ABSTRACT
Alexander wilkie was born on 30 September 1850 at Leven on the coast of Fife. The son of William and Isabella Wilkie, both his parents died while he was still an infant. Alex received a sound elementary education at local schools where he did well winning a number of prizes. Through force of circumstance he left at the age of 13 to become an apprentice in the shipbuilding yard at Alloa. On completing his apprenticeship he followed the custom of the day by going to sea as ship’s carpenter. Wilkie would say of those times: ‘I had the unpleasant experience of finding myself at sea aboard a “coffin-ship” … the owners were surprised, if not pleased, when they heard of our safe arrival in port.’
