Groves, Alexander John Oswald (1906-1928)

Alexander John Oswald (Alex) Groves was born in 1906, in Masterton, the son of Frederick William and Annie Groves (nee Brading). The family farmed at "The Terrraces," in Tinui, and later moved to Pahiatua. Alexander died on 16 September 1928, at Pahiatua, after a long illness.

The friends of Mr and Mrs F.W. Groves of Pahiatua will regret to hear of the death of their son Alex at the age of 22 years, which occurred at Pahiatua on Sunday evening after a long and trying illness. The funeral takes place at 2.30 p.m. to-day.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Personal items, 18 September 1928, page 4.

Alexander is buried in Mangatainoka Cemetery. The headstone reads:

In loving memory of Ralph Frederick, dearly beloved son of Fred & Annie Groves, died Nov. 7, 1921, aged 23 years. Also their fourth son Alex J. O. Groves, died Sept. 16, 1928, aged 22 years.

Other children in the family were:
William Frank Groves (pictured above), born 28 July 1893. He married Lillian Ivyton Parsons in 1919. They had three children:

• Frederick Charles Groves, 1920-2010

• Alice Jean Groves, born 4 November 1921. She married William Thomas Daley on 17 November 1945, in Pahiatua

• Noelene Norma Groves, born 25 December 1926 in Pahiatua. She died on 2 April 1940, in Hawkes Bay.

Ellen Lucy (Nellie) Groves was born in 1895 in Tinui, Masterton. She attended Wanganui Girls' College.  She died at Castlepoint on 25 April 1911.

Ralph Frederick Groves was born in Tinui in 1898 and died at Pahiatua on 7 November 1921, aged 23.

Douglas Sidney Groves, born 1902 in Tinui, Masterton. He married Elizabeth Fairhurst Bulloch on 14 September 1935, and died at Masterton Hospital on 5 December 1937. At the time of his death they had an infant daughter.

David Victor Groves, born 1911 probably at Masterton. He married Clarice Mildred Riesterer on 15 December 1937, in Auckland. He died in 1990 in Masterton.