Alexander William BIRSS
Date of Birth:
25 Apr 1870
Date of Death:
26 Jul 1937
Alexander was born in Nelson.
He married Gertrude Chittenden (born in Havelock) in Blenheim in 1895.
They had four children, two boys & two girls, one of whom was born in Levin.
Their eldest, Cecil was a 2nd Lieutenant and was killed at Passchendale in 1917..
One son-in-law (Bernard Mullins) served in WW1 & one ( Harry Richards) in WW2.
Alexander started out as a cordial maker in the late 1890's, in Rangiora..He made his way to Levin by 1905 to set up an aerated water & cordial factory. By 1911 he was in Stratford still as a cordial manufacturer.
He tried his hand at farming in Taranaki then as a publican in Carterton. He returned to manufacturing in Hamilton by 1935.
Gertrude was well known as a journalist.
Relatives mentioned in profile:
Alexander William Birss; Alexander Birss; Elizabeth Ann King; Gertrude Beatrice Chittenden; Daniel Chittenden; Eliza Laney; Alexander Cecil (aka Cecil) Birss; Thelma Bertha Mabel Birss; Bernard Gregory Mullins; Alexander John Duthie; Janet Hamilton Martin; Marjorie Joan Birss; Sydney Daniel Mangan; Harry Huia Richards; Florence Marion Dixon; Walter Wright; Francis Stanley Birss; Carmelita Carlton (Lita) McGill.