MR ALEX FRASER HAS EXHIBITED POULTRY FOR SIXTY-TWO YEARS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18786, 15 June 1929, Page 26 (Supplement)

MR ALEX FRASER HAS EXHIBITED POULTRY FOR SIXTY-TWO YEARS

IN HIS 95TH YEAR, BUT WON AGAIN THIS YEAR.

The oldest poultry fancier in Canterbury (Mr Alexander Fraser) was the recipient of many congratulations during the recent poultry show on his wonderful longevity and his record as a fancier, which goes back to 1869. Mr Fraser, who is in his ninety-fifth year, has been a successful exhibitor in Christchurch for 62 years, and was well enough to attend the annual dinner last week.

Mr Fraser was born on February 24, 1835, at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Scotland. As a boy he served his ap prenticeship at the baking trade in all its branches for six years, and then he shipped aboard a whaling ship for Greenland. He returned to the baking trade for twelve months, and again sailed for Greenland as a baker. After returning from Greenland he again followed his trade in Scotland for twe’ve months, and then sailed for Cape Colony and remained there for several months, leaving for India to take oi er a position as overseer on the rice plan tations. He remained for a few months in India, but finding the climate too hot he left for Holland with a cargo of rice. Leaving Holland soon after his arrival, he sailed for Scotland, and it was then he was advised to emigrate to New Zealand.

Leaving the East India Docks, London, with his brother Charles in Janu arv. 186l r in the sailing ship Victoria,

Mr Fraser landed in Lyttelton on March 31, 1862. He started work immediately on his arrival in Christchurch with Mr Johnson in the Triangle on High Street. After leaving Mr Johnson’s he was employed by Mr Matthews, adjoining the saleyards by the White Hart Hoetl. After being in Mr Matthews’s employ for eighteen months as a baker and pastrycook, he began business as a master baker in Montreal Street, Sydenham, where he erected a bakehouse and dwelling. On Januarv 9,186 S, he was married to Miss Agnes ’Scott, at St Andrew’s Presbyterian manse, by the Rev Charles Fraser. In 1874 he sold his business to D. Neave and Son, bakers, and took up some land at Dunsandel. Owing to his wife’s failing health he decided to sell his farm, and in 1901 he came to Papanui and celebrated his golden wedding in January, 1918, and his diamond wedding in January, 1928. His wife died in June a few months after the diamond wedding. Mr Fraser’s two brothers James and Charles, both celebrated their golden weddings in Christchurch, and both passed away at the age of eighty-three. Mr Fraser’s youngest brother, John Davidson, died last month at Gisborne, in his eighty-fourth year. It was as a breeder, exhibitor and judge of poultry that Mr Fraser came into prominence. He was a pioneer member of the Christchurch Poultry Club. In 1869 he became a member and exhibitor, and in 1871 he won the cup for the highest number of prizes—winning twenty-tw’o first prizes in the Christchurch show on that occasion.

Mr Fraser was present at the annual dinner held last Friday evening by the Christchurch Poultry Club, and the chairman said he was very pleased to announce that they had in the company some outstanding figures in the history of the Christchurch Poultry Club. Mr Alex Fraser, who was a foundation member, and was now in his ninety-fourth year, had competed for sixty-two years and was a winner again this year. He had won one cup with twenty-two first prizes in 1871, and at this year’s show he won first prize for utility White Leghorn hen Mr Fraser was a noted black red game breeder and exhibitor for many years, and in partnership with Mr Robert Boswell, of Hornby, he had a successful career as a prize winner in the game classes. He was also well known as a breeder and exhibitor of all varieties of Hamburghs, and when the Christchurch Poultry Club imported silver-spangled Hamburghs, Mr Fraser was asked on behalf of the club to inspect and give his oandid opinion of the birds. His nephew, Mr Thomas Fraser, was a successful exhibitor of Anconas in 1924, winning the Christchurch Poultry Club’s challenge cup and the South Island championship, and was also a winner at the recent show. Another relative, Mr Charles Rowland Hill, was also a successful breeder and exhibitor of Anconas, win ning two South Island championships, one at Oamaru in 1923 and one at the Christchurch show held last week. He also won the New Zealand championship in 1927 at Wellington with Anconas.

Mr Fraser, before coming to New Zealand, was a well-known Highland dancer. In Scotland four years before leaving for New Zealand he won the sword dance championship against twenty-five competitors in Scotland, and in New Zealand he was a wellknown judge and instructor of Highland dancing. His nephew, Mr John Fraser, was a noted Highland dancer competing at Highland gatherings in all parts of the South Island, and was for several years dancing master for the Caledonian Society in Christ church. His nephews, Messrs James and John Fraser, were founders of the Scottish Society in Christchurch in 1902, and that society is still in existence to-day. Owing to his wife’s death Mr Fraser sold his property at Papanui and is now living in retirement with his son, Mr John Fraser (who is a retired station master of the New Zealand i ailways), at 462, Hereford Street, Linwood.