Biography

ALEXANDER CAMERON

Burial register ID: 8023
Surname: CAMERON
First name: ALEXANDER
Middle names:
Gender: Male
Age: 57 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 24-May-1898
Date of burial: 27-May-1898

Block: 9
Plot: 1A
Inscription:

IN

MEMORY OF

ALEXANDER CAMERON

NATIVE OF CARBOST, SKYE, SCOTLAND,

WHO CAME TO N.Z. IN DREDGE 222

DIED AT CROMWELL OTAGO,

24 MAY 1898

AGED 57 YEARS

AN CUIMHNE LEIBHSE, “AN

CAIDHEAL UASAL” A HA ANN’S

AN UAICH’S A COMHNUIDH

ERECTED BY HIS RELATIVES.

(Monumental Mason, Thomson & Co.)

Bio contributor:

Alexander Cameron (1841-1898)

Alexander Cameron was born at Cabost, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

He came to the colony aboard dredge 222. The Otago Harbour Board hosted a large celebration to herald the arrival of their new large hopper dredge. Amongst the celebrants were such notables as the Hon R.Oliver (M.L.C), Mr T.Bracken (M.H.R.), and Mr M.W.Green (M.H.R.) the Mayor of Dunedin. Dredge 222 was instrumental in deepening the channel in the lower harbour to a uniform depth of 22 feet at low water mark, making it available for use by the largest vessels to visit the port.

Alexander worked as a winch man on dredge 222 for many years. He was also a prominent member and office-bearer of the Gaelic Society, whose meetings he often enlivened with renditions of Gaelic songs, and he was also a liberal contributor to the Society’s benevolent activities.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander Cameron on May 24th 1898 were unusual; his body was discovered early in the morning under the Cromwell Bridge. A young crewman found Alexander still clinging to the mooring rope of the dredge he worked on. That such a physically strong man could meet his death from exposure in this fashion raised questions over how much he had been drinking. Friends had noted that he had been celebrating that night and may have overstepped the mark. The official result of the inquest was that he had “died from exposure, no fault of the dredge manager”.

Alexander Cameron was interred in the Northern Cemetery three days later on May 27th 1898. A large number of Gaelic Society members and other Highlanders and friends, led by a piper playing appropriate laments, were there to pay their last respects. The service was conducted by Mr J.A. Torrance.

(Details from the Otago Witness dated, 4 Feb 1882, 2 June 1898, 25 Sept 1901, 4 April 1906 From the Papers Past Website)

There are 1 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
CAMERON ALEXANDER 57 Years 24-May-1898 27-May-1898