Harper, Alexander
Ex-Lieutenant
3rd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, previously
No. 3/5818, 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Died of disease on Sunday 27 April 1919 (aged 31)
Buried:
Carnmoney Cemetery
Commemorated:
Bangor Rugby Football Club Memorial Plaque
BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Harper was born on 19 May 1887 in Chichester House, Belfast and he was a son of William and Jane Harper (nee Moreland) who were married in Carnmoney Presbyterian Church on 7 August 1872. William Harper, a solicitor from Belfast, was a son of Hugh Harper, a gentleman. Jane Moreland, a minor from Ballyduff, was a daughter of Andrew Moreland, a farmer.
William Harper was a solicitor and he and Jane had 13 children:
Agnes (born 31 May 1874 in Throne Villas, Ballygoland, Belfast)
Elizabeth (born 28 October 1875 in Ballygoland, Belfast)
Jane (born 22 December 1876 in Throne Villas, Ballygoland, Belfast)
William (born 6 August 1878 in Throne Villas, Ballygoland, Belfast)
Margaret (born 13 January 1880 in Throne Villas, Ballygoland, Belfast)
Hugh (born 26 September 1882 in Ballygoland, Belfast)
Andrew Moreland (born 10 November 1883 in Ballygoland, Belfast)
Robert (born 21 December 1884)
Mary (born 15 April 1886 at 3 Chichester Terrace, Belfast)
Alexander (born 19 May 1887 in Chichester House, Belfast)
Kathleen (born 19 January 1890 in Chichester House, Antrim Road, Belfast)
Eileen (born 27 August 1893 in Chichester House, Belfast)
Louis (born 21 January 1898 in Antrim Road, Belfast)
Their father, William Harper, died of thrombosis in Chichester House, Belfast on 28 December 1908 (aged 66).
The death of ex-Lieutenant Alexander Harper was reported in the 30 April 1919 edition of The Northern Whig:
HARPER, ALEXANDER, Lieutenant, late 3rd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.
The late Lieutenant Harper was buried in Carnmoney Cemetery on 29th April 1919. He was the fifth son of the late Alderman Harper, solicitor, and of Mrs. Harper, Chichester House. Deceased, who was 31 years of age, served in Dublin during the Easter insurrection, and later went out to Salonica, being in the firing line for over a year. After being invalided home with enteric, Mr. Harper was sent to the Officers’ Training Corps at Fermoy and received his commission in the 3rd Seaforth Highlanders (51st Division), being immediately sent out to France, where he was on service at the time of the final big push. Owing to heart trouble he was invalided out of the army, and the consequent breakdown in health terminated fatally. The late Mr. Harper was an enthusiastic and clever exponent of the Rugby code in football. He had played in the Dungannon Royal School Cup team, the Belfast Royal Academical Institution Cup XV, and was an ardent supporter and player of the Bangor Rugby Football Club, and subsequently of Malone Football Club. He had the honour of representing Ulster in the Rugby senior inter-provincials. While with the colours he continued his active association with the game. The chief mourners were Hugh Harper, Andrew Moreland Harper, and William Harper (brothers), James Barron, James Jenkins, Alex. Jefferson, and Doctor W. J. Taggart (brothers-in-law).
On his death certificate it is recorded that Alexander Harper was a civil engineer and he died of epilepsy at 48 Princes Street, Belfast on 27 April 1919 (aged 31). He was buried in Carnmoney Cemetery.
Ex-Lieutenant Alexander Harper was buried on 29 April 1919 and, the following day, on 30 April 1919, his brother William died of pneumonia in Chichester House, Belfast (aged 41).
Alexander Harper is recorded as having served and survived on the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour for Fortwilliam Park Presbyterian Church Belfast.
Ex-Lieutenant Alexander Harper is commemorated on the memorial plaque in Bangor Rugby Football Club.