Alexander James Price

Alexander James Price was the first born child of James and Maria Theresa Price. He had 2 sisters Nora and Mabel Margaret. He was the only one of them to marry.

Alexander James married Ethel Margaret Smedley in 1904 in Brighton and in 1905 they had a son, Edward James Robert William Price who was born in Hastings.

In 1910, Alexander James and Ethel Margaret Price set sail aboard the Saxon for South Africa. They left 5 year old Edward James Robert William behind in the care of James and Maria Theresa Price. Interestingly, they were on the same voyage as Captain Robert Falcon Scott (of Antartica fame) and his wife Kathleen, who had also left their 5 month old son behind in England. They arrived in CapeTown in August 1910.

His first New Year, 31 Dec 1910/1 Jan 1911, in South Africa was celebrated in Pretoria, according to an entry in his Diary, and all the rest were in the Cape.

It is unknown what happened to their marriage but by 1913, Alexander James was married to Elizabeth Johanna van Blerk. This marriage produced seven children but only five of them survived into adulthood. The names of the two sons who died, have been lost in time and only their nicknames are still known.

Alexander James gave all his sons nicknames. The two sons who died were known as "Bubbles" and "Billikins" (Billie) - perhaps his name was William?. Handley Page was nicknamed "Tootles" (Toots). Stanley William Meredith was nicknamed "Bunny".