of Melbourne
Alexander was an importer. He died on the 17th September 1909 on the S.S. Ulimaroa on the day it arrived in Wellington from Sydney.
Martin Ridley, tea importer of Manchester Street, Christchurch spent the evening of 16th September with Alexander who told him he was suffering from rheumatic gout. At 12am Alexander took a whiskey but did not feel any better. Martin could see he was perspiring. He helped Alexander to bed, switched out the light and told the chief steward it would be good to keep an eye on him during the night.
The cabin steward arrived with his tea at 6:45am. Alexander didn’t answer his name when called and the steward later said ‘it struck me that he was dead’. The head steward was fetched and he felt Alexander’s body. He thought he had been dead for some hours.
An inquest was held following a post mortem. The doctor described him as a well-nourished man and that the cause of death was haemorrhagic pancreatitis.
His burial service was officiated by the Rev Dr Gibb. The burial entry describes him as 60 years of age but he was more likely 56. His wife (Elizabeth Ann Timbury) predeceased him in 1892. He left three adult children, the youngest being 24 years old.
Plot: *Public 2/J/171
Tod headstone before cleaning
Tod headstone after cleaning
Tod plot