Person Page - 175

     Alfred William Fraser was born on 11 September 1863 in the Free High Church Manse, Inverness, Scotland; at 10 a.m.² He was the son of Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. and Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon.¹ Alfred William Fraser appears on the census of 4 April 1881 at 3 Cambridge Square, London.³ He married Clara Phillips, daughter of Jacob Aaron Phillips and Sarah Matthews Newton, on 31 October 1894 in Queensland.^4,5 On 20 September 1921 in the notice of the engagement of his daughter Queenie he is described as being of Kartum and 21 Lexham Gardens, Kensington.
Mackenzie describes him as an engineer in Queensland. In 1898 he is named as an executor in the will of Charles William Maillar Munro and is described a s a railway inspector of Main Range Camp.^6,7,8,9
In May 1923 Fraser travelled from Port Said and landed at Plymouth from the P&O steamship Nagoya. He was listed as being in the Sudan Government Service.¹⁰ He was probably the Alfred William Fraser aged 82 whose death was registered in the quarter ending March 1946 in the Paddington, London registration district.¹¹

     Alice Mead Fraser was born on 13 June 1866 (though the 1901 Census gives the year as 1867).^1,2 She was the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Mary Mead Torrance.¹ Alice Mead Fraser married Dr. Henry Raymond Casgrain circa 1892.¹

     Amy Millicent Fraser was born on 19 March 1863.¹ She was the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Mary Mead Torrance.¹ Amy Millicent Fraser married Theodore Arnold Haultain, son of Major Gen. Francis Mitchell Haultain and Isabella Thomas, on 23 June 1886 in Detroit, Michigan.¹ Amy Millicent Fraser died on 23 February 1924 in St. George's Hospital, London, at the age of 60.²

     Annabella Jane Fraser was born on 27 December 1864.¹ She was the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Mary Mead Torrance.¹ Annabella Jane Fraser married Herbert Barber Walker circa 1890.¹ Annabella Jane Fraser died in 1927.¹

     Sir Bruce Donald Fraser K.C.B.. Comptroller and Auditor-General, Exchequer and Audit Department, 1966–1971. He was born on 18 November 1910.² He was the son of Major-General Sir Theodore Fraser K.C.B., C.S.I., C.M.G. and Constance Ruth Stevenson. Sir Bruce Donald Fraser K.C.B. married Audrey Croslegh on 12 May 1939 in St.Michael's Church, Chester Square, London, The Rev. W.H. Elliott officiated, assisted by the Rev. W.R. Flex.^2,3 Sir Bruce Donald Fraser K.C.B. died on 22 August 1993 in Cardiganshire at the age of 82.⁴

     Caroline Ruth Leigh Fraser was born circa 1948.¹ She was the daughter of Sir Bruce Donald Fraser K.C.B. and Audrey Croslegh.² Caroline Ruth Leigh Fraser died on 9 April 1977 in France in a car accident.^2,1

     Rev. Donald Fraser D.D.. Free Church Minister and author.² He was born on 15 January 1826 in Inverness.^3,1 He was the son of John Fraser and Lillias Fraser.¹ Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. was baptised on 11 February 1826 at Inverness by the Rev. Robert Finlater. James Monro and George Fraser were witnesses. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen (M.A., 1842, D.D., 1872), and studied divinity at Knox College, Toronto, and New College, Edinburgh. He was ordained in 1851 a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and from 1851 to 1859 he was minister of the Coté St. Presbyterian Church in Montreal. He then accepted a charge in Inverness and in 1870 he became minister of Marylebone Presbyterian Church in London.⁴ He married Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon, daughter of Maj. Gen. Alexander Gordon R.E. and Zébée Anne Rose Touzi, on 28 April 1853 in Kingston, Canada, the service was conducted by the Rev. R.V. Rogers an Episcopal (Church of England) Minister.^5,2,6 In a 1876 conveyance the address of Donald Fraser and his wife Theresa Isabella was given as at 20 Powis Square, Bayswater. Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. died on 12 February 1892 in 3 Cambridge Square, Hyde-park, London, at the age of 66 of pneumonia.^3,4 He was buried on 19 February 1892 in Chapel Yard Cemetery, Inverness,,





                         

     Col. Donald Gordon Fraser was born on 18 February 1902 in Monmouthshire.^3,2 He was the son of Ernest Gordon Fraser and Florence Ellen King.¹ Col. Donald Gordon Fraser died in November 1975 in Rockfield, Monmouthshire, at the age of 73.³

     Rev. Donald Fraser M.A. was born on 13 January 1783.³ He was the son of Rev. Dr. Alexander Fraser and Isabella Fraser.² Rev. Donald Fraser M.A. was appointed in 1802, minister of the parish at Kirkhill, near Inverness.¹ He married Jane Gordon, daughter of Peter Gordon of Borlum and Mary Grant, on 2 November 1802.^2,3 Rev. Donald Fraser M.A. died on 12 July 1836 at the age of 53 "Mr Fraser attended a funeral at Kiltarlity, and was returning home in a gig driven by a boy, when the horse stumbled, and he was thrown from his seat. Mr Fraser did not seem to be seriously hurt, but he grew worse during the afternoon, and expired the same evening at eleven o’clock. He had burst a blood vessel. "The deceased was a highly popular clergyman, of great talent, learning, and eloquence, and of accomplished manners. There was scarcely a pulpit within the wide circle of the Northern Counties in which his virtues were not eulogised last Sunday, in language which came from the heart, and awakened kindred emotion on the part of the congregation." "From the "Inverness Courier," 20 July 1836.^4,5

     Edith Constance Fraser was born in 1868.¹ She was the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Mary Mead Torrance. Edith Constance Fraser died on 24 January 1900 in 57 Pitt Street, Windsor, Ontario, spinster.²

     Edward Ellice Fraser was the son of John Fraser and Selina Torrance.¹ Edward Ellice Fraser died in 1852 in Kokouna on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.¹ He was buried in London, Ontario.¹

     Edward Gordon Fraser was born on 25 July 1855.¹ He was the son of Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. and Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon.¹ Edward Gordon Fraser died on 31 July 1855 of convulsions.² He was buried on 1 August 1855 in Erskine Presbyterian Church.

     Elizabeth Fraser was born circa 1905 in Michigan.² She was the daughter of Frederick Laing Fraser and Bessie F. Beatty.¹

     Elizabeth Dorothea Fraser was born on 20 March 1905.^2,3 She was the daughter of Major-General Sir Theodore Fraser K.C.B., C.S.I., C.M.G. and Constance Ruth Stevenson.² Elizabeth Dorothea Fraser married Major Harold Charles Harker Taylor O.B.E., son of H. Harker Taylor, on 6 November 1928 in St. James's, Piccadilly.⁴ Elizabeth's death was registered in the quarter ending December 1990 in the Pershore, Worcestershire registration district.⁵

     Ella Lilias Fraser was born on 3 February 1895 in India.¹ She was the daughter of Ernest Gordon Fraser and Florence Ellen King.^1,2 Ella Lilias Fraser died on 5 June 1987 in Gloucestershire at the age of 92.

     Ernest Gordon Fraser. Engineer in the Indian Civil Service.³ He was born on 21 August 1856 in Canada.^4,5 He was the son of Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. and Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon.² Ernest Gordon Fraser was baptised on 28 September 1856 at Coté St. Presbyterian Church, Montreal. He married Florence Ellen King, daughter of James Pearce King, on 1 November 1893 in Baughurst, Hampshire.⁶ Ernest Gordon Fraser died on 1 November 1935 in St. Leonards on Sea, Sussex, at the age of 79.^4,7

     Florence Grace Fraser was born on 19 November 1866 probably in Edinburgh.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. William Fraser and Margaret Cuningham Playfair.²

     Frederick John Fraser was born on 6 May 1867 in the Free High Church Manse, Inverness, Scotland.^1,2,3 He was the son of Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. and Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon.¹ Frederick John Fraser appears on the census of 4 April 1881 at 3 Cambridge Square, London.¹ On 12 September 1888 he started military service as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Liverpool Regiment and was seconded to the Indian Staff Corps in 1892. In 1912 he is listed as a Major, Second Double Company Commander in the 33rd Punjabis and Lt. Colonel 46th Punjabis 12 September 1914.⁴ Fraser wrote several plays and the lyrics to many songs, some of which were performed by Amy Woodforde-Finden. He took action to recover damages for plagiarism of a plot of one of his plays. This was reported in a several newspapers:

Loud and frequent laughter was heard in Mr Justice Darling's crowded court during the hearing of the action brought by Captain Frederick J. Fraser against Mr George Edwardes, the well-known theatrical manager, who, he alleges, appropriated the "general scheme" of 'The Cingalee" from a play submitted to him under the title of "The Hanjiahn, or The Lotus Girl."
Mr George Edwardes, wearing a light grey suit, joined heartily in the hilarity provoked now and again by Mr Justice Darling's witticisms, and Mr Hayden Coffin, Miss Louie Pounds, Mr Pinero, Mr Huntley Wright, Mr Lionel Monckton, Captain Basil Hood, Mr Adrian Rose and Mr Howard Talbot followed the case with intense interest.
Mr Bankes, K.C., described the interview which took place between Mr J.L. Tanner and Captain Fraser after Mr Edwardes had agreed to produce "The Lotus Girl," on the understanding that the officer collaborated with Mr Tanner in making the dialogue more humorous.
In March, 1903, Mr Edwardes wrote to Captain Fraser's solicitors in London, saying that as a consequence of the difficulty about collaboration he had decided not to utilise Captain Fraser's play. "At that very time," said counsel, "Mr Tanner must have been writing the play, for in August he was actually in communication with Mr Anstey with reference to their writing up a Babu part for Mr Huntley Wright. This character was not to be taken from Mr Anstey's book 'Babu Jaberjee, B. A.' to which Captain Fraser had himself referred Mr Edwardes as a good model for a Huntley Wright part." Then counsel plunged into a glowing description of "The Lotus Girl," its beautiful Kashmir scenery, its characters, and its plot. One of the scenes was a lake fringed with wild iris. "When Mr Tanner changed the scene from Kashmir to Ceylon in his own play he took the iris .with him, and wild iris does not grow in Ceylon," said counsel. "But this was not the only mistake committed by Mr Tanner in copying," added Mr Bankes. "In 'The Lotus Girl' was the character of an Eastern potentate who, being a Kashmir Mahometan, would have a large number of wives; in fact, in the play he wanted to marry as many as 20 of the characters. But Mr Tanner made his Ceylon ruler also the possessor of a harem. Now, a ruler in Ceylon must be a Buddhist, who does not approve of harems."
"A Buddhist?" remarked Mr Justice Darling. "He was a bigamist, too." The court rippled with merriment.
"The only difference between the plays," concluded Mr Bankes, "is that Mr Tanner introduced a character named Lady Patricia Vane."
Then Captain Fraser described his various interviews with Mr Edwardes, with scene-painters, costume designers, and, finally, with Mr Huntley Wright. The latter objected to playing a native part, as suggested by Mr Anstey's "Babu" book.
"Mr Edwardes told me that Huntley Wright would have to play what he was told," said the captain. There was not a vestige of smile on the captain's face, but the court roared with laughter.
"In 'The Cingalee, he continued, "there was a half-caste girl, who should, of course, have no caste mark, but who was identified by mach a mark. In my play the Babu had the mark."
"That reminds me of Box and Cox." murmured Mr Justice Darling, meditatively, "and of the man who was identified because he did not have a strawberry mark on his arm."
The Babu in Captain Fraser's scenario was described by Mr Justice Darling, with the manuscript before him, in the words: "He has been partly educated and called to the bar."
Rows of grey wigs shook with mirth as the judge read the description in tones of sorrow rather than of anger.
There was another shout of laughter when Captain Fraser referred to the fact that, as in "The Lotus Girl," there was a lotus lake in "The Cingalee." This was in spite of the fact that there was no such lake in Ceylon. "I maintain that they took my lake," exclaimed the captain in a voice of thunder.
The "Hanjiahn" boat girls are fair to look upon, but the tea girls in Ceylon are coolies from Madras, "the very blackest and ugliest of their kind," exclaimed the captain. "The tea girls in 'The Cingalee' came from Kashmir.
Captain Fraser continued that while in "Hanjiahn" he introduced a party of officers dressed to play polo, a party of tea planters came on in "The Cingalee" in similar costume.
The "chee chee" accent, peculiar to Hindus who had learnt English, and found in the "Hanjiahn," was also found in "The Cingalee.'' Characters, said: "I am veree soree," instead of "I am very sorry.
"In "The Cingalee" one of the characters said to a friend. "Sell yourself, old Chutney. Sell your black hair, old Bombay duck."
Captain Fraser claimed that "Bombay duck" was taken from "The Lotus Girl."
"What is a Bombay duck?" asked the judge.
"It is a dried fish," said the captain solemnly.
"You know that musical comedy in written on conventional lines?" asked Mr Issacs, who appeared for Mr Edwardes.
"We know they all are," said the judge in a weary tone. Then his lordship proceeded to examine photographs of pretty Kashmir girls. "I see that Captain Fraser has written on the back of them, 'The prettiest do not allow themselves to be photographed.' "
"It is very different in this country," said Mr Rufus Isaacs.
"In 'San Toy,' 'The Geisha' snd 'The Cingalee,' is there not an English officer who falls in love with the beautiful girl of each country?" continued counsel.
"It must be a common habit." remarked the judge.
"Not peculiar to English officers abroad," replied Mr Isaacs.
Mr Isaacs was putting to Captain Fraser a series of questions as to the commonplace nature of the general scheme of musical comedies, when Mr Justice Darling said: "If these plays are so common, why are they not written by machinery?"

The jury had found for the plaintiff, and awarded him £3000 damages. The Otago Witness, 17 May 1905.

     Frederick Laing Fraser was born in 1862 in Detroit, Michigan, though various census report his birth place as Canada.^2,3 He was the son of Alexander Fraser and Mary Mead Torrance.¹ Frederick Laing Fraser married Bessie F. Beatty, daughter of James Beatty, on 3 June 1891 in Chatham, Ontario.³

     Helen Millicent Fraser was born on 24 August 1861. She was the daughter of Rev. Donald Fraser D.D. and Theresa Eliza Isabella Gordon. Helen Millicent Fraser died on 10 January 1866 at the age of 4 Inverness Chapel Yard #1827 (Panel). "Two sisters asleep in Jesus, Helen Millicent Fraser, died 10th January 1866, aged 4 years; Lillias Isabella Fraser, died 4th May 1869, aged 4 weeks. Daughters of Rev. Donald Fraser, Inverness."

     Hugh Barron Fraser married Clara Emma Jones on 29 November 1894.^2,3 Hugh Barron Fraser died in 1937.

     Isabella Fraser was born on 24 June 1758.¹ She was the daughter of Colonel Alexander Fraser of Culduthel and Lilias Chisholm.² Isabella Fraser married Rev. Dr. Alexander Fraser, son of Rev. Donald Fraser.¹

     Isabella Fraser was the daughter of Rev. Donald Fraser M.A. and Jane Gordon.¹

     Isabelle May Fraser was born on 16 May 1895 in Queensland.¹ She was the daughter of Alfred William Fraser and Clara Phillips.^2,1

     Jane Fraser was the daughter of John Fraser and Lillias Fraser.¹ Jane Fraser died on 7 March 1870 in Montreal.

     Jane Speirs Playfair Fraser was born on 11 June 1858 probably in Gourock.³ She was the daughter of Rev. William Fraser and Margaret Cuningham Playfair.¹ Jane Speirs Playfair Fraser married Dr. Alexander Robert Coldstream M.D., F.R.C.S.E. on 28 September 1886 in Queen's road Presbyterian Church, Brighton, Sussex, the service was celebrated by her uncle.^1,2,4

     Jane Torrance Fraser was the daughter of John Fraser and Selina Torrance.¹

     Jean Gordon Fraser was born on 15 October 1898 in India.² She was the daughter of Ernest Gordon Fraser and Florence Ellen King.¹ Jean Gordon Fraser married Major Hanmer Gethin Bodvel Griffith M.B.E. in April 1929 in Monmouth.¹ Jean's death was registered in the quarter ending March 1981 in the Evesham, Hereford and Worcester registration district.^1,2

     John Fraser was the son of Alexander Fraser and Annabella Munro. John Fraser. Merchant and ship owner and sometime Commissioner in Canada of the British North American Land Company. Provost of Inverness.^1,2 He married Lillias Fraser, daughter of Rev. Donald Fraser M.A. and Jane Gordon. John Fraser married secondly Selina Torrance, daughter of John Torrance, on 7 May 1839 in St. James Methodist Church, Montreal.^3,4 John Fraser died in 1852 in Ontario he was thrown from his carriage, falling on his head.⁵