Huxley, Alexander (Alex)
Private
No. 2412, Connaught Rangers, transferred to
No. 20946, 8th Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Killed in action on Saturday 27 May 1916 (aged 20)
Buried:
St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Loos, France (Grave III. F. 9)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Holywood and District War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Huxley was born on 28 July 1895 in Spencer Street, Holywood and he was a son of Alexander and Margaret Huxley (nee Jamieson) who were married on 22 November 1892 in Holywood Roman Catholic Church. Alexander Huxley from Holywood was a son of Alexander Huxley, a labourer. Margaret Jamieson (aged 19) from Holywood worked as a servant and she was a daughter of Arthur Jamieson, a farmer.
Alexander and Margaret Huxley (nee Jamieson) had two children:
Isabella (Annabella, sometimes Arabella, born 4 February 1893 in Turnamona, Cushendall)
Alexander (born 28 July 1895 in Spencer Street, Holywood)
After Alexander was born, his mother Margaret developed scarlet fever and she died on 3 August 1895 (aged 23).
After Margaret Huxley died, three generations of the Huxley family lived together in Downshire Road, Holywood and then at 69 Trevor Street, Holywood.
Alexander Huxley and his sister Annabella lived with their widowed father Alexander, their uncle William and their grandparents Alexander and Annabella Huxley.
Both Alexander’s father and grandfather worked as general labourers.
Alexander’s grandparents, Alexander and Annabella Huxley (nee McIlmurray), were married on 26 January 1852 in Belfast Registrar’s Office and they had eight children.
Alexander Huxley enlisted in Belfast on 17 November 1914 and he served with the Connaught Rangers (No. 2412) before being transferred on 16 August 1915 to the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers (No. 20946) in 49th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division. He trained at Fermoy, Co Cork, was hospitalised for a week suffering from boils and went to France on 18 February 1916.
Private Alexander Huxley was 20 when he was killed in action at Loos on 27 May 1916 and he was buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Loos, France. His sole legatee was his sister Annabella.
Private Alexander Huxley is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial.