Campbell Alexander - A FAMILY HISTORY

Foreword

My father Campbell Alexander began work on this family history after his retirement, and devoted a huge amount of time and effort to it. It turned out that he enjoyed the research more than the actual writing. Although he uncovered a lot of new information, and wrote a substantial amount, he slowed down after he became ill with Parkinson’s Disease, and the work was unfinished at the time of his death in 2009.

After discussions within the immediate family, we decided that we should go ahead and put this information into book form to be shared with the broader family. He intended this book primarily for his siblings and cousins, so we need to get it “out there” sooner rather than later. I have edited the work for consistency, formatting, spelling etc, but have not added any additional material or made changes of substance.

Because the writing was done over a long period of time, it will be observed that he has adopted different styles and approaches in the various chapters. It was his intention to re-work them into a more consistent overall style, but time was against him. I have left the chapters basically as he drafted them.

There are some significant missing pieces, in particular:

- the Ranken chapter peters out at the beginning of the section on RL Ranken,

- the planned Mann chapter was not begun (Pat Alexander has helped out here),

- there is nothing on Fanny Shaw/Ranken,

- there is nothing substantial on Mary Hely, who married Gother Kerr Mann,

- there is nothing substantial on Lucy Campbell, who married Gother Frederick Mann.

For the supplementary Alexander/Walker side of the family:

- the planned Walker chapter is barely started,

- there is nothing substantial on Martha Walker/Alexander (again Pat Alexander has helped out in plugging this gap).

Cam did substantial research and gathered materials on all these people, and these materials are with Janet Alexander. Any family members who feel the urge to follow up and fill out these missing sections are encouraged to do so.

One who has felt the urge is Pat Alexander, who has generously contributed brief chapters on the Manns, and Martha Walker/Alexander. Big thanks to Pat and to other family members who have assisted with information, photos, and photo-identification.

Michael Alexander

Katoomba

August 2014

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