ALSOP, Alfred William
Born 27 December 1893; died 19 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 24
Alfred and Annie Jane ALSOP née GREEN married in 1888 and lived in Paekakariki, a seaside village 45 km northeast of Wellington. Paekakariki was an important stop on the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company’s railway line from Wellington to Longburn in the Manawatu. Alfred worked as a fireman on the railway. The work of firemen was skilled, requiring them to raise or bank the engine fire as appropriate for power needed along particular parts of the route, and performing other tasks for maintaining the locomotive according to the orders of the locomotive driver.
Alfred William was the youngest of Alfred and Annie’s four surviving children – baby brother, Leonard born in 1898, died the same year. The children all attended Paekakariki School. By 1896 the family had moved to Longburn, a rural settlement just outside Palmerston North in the Manawatu region. Annie had registered as a voter and her name appears on electoral rolls from 1896 onwards, alongside Alfred’s father’s.
Longburn is significant in railway history, as the Longburn Railway Station was the northern terminus of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, New Zealand's most prominent and successful private railway. The line between Longburn and Wellington was completed in 1886 and at Longburn, passengers and goods transferred between the Wellington and Manawatu Railway and the New Zealand Railways Department network. There was also a dairy factory and a large freezing works sited adjacent to the railway line, which meant this was a particularly busy railway environment.
In 1900 the Alsops' father, Alfred, was recorded in the Electoral Rolls as a locomotive engine driver. He was one of the elite employees of the railway – engine drivers were at the top of a strictly regulated and hierarchical career path. The family had to move around to follow Alfred in his work, but they seem to have stayed in the Manawatu, settling for a time at 44 Waldegrave Street in Palmerston North. Young Alfred William attended Longburn District School and Palmerston North High School. Known locally as ‘Billy’, he played tennis and football with enthusiasm and enjoyment (source obituary in Manawatu Standard 20 November 1918) and belonged to the United Manawatu Lodge 1721 E.C.
On leaving school he was employed by Messrs Hankins and Lockhart Fitzherbert (solicitors) and then took up a position as a commercial travelling representative for Messrs Charles F Spooner and Co, printers, of Palmerston North for whom he was working when he signed up for active service in February 1917. He attested that he was living at home with his mother at 44 Waldegrave Street. He named his mother as next-of-kin. At nearly 5ft 9 inches tall, and weighing 162lbs Alfred had a dark complexion with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. (Source WWI Army file)
Alfred never saw active service as a Medical Board found him to be unable to march without pain caused by a knee injury (displaced right knee cartilage) suffered when playing football 3 years previously. He was accordingly graded ‘C’ and fit for Home Service only.
In June 1918 Alfred married Eva May TAYLOR and the couple lived with his parents at 44 Waldegrave Street. Alfred was again assessed for military service in September 1918 but his grading status was reconfirmed.
Alfred was in Wellington, presumably working as a commercial traveller, when he became ill with influenza. He died at Lyall Bay on 19 November, at the peak of the epidemic, and was taken to Karori Cemetery for interment. He died intestate. His wife Eva was pregnant at the time. Their son was born in 1919, and named Alfred William Henry Alsop, known as Bill. When Eva died in 1962 she was buried with her husband, and their son and his wife joined them in 1972 and 1989 respectively. The family grave in the second Anglican section of Karori Cemetery has a stand-alone plaque on which is lettered:
‘O union sweet that death cannot sever, there we shall meet, where sad tears fall never, sweet be thy rest'.
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 87 E
Born 27 December 1893; died 19 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 24
Alfred and Annie Jane ALSOP née GREEN married in 1888 and lived in Paekakariki, a seaside village 45 km northeast of Wellington. Paekakariki was an important stop on the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company’s railway line from Wellington to Longburn in the Manawatu. Alfred worked as a fireman on the railway. The work of firemen was skilled, requiring them to raise or bank the engine fire as appropriate for power needed along particular parts of the route, and performing other tasks for maintaining the locomotive according to the orders of the locomotive driver.
Alfred William was the youngest of Alfred and Annie’s four surviving children – baby brother, Leonard born in 1898, died the same year. The children all attended Paekakariki School. By 1896 the family had moved to Longburn, a rural settlement just outside Palmerston North in the Manawatu region. Annie had registered as a voter and her name appears on electoral rolls from 1896 onwards, alongside Alfred’s father’s.
Longburn is significant in railway history, as the Longburn Railway Station was the northern terminus of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, New Zealand's most prominent and successful private railway. The line between Longburn and Wellington was completed in 1886 and at Longburn, passengers and goods transferred between the Wellington and Manawatu Railway and the New Zealand Railways Department network. There was also a dairy factory and a large freezing works sited adjacent to the railway line, which meant this was a particularly busy railway environment.
In 1900 the Alsops' father, Alfred, was recorded in the Electoral Rolls as a locomotive engine driver. He was one of the elite employees of the railway – engine drivers were at the top of a strictly regulated and hierarchical career path. The family had to move around to follow Alfred in his work, but they seem to have stayed in the Manawatu, settling for a time at 44 Waldegrave Street in Palmerston North. Young Alfred William attended Longburn District School and Palmerston North High School. Known locally as ‘Billy’, he played tennis and football with enthusiasm and enjoyment (source obituary in Manawatu Standard 20 November 1918) and belonged to the United Manawatu Lodge 1721 E.C.
On leaving school he was employed by Messrs Hankins and Lockhart Fitzherbert (solicitors) and then took up a position as a commercial travelling representative for Messrs Charles F Spooner and Co, printers, of Palmerston North for whom he was working when he signed up for active service in February 1917. He attested that he was living at home with his mother at 44 Waldegrave Street. He named his mother as next-of-kin. At nearly 5ft 9 inches tall, and weighing 162lbs Alfred had a dark complexion with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. (Source WWI Army file)
Alfred never saw active service as a Medical Board found him to be unable to march without pain caused by a knee injury (displaced right knee cartilage) suffered when playing football 3 years previously. He was accordingly graded ‘C’ and fit for Home Service only.
In June 1918 Alfred married Eva May TAYLOR and the couple lived with his parents at 44 Waldegrave Street. Alfred was again assessed for military service in September 1918 but his grading status was reconfirmed.
Alfred was in Wellington, presumably working as a commercial traveller, when he became ill with influenza. He died at Lyall Bay on 19 November, at the peak of the epidemic, and was taken to Karori Cemetery for interment. He died intestate. His wife Eva was pregnant at the time. Their son was born in 1919, and named Alfred William Henry Alsop, known as Bill. When Eva died in 1962 she was buried with her husband, and their son and his wife joined them in 1972 and 1989 respectively. The family grave in the second Anglican section of Karori Cemetery has a stand-alone plaque on which is lettered:
‘O union sweet that death cannot sever, there we shall meet, where sad tears fall never, sweet be thy rest'.
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 87 E