Born at Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland on the 5th
October 1897, the eldest son of William & Jane
Roy, 11 Gordonsburgh, Buckie, but on the 18th
October 1928, aboard the R.M.S. Athenia, together
with their teenage children - Christina and John,
they travelled to Montreal, Canada where they
settled and resided at Atlas Avenue, Toronto,
Canada.  Alexander's other brother - William Roy,
remained in Scotland and also qualified as a
Doctor.  During WW2 he served as a Lieutenant in
the Gordon Highlanders.

His father was a sailmaker, and continued that
trade in Canada.  Dr. Roy attended Buckie High
School and was Dux Medallist there in 1915.   He
graduated with a M.B., Ch.B. at Aberdeen
University in 1924, having broken off his studies
to serve with the Royal Scots during WW1   He
began his career in Manchester as assistant to Dr.
Peter Reid, who later moved to a practice at East
Church Street, Buckie.  Dr. Roy acquired his
practice shortly after and had been residing at
Manchester since his marriage.  Dr. Reid was to
lose his only two sons during WW2.

During the June quarter 1925 in the Barton on
Irwell R.D. - ref: 8c/1487, he married - Christina
Cooper, whose family home was 24 Belmont Road,
Aberdeen.    They resided at 71 St. John's Road,
Old Trafford.

He was a keen golfer and latterly played at the
Reddish Vale Golf Club.  Of an affable
disposition, Dr. Roy was a popular lecturer in
police, railway, and St. John's Ambulance
classes.

1939 National Registration - 71 St. Johns Road ,
Stretford.    Alexander Roy - Married - born: 5th
October 1897 - occ: Medical Practitioner.  His
notations state that he was an M.O. at a Mobile
First Aid Unit at Yew Tree School, Manchester,
also that he was a lecturer and examiner for the
St. John's First Aid organisation.   Christina Roy
- Married - born: 19th February 1903 - occ: Unpaid
Domestic Duties.   William A. Roy - born: 11th
January 1935.   Lily Hislop - Single - born: 28th
December 1906 - occ: Paid Domestic Servant.

The Doctor's house was demolished in the raid but
fortunately their children - Sheila & William were
in the shelter and escaped injury. After that,
they moved to Gloucester to live with an aunt -
Mrs. Anderson.   

Commemorated in the Stretford WW2 Memorial Book as
having been killed on the 14th March 1941 ??? 
[Wrong date!]   Back in Scotland, he is
commemorated on the Buckie North Church War
Memorial.

He is also commemorated on the University of
Aberdeen Roll of Honour..........BIOGRAPHY: Son of
William Roy; born Buckie, 5 October 1897. Arts,
1915- (MB, ChB 1924). Private, 3rd Royal Scots, 27
November 1915; 1/10th Royal Scots. Served-Ireland,
3 years 2 months. Final rank, Lance Corporal. 
Publication: Roll of Service, edited by Mabel
Desborough Allardyce. Published 1921.  He is also
recorded in the University of Aberdeen's - Roll of
Graduates 1901-1925, and Supplement to the Roll of
Graduates 1926-1955.

I am indebted to David Fowler resident of Buckie
who kindly sent be much of the above information,
plus transcripts of the local (Buckie) Banffshire
Advertiser newspaper reports from their 2nd
January 1941 edition, plus other Memoriam
inclusions.

Death registered in Manchester City.   Listed on
the Manchester (Southern) Cemetery - Civilian
Memorial.

CWGC - Medical Officer in Charge, F.A.P. (Mobile);
of 71 St. John's Road, Old Trafford. Husband of
Christina Roy.   Died at Dr. Rhodes Home,
Cavendish Road, Withington.

The Dr Rhodes Memorial Home was a reception home
for 150 children.  It was erected in 1910 on
Cavendish Road, Withington, a little way to the
north-east of Withington workhouse.   See Peter
Higginbotham's superb website:-
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Chorlton/

I am obliged to Sheila Turton for sharing with us
the following Information:-

"My late parents Clara and Norman Ryder lived in
St Johns Road, Old Trafford [number 23, I think],
which was also where my elder sister and brother
were born.  My parents were very close friends of
Dr Roy and his wife and children.  Dr Roy's wife
Christina [also Scottish] was affectionately known
as Poppy - Auntie Poppy to myself and siblings.  
In retrospect maybe she had that name from the
vivid red lipstick she used to wear, which I used
to look upon in awe at as a small child.  It was
the first time I had ever seen a mosaic floor
which they had in the entrance hall of their
house.  The Roy's had two children Sheila and
William [Billy].  I was named after Sheila Roy.  
My Mother was asked to identify Dr. Roy's body
because he was so badly blown up, she could only
identify him through the colour of his red hair. 
She was then asked to go and break the terrible
news to Poppy.

As far as I remember, Mum telling me about the
awful tragedy, was that Dr. Roy had been called to
a patient and it was the explosion that killed him
from a double decker bus that was bombed leaving a
huge crater in the road in Old Trafford.  That
dreadful moment of having to tell her dear friend
Poppy haunted my Mum 'till the day she died.

After my parents had fled war-torn Manchester and
moved to Halifax in Yorkshire [where I was born],
Billy Roy used to come and stay with us for
holidays.  His and his Mum's ambition, was to
become a Doctor like his Father, but he failed his
Latin.  Nevertheless, he became a very successful
businessman, working all over the world for a
pharmaceutical company.  He never ever forgot my
parent’s kindness to him and his Mother.  For my
late Mum's 80th birthday in 1985 he sent 80
orchids from South Africa.   She had quite a
collection of post cards from him from many
countries.   Billy married and had two children
and finally settled in either Australia or Japan.


His sister Sheila was very successful in banking
and married quite late in life.  Over the years we
lost touch after Mum and Dad had died.  Sheila
would be in her eighties now and Billy in his late
seventies.  Their Father would have been very
proud of them as they were of him."