William Albert Alexander

Biography
Mr. William Albert Alexander was born on Tuesday, September 6th, 1887 in Fleggburgh, Norfolk, England. He was the son of borough council labourer John Alexander (1851 - 1919) and his wife Emma Fairhead (1853 - 1937). The couple had married in early 1872 and went on to have thirteen children together. William's siblings were; John (1873 - ?), Ernest William (1874 - ?), Arthur Albert (1875 - 1879), Albert (1876 - ?), Emma Helen (1877 - ?), Joseph Arthur (1880 - ?), Gertrude Maud (1881 - ?), Bertie Horace (1883 - ?), Charles Albert (1885 - September 3rd, 1917), Reginald Albert (1891 - ?), Sydney Frank (1893 - August 24th, 1917) and Arthur Henry (1895 - ?).

William first appears on the 1891 census living with his family in The Common in Fleggburgh. The family would later move to 10 Belvedere Place on Kitchener Road in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. In both the 1901 and 1911 census, the Alexander family is still seen living there, although many of their children had already left the house. William though, is seen living with his sister Emma at 26 Cobbs Place in Great Yarmouth in the 1901 census, and back at his parents' house in the 1911 census in which he was described as an unmarried farmer.

In 1907, William's sister Gertrude left England to go live in Albion, New York, United States. There, she got married and had two children. In 1909, his brother Reginald left England to join her in America and, in 1910, other brother Albert followed. The siblings managed to convince William immigrate too. They booked him passage as a third class passenger on the R.M.S. with the ticket 3474, for which they payed for. He boarded the Titanic on April 10th, 1912 in Southampton. William perished in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

The Alexander family would suffer further loss struck them during World War I, taking away two other sons from them. Charles, who served in the Royal Horse Artillery, was killed on September 3rd, 1917, leaving behind a young widow. Sydney served in France with the 9th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and was killed in action on August 24th, 1917.