Bird, Alfred 'Alf' Edward (1876-1929)

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : Australia

Alfred 'Alf' [10] Edward BIRD was born in Handswick (possibly Handsworth?), Stafford, England [1] in 1876. He had four brothers and one sister, and was the son of grocers Ephraim Bird and Anne 'Annie' Chetwynd.

The family lived in 7 Hawthorne St, Harborne in Warwick (Alfred's brother Herbert was born there [1]); and was still there by 1881 [1].

When Alfred was 6, the family packed up and started a new life in Australia. The journey began with a trip to Plymouth, where they boarded the British India steamship Merkara on March 5 1883 for the long haul to Australia.

Curiously, Alfred's mother Anne was not listed as a passenger on this trip (possibly pregnant or ill, and joining them later in Australia). Travelling alongside Alfred (listed simply as 'Alf') was his father Ephraim, brothers Henry Ernest and Joseph William, and sister Amy 'Lizzie'. The party arrived in Cooktown on May 11 1883, landed in Townsville a couple of days later [16].

By 1903 the brothers had moved out of home and were establishing separate careers. Alfred was living in Walker St, Townsville; working as a clerk [14]. Henry was living in Macrossan St, Townsville; working as a plumber [14].

Alfred married Lily Bradfield in Brisbane, Australia (in the home of M. Marhy, Maryvale St Toowong [5]) on 8 Jan 1900 / 1901 [2,5]. At this time his occupation was noted as clerk [5].

Together they had nine children :

1. Victor Alfred (1901 - 1940) [6]
2. Joyce Lilian (1904 - 1932) [6]
3. Rex Edward (1906 - ) [6]
4. Harold Edward (1910 - ) [6]
5. Clifford Chetwynd (1912 - 1912) [6]
6. Douglas Arnold (1913 - 1997) (3,4)
7. Kent Noel (1915 - 1915) [6]
8. Howard Bradfield ( - 1961) [6]
9. Clive Burnett (1917 - )

In 1913 Alfred was living in William St, Townsville [11]; together with his wife Lily and their 5 children. Alfred was noted as an accountant [2] at this time.

The family moved to the suburb of Tinana, Maryborough; later moving to 'Cora Linn' [8] (house name), in Elena St, Maryborough. 'Cora Linn' was later known simply as #9 Elena St. (NB : 'Cora Linn' may refer to the waterfall near Glasgow, popularised by Wordsworth)

In 1917 [13] he began working as a manager for Sim's Ltd (timber merchants - in partnership with William Pettigrew & Sons). By 1922 he had moved to 9 Elena St, Maryborough [12]. He was working as a secretary at this time.

In 1919 his father passed away in the nearby town of Ayr. Alfred was noted as being a secretary [8] (presumably at Sims).

By 1924 [15] he was a member of the Maryborough Chamber of Commerce.

The environmental and health impacts of working in a sawmill were not closely looked at until much later that century. Alfred - who had been working for timber merchants who dealt with a great deal of kauri pine - passed away from various breathing conditions (chiefly asthma and bronchitis) on 22 Apr 1929 in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. By this time he had reached the occupation of Manager at Sims.

He was buried the following day in Maryborough Cemetery (Section C, Plot 847 [17]), and an obituary was published in the Maryborough Chronicle [13]. Funeral started at Wesleyan Church (since demolished) at 10:30.

Sources

1. 1881 Staffordshire census
2. Birth certificate of Douglas Arnold Bird
3. Noted as fourth son in newspaper clipping at time of marriage
4. Death certificate of Douglas Arnold Bird
5. Marriage certificate of Alfred Edward Bird
6. QLD Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages
7. Recollections of Darrel and Heather BIRD (nee STERLING)
8. Maryborough Rate Book
9. MCC Cemetery Records
10. Record of assisted shipping on the Merkara, from England to Australia
11. 1913 Queensland Electoral Roll
12. 1922 Queensland Electoral Roll
13. Published obituary in Maryborough Chronicle, April 23 1929
14. 1903 Queensland Electoral Roll
15. Maryborough Chronicle, April 2 1924
16. Queensland Immigration Records
17. Site visited