Alexander Brodie (1858-1929)

Alexander Brodie, son of David Brodie (1813-1889) and Isabella Duncan Brodie (1822-1881), was born on the 17th November 1858 at Couper, Angus - a town 12 miles north west of Dundee and 14 miles north east of Perth. David and Isabella had been married 15 years previously on the 1st June 1843 at the historic Caputh Church in the Perthshire parish. The 1871 Census noted that both David and Isabella were born in Caputh which is of course famous as the location where Miss Georgina Ballantine would catch the UK's record 64lb Salmon in 1922 from the Boat Pool on the Tay at Caputh.

	Caputh Church Where David Brodie married Isabella Duncan on 1st June 1843.		George Ballantine's Record 64lb Salmon from Caputh.

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The 1871 Census finds a 13 year old Alexander living with his parents and his siblings Charles, Mary-Ann, Helen and Catherine at 62 Brown Street in Broughty Ferry. Alexander had apparently already left school at this point being employed as a message boy. Alexander appears therefore to have established his later family business success and affluence through his own endeavors given his relatively humble beginnings.

Alexander married Margaret Ferrier Stark on the 5th May 1882 at Victoria Cottage, South Road in Lochee. Alexander and Margaret had been residing, presumably together, at Gordon Street in Lochee at the time. Lochee was noted as a community where large numbers of Irish had settled but there is no current evidence to highlight any Irish connections for the Brodie family. The Brodie Clan origins although mysterious, are generally agreed as being of ancient, probably Pict ancestry.

The 21 year old Alexander was described on his Marriage Certificate by the common uninformative term General Labourer with 19 year old Margaret being noted as a powerloom weaver. Alexander's mother Isabella had sadly already passed away due to cancer just 6 months previously on the 31st October 1881.

Alexander's wife Margaret Ferrier Stark was born George Stark and Isabella Ferrier Stark on the 29th November 1863 at 17 St Andrews Street in Aberdeen. Her parents George and Isabella Ferrier had married on 31st December 1858 at Mill O'Air, Echt in Aberdeen. Echt is a small Aberdeenshire farming village with a population today of approximately 300 people. Margaret's ancestors have also now been traced within the Echt area back to the mid-18th Century and the family which include a Master Shoemaker, have surviving inscriptions recorded within the Skene cemetery.

Alexander and Margaret had at least 4 children together, David Brodie (described in this site), Alexander Brodie, Andrew Brodie and a Georgie Brodie. Alexander's occupation was described as a Fish and Fruit Merchant which apparently was also the profession that his sons Andrew and Alex adopted. We know this due to the undernoted notices posted in the Edinburgh Gazette during March and July 1922 which confirm that Alexander's son Andrew was experiencing severe financial difficulties and from details of Alex's car noted below.

	Edinburgh Gazette Bankruptcy Sequestration Notice for Andrew Brodie 18th July 1922.		Edinburgh Gazette Bankruptcy Petition Notice for Andrew Brodie 14th March 1922.

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Andrew does appear to have continued as a Fish and Fruit Merchant as his marriage aged 35 years to a younger Jane Fullerton (aged 23) on 6th September 1934 in Broughty Ferry again notes this trade as his occupation. Andrew's address by this time was the slightly more modest 2 East Links Place in Broughty Ferry - a mid 19th century 2-storey terrace. This building was however listed on 29th October 1991.

Alexander Brodie passed away due to heart disease and what was described as 'general old age' on the 28th January 1929. He had lived latterly at a substantial property at 61 Fisher Street in Broughty Ferry which is the oldest part of Broughty Ferry. This specific property dates from around 1800 and attained listed status on 4th October 1972. Today, the property comprises a series of expensive flats. Alexander's son George (Georgie) was the Informant, who was himself living nearby at an attractive cottage at 71 Beach Crescent. Alexander's wife Margaret had already passed away on 3rd August 1926 from Septicemia following a foot infection.

A further later official record appears for George Brodie whilst he was living at this same Broughty Ferry address - in respect of his car ownership, which was a Black 12 HP Wolseley Saloon with Registration Mark YJ 9709 on 24th September 1947. Clearly, George has himself also managed to avoid or recover from the earlier financial difficulties experienced by his brother Andrew. To this point, the site author has not been able to trace the Vehicle Registration YJ 9709 in current use. Similar plates are now cherished and generally retail for £2000 upwards.

	George Brodie's Handsome HP Wolseley		Black 12 HP Wolseley Interior

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     Family Tree Summary

Forename	Surname	Born	Died	Cause of Death
Alexander	Brodie	17/11/1858, Coupar	28/01/1929, Broughty Ferry	Heart Disease, Old Age