McDonald, Alexander (1882-1973)

Rev. Alexander McDonald
Supplied by Judith Rogers
Elizabeth Ethel McDonald, nee Watson
Supplied by Judith Rogers

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

ALEXANDER McDONALD: who died on 11th March, 1973 in the ninety-first year of his age and the sixty-fifth of his ministry served in the following circuits: Halstead and Great Bardfield, Dover and Deal, Crewe, Blackburn, Wigton, Durham, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Crewe, Berwick-on-Tweed and Pickering (West).

Family

Alexander was born on 19 December 1882 at Sherburn Hill, Co. Durham, parents Hugh McDonald, a police constable (1881) and died in 1888, and Agnes Ferguson, baking powder packer (1891).

The 1901 census records Alexander working in a coal mine.

He married Elizabeth Ethel Watson (1889-1944) in the summer of 1912 in the Houghton Le Spring Registration District, Co. Durham. Elizabeth was the daughter of Rev. Thomas Jameson Watson. Birth records identify four children.

  • Muriel Norma (1913-1972) – a school teacher (1939); married Wilfrid Phillipson in 1947
  • Donald Arnold (1915-2006) – a school teacher
  • Agnes Irene (1916-2011) – state registered nurse (1939); married Richard G Salkeld in 1945
  • Sheila (1931-1937) – died of diphtheria

Alexander died on 11 March 1973 Crossways Green, Chepstow, Monmouthshire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1908 Halstead &c
  • 1910 Dover & Deal
  • 1912 Crewe II
  • 1915 Blackburn III
  • 1919 Wigton
  • 1923 Durham
  • 1928 Middleton in Teesdale
  • 1933 Crewe
  • 1937 Berwick
  • 1944 Pickering W
  • 1949 Barnard Castle (S)

References

Methodist Minutes 1974/146

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Downloads

Comments about this page

  • Rev. Alexander McDonald and his wife (known by her second name Ethel) are my maternal Grandparents. It’s been a pleasure to have been able to provide their photographs along with some family information. Thank you to Geoff Dickinson for including everything on this page.

    By Judith Rogers nee Phillipson (05/08/2021)

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