Biography

Family background

Philip George Alexandre was a lodger in Collingham, with Albert Young, in 1910, and he appears on the 1911 census of Collingham, aged 27 and described as a chartered accountant and insurance manager and a resident of Jersey. Philip was born early in February 1883 - a later pension record gives the exact date as the 2nd, but the 1939 registration forms gives the date of birth as the 7th. We believe that Philip may have been born in Texas, USA the son of Philip Luce Alexandre and Georgiana. He had two sisters, Neenah Alexandra Alexandre (1885-1960) and Maimie Lucille Alexandre (1887-1940) and a brother, Noel Victor Alexandre (1888-1889) who died aged only 1 year old when Philip was only 5 years old.

A few months after the census, on the 21st September 1911, Philip married Mary Elizabeth Gartside at St. Mary in the Baum church, Wardleworth, Rochdale. Philip probably left Collingham around this time and we find him as an absent voter due to military service in 1918 and 1919 at Clare Ville, New Bank, Pool. Philip and Mary had a son, Philip Gartside Alexandre (1916-1992), born on the 18th April 1916.

Service record

Philip George Alexandre served in the 11th Reserve Battalion and then as a 2nd Lieutenant and Captain in the 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. He joined that unit in France on the 24th April 1916, just 6 days after the birth of his son.

As well as The British War Medal and Victory Medal, Philip had been mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1919.

After the war

By 1921, Philip has returned to Pool and appears on the electoral roll for 1921 back at Clare ville, Pool. In the next few years Philip and his family move to Harrogate, in 1924 and 1925 being on the electoral rolls at 42 Knaresborough Road, and 37 Wedderburn Road, respectively. A few years later, in 1938, Philip and family had moved to Surrey, listed at Acacia Cottage, Bailes Lane, Worplesdon, and in the 1939 registration he is shown as being retired and living at that address. In 1945, he remains at this address and we find that Philip George Alexandre died in Surrey in 1946.

Biography last updated 27 September 2021 15:56:36.