

Elias Alexander (father of William b.1708)

1680 - 1732

Elias is the paternal grandfather of the husband of my 4th cousin 10x removed. There is not much information available at him, but I must assume that he was born and died in Halifax, Yorkshire.

William Alexander

1707 - 1786

William is the son of Elias and the father-in-law of my 4th cousin 10x removed. He was born and died in Halifax, Yorkshire. I have not been able to find details on his mother. From the website I know that William had trained to be a surgeon, though there are few records on Ancestry to back this up.

In 1730 William married Elizabeth Allenson and the couple had 4 children: 1 daughter and 3 sons.

The website says the family owned several properties and lived at a 3rd. William also wrote Plain and easy directions for the use of Harrogate Waters: adapted to the meanest capacity; and principally intended for the use of all who attend there (Edinburgh 1773)

Harrogate was among a number of places in the UK that had natural springs of sulphurous waters, which were deemed to have health giving properties; others were Bath and Buxton. A history of the Royal Pump Room in Harrogate can be found at https://www.harrogate.gov.uk/info/20151/royal_pump_room_museum/696/history_of_the_royal_pump_room_museum

From my brief search on the Internet I assume that William's book was like a handbook for those planning on visiting Harrogate and the regime they should follow depending on their condition. I recommend this article for more information Holman, Gavin. (2018). Taking the Waters - The lighter side of the Harrogate Cure, through the humorous postcards of the 1900s, which can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323106271_Taking_the_Waters_-_The_lighter_side_of_the_Harrogate_Cure_through_the_humorous_postcards_of_the_1900s


John Alexander

1731 - 1801

John is the brother-in-law of my 4th cousin 10x removed and the eldest son of William (above. He was born in Halifax, Yorkshire to William and Elizabeth. 

The website says he practised as a Doctor in Halifax which I must assume meant he was a general doctor, rather than a surgeon. In 1762 he married Frances Hamer and the couple had 1 son and 1 daughter.


Robert Alexander

1739 - 1822

Robert is the husband of 4th cousin 10x removed and William's middle son. He was also born and died in Halifax, Yorkshire. 

The website shows that Robert had a more distinguished career than his elder brother. He practised as both a surgeon and apothecary. He appeared to have chosen to live in the family home, Hope Hall, but also in several other large properties, possibly due to his qualifications and status.

In 1768 Robert married Harriet Disney (my 4th cousin 10x removed) and the couple went on to have 6 sons and 2 daughters.

Robert supported a spa at Horley; he gave money towards the construction of the Halifax New Market (1790) and was a trustee of the Halifax Market Company. The latter was an organisation designed to build a market area forcing all stall holders to work from here, and not set up stalls or sell produce from baskets elsewhere.


William Alexander

1742 - 1766

William was the youngest brother who, was due to follow his siblings and father into the medical profession, but sadly died in training and unmarried in 1766.


William Alexander

1763 - 1808

William is the son of John (b. 1731). He was born and died in Halifax, Yorkshire and, while training as a doctor, he developed an interest in botany. I am sure there is more information to be found on this and I hope to track some down in the future.

In 1803 William married Harriet Pickford, who comes from another interesting family line with roots in Lancashire; I might cover that later! The couple had no children.

Gervase Alexander

1774 - 1857

Gervase is my 5 cousin 9x removed and the 3rd son of Robert (b. 1739). Naturally a lot more information is available about his life, as the UK and Ireland Medical Directories had started being compiled from 1845. In 1800 Gervase had married Ellen Hudson, and the couple went on to have 2 sons and 3 daughters. 

In 1802 Gervase is listed as a Captain in the Halifax Volunteer Corps of Infantry which had been established in 1794 to protect against potential military forces and revolutionary ideas coming out of France, after the Revolution. Gervase was not a member for long as the Corps was disbanded in 1802 only to reform in 1804. I do not know if Gervase joined again.

The UK and Ireland Medical Directories tell us that Gervase had studied and qualified as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Aberdeen in 1817. He was also a member of the Halifax Literary and Philosophical Society and went on to publish A Translation of the Odes of Horace into English Verse. The Society had been established in 1830 for the advancement of literature, science and philosophical research. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kuYVAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA348&ots=c7lHHKBOC4&dq=halifax%20literary%20and%20philosophical%20society%20history&pg=PA349#v=onepage&q=halifax%20literary%20and%20philosophical%20society%20history&f=false

I must add in passing that Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, the recent subject of BBC drama, was also admitted as a member of the Society. I will leave it to you to research her, if you wish, but details about the Gentleman Jack can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00059m9

Disney Alexander

1769 - 1844

Disney was the eldest son of Robert (b. 1739) and had an equally interesting life. 

He married twice. The first time was in 1796 to Agnes Haigh, with whom he had 3 children: 2 boys and 1 girl. The second time was in 1811 to Mary Edwards. The 1841 England Census lists him as a physician, but unfortunately he died too soon to make the UK and Ireland Medical Directories.

The website at the start of the Alexander section says that he was a Methodist and interested in phrenology (reading the bumps on an individual's head). He succeeded a fellow phrenologist, Sir William Ellis, as Superintendent and Physician of the Wakefield Dispensary and the Pauper Lunatic Asylum. An Internet search will bring up many results and some recent books published on the institution. This page is a good place to start http://www.wakefieldasylum.co.uk/

Disney published extensively and I refer to the original website for a list of his works.