Alexander Kirkland was born on 12February 1826 at Kilmarnock, Scotland to parents Jane (pictured two to the right on the gallery wall) and William. He learnt carpet weaving as a trade but gave this up at the age of 25, when he emigrated to New Zealand with his family on the Maori. The ship arrived at Nelson on Christmas Day 1851 before calling at Wellington. A great number of sailors deserted there, delaying the Kirklands reaching Dunedin until March 1852. On the day after their arrival the family settled in Green Island, where Alexander’s father had purchased a 10-acre allotment prior to their journey. They quickly built a wattle-and-daub cottage and began clearing their land of bush, a back-breaking and labour-intensive task in which the whole family shared. In later years, Alexander used to reminiscence about the terrible roads in early Dunedin and how he would sometimes take a bullock waggon along the ridge line to the flourmill at Woodhaugh rather than take the main ‘road’ through Caversham and along Princes Street.
When gold was discovered at Gabriel’s Gully in 1861, Alexander joined the rush inland with the intention of starting a store with his brother-in-law to cater to the influx of gold seekers. Unfortunately he became ill, and after just two weeks had to abandon the project and return home. Once back at Green Island, Alexander started managing ‘Townend Farm’ for his father, part of over 800 acres the family acquired in the Green Island district over the years. His brother managed another farm while his sister Margaret worked with Alexander, specialising in cheese production. Alexander grew oats, potatoes, and turnips, and managed a herd of around 100 cattle. He found this to be fairly profitable, and lived comfortably in an elegant two-storey house. Alexander did not take much interest in public affairs, though he was a member of the local road board for several years. He was a generous man, and even offered to pay for a local minister’s trip to Scotland. He died on 28May 1905, aged 79. He was unmarried and childless, and left all he owned to his sister Margaret who had also never married.
Mr Alexander Kirkland