Catherine Elizabeth b. 11 December1827 d. 04 October1900
Henry Beckles b. 13 September1830 d. May1865
Sarah Louisa b. 20 May1833 d. Aug 1899
William b. 19 July1835 d.Mar 1868
Arthur b.07 September 1836 d.12 July1894
Henrietta b.06 April1838 d. May 1887
Eileen b. 31January 1840 ---
Frederick Adolphus b.19 October1841 d. 28 July1912
Julia b. 21 September 1843 ---
Geo L A b. 29 December 1847 d. 11March1920
Evalina Hitlzer b. 07 June1853 d. 02 October1884
Clara Augusta b. 01 September1845 ---
text
The three brothers Charles, Richardson and Hall Alexander, who went abroad, all achieved success in varying degrees. "When the Island of Grenada was threatened with trouble from the West African labour working on the plantations, the Spirit of the Lord Lochaber asserted itself in his descendent Charles who immediately raised a strong body of Militia, both horse and feet, from amongst the planters, which he himself commanded and relieved the situation. For his services he was given a Colonel's commission by Queen Victoria. He shortly afterwards became a member of the Executive Council and returned home for the last time in 1861 when he contracted pneumonia on the voyage and died on arrival at the port of London and was consequently buried in the cemetary at Bow near the docks."[1]
During their sojourn in the West Indies, the three brothers Charles, Richardson and Hall made frequent voyages back to their native land. They lived at Mt.Iendice(?) in St.Patricks.[2]
In 1845 their father died at Auchininna at the age of 84 and was buried at Inverkeithny, and shortly afterwards Auchininna which had been the home of the family for over 200 years knew them no more. On the death of his father, the elder son Charles bought Don Bank House near the river Don at Aberdeen and this was occupied by the family for several years.
In 1840 Charles (born 1802) married Margaret Drysdale Douglas (born 1819) daughter of Andrew Douglas of Jodburgh and Berwick-on-Tweed and his wife Helen Agnes Drysdale. [3]
Douglas, the second surviving son of Charles Alexander was born in 1849 and after completing his education in Aberdeen he returned to Grenada to manage his father's property Montreuil which had been left in trust for the family. In 1871 Douglas married Annie Elizabeth McEwen (born 1853) and by her had eight sons and four daughters. Like his father before him Douglas became a member of the Executive Council and the owner of several estates in the island. He died in London in January 1910 and was buried in the same grave as his father at Bow.
The other two married daughters of Charles Alexander and Helen Drysdale Douglas were Helen and Agnes who were twin sisters born in 1844. Helen married Arthur Gall, an officer of constabulary in Barbados and had two sons and daughters. Arthur Henry Beckles Gall was born in 1870 and became a very successful planter. In 1899 he married his cousin Margaret Edith Gall.
Arthur Henry Beckles Gall joined his uncle, Douglas Alexander at Montreuil at the age of seventeen and his obituary records that he became "Manager at Waltham in 1894 which position he held until the time of his death".
Charles had died by1861at the age of 59 and his wife died four years later. Douglas, the second son of Charles, was only twelve when his father died and probably returned to Grenada between about 1865 and 1868 on completion of his education in Aberdeen. The estate had been left in trust for the family and it is from this time that ownership became dispersed amongst many disperate parts of the family few of which bore the Alexander name.
The family history of "The Alexanders of Locaber and Inverkeithny" records that Douglas was a successful member of the local community becoming a member of the Executive Council and the owner of several estates on the island. The estate was managed by him and then by Arthur Henry Beckles Gall. The estate was therefore managed by a family member into the begining of the Twentieth century.
In 1967 the estate was producing 47,078lbs of cocoa,18,078lbs of nutmeg and mace and 362,489lbs of bananas. With the sales of coconuts and copra and other provisions and fruit this had produced an income of WI$49,986. By 1969 sales of cocoa had dropped to 45,327 and of bananas to 301,511lbs. In 1968 only19,826lbs of nutmeg and mace were sold but this rose to 32,536lbs in 1969. Income had dropped to ECC$53,321. By 1971 income has dropped to ECC$26,517.
Mr Otway was the last manager of the estate but he did not live there. By 1972 he had gone to live in Barbados.
It is difficult to tell from the accounts why this rapid drop in performance happened but a number of factors were to blame. During the 1970s parts of the estate had to be sold off to meet the running costs.At the begining of 1970 the estate was about 300 acres but after sales of over 89 acres this had been reduced to 211 acres with perhaps some of the best land being lost to the estate.
The fortunes of Montreuil Estate waned with the fortunes of the Island. Grenada was a British Colony until 1958 when it joined the Federation of the West Indies. It achieved Associate Statehood in 1967 and full independence in 1974. Many of the ills of the island were blamed on the Prime Minister's shoulders and the name of Eric Gairy did not come off the lips of the owners easily. Worse was to come when the then Sir Eric Gairy was overthrown in 1979 by the Marxist New Jewal Movement led by Maurice Bishop who established a People's Revolutionary Government. On 14 October 1983 Bishop was ousted by a New Jewal faction and then was murdered. These were troubled times for the whole island. Those left on the island must have lived in fear of the worst and the owners overseas must have despaired at ever seeing any more profit from Montreuil.
As a young man of seventeen, Mr.Gall started his planting career in Montreuil under his uncle the late Douglas Alexander. In a few years his planting ability was recognised and he was appointed Manager of Waltham in 1894 which position he held until his death.
Mr.Gall was of a quiet and retiring disposition, a man of sterling character, beloved and respected by all with whom he came in contact, for his generous, kind an straightforward manner towards life.
He was one of the finest planters that the West Indies had seen, and his opinion on all things agricultural was sought for, not only in this island [Grenada], but in the neighbouring islands of Trinidad and Tobago. It is no exaggeration to say that it will be found very difficult to fill his place.
In his younger days he was a very keen and fine tennis player, and he always took the greatest interest in all kinds of sport.
Of later years he has been far from well but his indomitable spirit and extraordinary love for his calling kept him in harness until the last.
He leaves his widow, his sister Mrs P.A.F. Macleod, and his brother Mr H.F.D Gall to morn his loss.
It is not amiss to say, now that he has passed away from amongst us,
"Well done thou good and faithful servant"[5]
2. Information in letter from Sissie to Cynthia Gall, 4.2.86
3. I assume the marriage took place in Scotland and that he took his bride to the WI. Where were the children born?
4. Does anyone know how the Alexander's got involved in Montreuil?
5. Undated press cutting found with Cynthia Gall's papers on the Montreuil Estate
He was a plantation manager and his connection with Montreuil came through his mother Helen nee Alexander (b.1844 d.1924). Douglas Alexander was her brother (b1849).
His brother was Herbert Frederick Douglas Gall (b.1875 d.1947).Born: St.Lucia 1875
Married: Antigua 1921
Died: Barbados 1947 (age 72)
St.Lucia->England->Gold Coast->Antigua->Dominica->Barbados
HFD Gall born in St.Lucia and educated in England. He was an Agent
and general manager of branches of the the Colonial Bank. He was in West Africa (Gold Coast) on the outbreak of the
First World War (1914-1918). He stayed there, as he was considered to be in a
reserved occupation. By the time he married in 1921 he was acting Manager at the Colonial Bank in Antigua.
HFG was Manager of Barclays
Bank (DC&O) in Dominica from 1921-1935 when he retired.
He married Ida
Aileen Duke (b.1900 d.1970) in 1921 and they had two daughters, Cynthia
Helen (b.1922) and Clara Jocelyn (b.1923). Cynthia followed her father
into banking in the West Indies and then her uncle's interest in horticulture
when she lived in England. Clara married Michael St.John O'Carroll and
move with him to England at the end of the Second World War.
THE GALL FAMILY VAULT
The Gall family vault was built by Henry Beckles GALL in February 1853 and
bears a plaque recording this. It is in the graveyard of St.Michael’s Cathedral,
Bridgetown, Barbados, under a large Breadfruit tree.
There is also a plaque recording the internment of Herbert Frederick Douglas GALL and his wife Aileen GALL.
Frederick Beckles GALL wrote: “When Aunt Edith died she was put in the vault.
Only time I’ve ever been into a “current” vault- very weird.” He also states
that his father was not buried there (George Louis Beckles GALL).
Who is buried in the vault?
When I visited St.Michaels in May 2006 the curate could not find the details
of burials. We can assume that HB Gall was buried there, but were any of
his immediate relatives moved/buried there?
The list then is:
Henry Beckles GALL 1804-1862
Margaret Edith Gall who married Arthur Henry Beckles GALL
Herbert Frederick Douglas GALL 1875-1947
Aileen Ina (nee Duke) GALL 1900-1970
[David O'Carroll, May 2006]
|
WILL of JAMES GALL of St.John
Daughter Hannah Cheesman, wife of Francis Cheesman, two named slaves, and if she die then to my daughter Frances Ann Gall. ???? wife Hannah Vanty Gall gift of slaves, amd at her death for granddaughter [mittak?] Kirton Cheesman dau of Francis and Hannah C. My grandson James Gall Cheesman son of said Francis & Hannah C. Residue to wife Hannah Vanty Gall for life and then to dau Francis Ann G. Wife sole exx. Dated: 1 June 1773. Proved 27 May 1774 |
|
WILL of JOHN GALL of St.John, planter.
Daughter Elizabeth Margaret GALL, several slaves & £500. Daughter Katherine Leslie GALL, slaves and £500. Daughter Ann Clark GALL, slaves and £500. Daughter Elizabeth Gittens GALL slaves and £500 In consideration of the ample fortune I received by my wife Elizabeth GALL, formerly E Gittens, and from a long and strict experience of merit together with her extraordinary maternal affection and her singular fidelity and prudence, I give her all residue of my estate for her life; and afterwards to my son John GALL at 21. Executors to have power to buy plantations, stock etc for improvement of my estate. My children to be maintained out of the profits of my estate until they receive their legacies. To my brother, William GALL, Christopher Estwick GALL and Thomas GALL each 50/- to buy a ring. Wife and brothers William and Christopher Estwick GALL, friends Joseph WOOD and Nathaniel WEEKS to be exx. And exer
Dated 13 August 1770. sd John Gall Proved 1 Oct 1770 |
|
Will
of WILLIAM GALL of Christ Church, planter. Sick All my estate to my children Henry Beckles GALL, Mary Judith, Margaret Christian, John Beckles, and Elizabeth Beckles at 21 or marriage in the case of the girls. Wife Sarah exx and guardians.
Dated 22 June 1784. Proved 24 June 1784
|
|
Will
of SUSANNA GALL of St George, spinster. [not transcribed] |
|
Will
of JOHN GALL of St.Phillip |
[not transcribed]
|
Will
of SARAH GALL of St.Michael, widow To William, son of my son Henry Beckles GALL…….[more] Dated 24 February 1810. Will and codicil proved 21 Decd 1811 |
|
Will
of Mary Ann GALL of St.John, spinster Nephew Henry Beckles GALL son of my brother William GALL decd. £5 John REECE son of my friend Francis Reece decd. £100. Brother Christopher Estwick GALL £10 per annum. Residue to my sister Elizabeth GALL and she to be executrix. Dated 22 December 1803. Proved 15 October 1812 |
|
Will
of Christopher Estwick GALL of St. Philip. 21 acres and 5 slaves to be sold and the money to be divided between my loving wife Sarah Elizabeth GALL and my two daughters Eliza and Christian Mehitabel. To my son John William Estwick GALL and two daughters the interest on debts due to me and the capital at 21. Executors Thomas Brig.. and John Wright of St.Philip. Dated 27 Dec 1820. CE Gall. Wits: John Wright, Jas
Wm. Wright. Proved 19 June 1821 |
|
Will
of Elizabeth GALL Dated 3 December 1813 |
|
Will
of William GALL of St.John Estate to be divided ¼ to children of my sister Sarah CARBERRY, viz Joseph Alleyne C. Wilhemina Sharp C. and Clara C. at age 21 or marriage. ¾ to brother Henry Beckles GALL, and he to be executor. Dated 19 Septr 1838. Proved 1 May 1839 |
|
Will
of Henry Beckles GALL of St Michael To wife Sarah Halmon born Hitzler all my property knowing that she will perform a mother’s part by my children and she be exx. Dated 17 December 1860. Proved 22 August 1862 |