Alexander Fraser (Royal Navy officer)

He was born in Lerwick on the Shetland Isles the son of Hugh Fraser, an exciseman, and his wife, Jane Linning.

[1] He sat a lieutenant's exam and joined the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Royal Oak in March 1773 under Captain George Balfour.

In 1774 he moved as acting lieutenant to the frigate HMS Scarborough under Captain Andrew Barkley again off the coast of North America.

[2] He next moved to the ship of the line HMS Chatham under Captain John Raynor and was part of Admiral Molyneux Shuldham's attack and occupation of Long Island.

[5] In March 1799 he took over the frigate HMS Diana based in the West Indies and captured the French privateer La Medie.

[12] He died on 29 December 1829 at Sandlodge near Sandwick in the Shetland Isles but is buried in New Calton Burial Ground in central Edinburgh.

He seems to have had no link to Edinburgh but the grave has a pleasant view over the Firth of Forth looking to the North Sea and this may be the sole reason for burial here.