Sir Alexander Baird, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir Alexander Baird (born October 22, 1849 – died June 20, 1920) was an important person in both Scotland and Egypt. He held a special title called a Baronet. In Scotland, he was the Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire for many years. Later, he worked in Egypt, where he helped solve problems as the head of a special board.
Sir Alexander Baird's Life
Alexander Baird was the oldest son of John Baird and Margaret Findlay. He also had a younger brother, also named John, who became a Member of Parliament in Scotland.
He went to a famous school called Harrow School.
Time in Egypt
Alexander Baird spent a lot of his life in Egypt. He even had a house near Cairo. He learned to speak Arabic very well. He cared a lot about the people there and helped with many charity projects. He later became the president of the Permanent Arbitration Board in Egypt. This board helped settle disagreements between people or groups.
Role in Scotland
Besides his work in Egypt, Baird was also the Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire in Scotland from 1889 to 1918. This was a very important job, representing the King or Queen in that area.
He built a large house called Ury House in Stonehaven, Scotland. This house later became owned by the Earls of Kintore.
In 1897, he was given the title of a Baronet of Urie. This is a special honor passed down through families. In 1920, he received another high honor, the Knight-Grand-Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE), for all his hard work in Egypt.
Sir Alexander Baird's Family
On July 16, 1873, Alexander Baird married Annette Palk. She was the oldest daughter of the 1st Baron Haldon. They had seven children together:
- John Lawrence Baird (1874–1947)
- Alexander Walter Frederick Baird (1876–1931)
- Evelyn Margaret Baird (1875–1926)
- Janet Norah Baird (1878–1943)
- Edith Annette Baird (1880–1881)
- Nina Isabel Baird (1882–1919)
- Muriel Jane Baird (1884–1968)
One of his daughters, Nina Isabel Baird, ran a carpet factory in a place called Amria. She employed about 300 local women. Sadly, Nina died in 1919 from Typhoid fever.
