# Alexander Mayes > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Mayes > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Mayes.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mayes > Source revision: 1335601034 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For his son the cricketer, see [Alexander Mayes (cricketer)](/source/Alexander_Mayes_(cricketer)). **Alexander Mayes** (1859–1941) was a builder and politician in [Toowoomba](/source/Toowoomba), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), Australia. He was [Mayor of Toowoomba](/source/Mayor_of_Toowoomba). ## Early life Alexander Mayes was born on 17 July 1859 in [Largo](/source/Largo,_Fife), [Fifeshire](/source/Fifeshire), Scotland.[1] He learned his trade as a builder in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), [London](/source/London) and [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow).[2] Mayes moved to Toowoomba in June 1886 at the age of 26.[3] ## Business life Mayes spent 35 years in Toowoomba, becoming a prominent builder.[3] He is known to have worked on the [Toowoomba City Hall](/source/Toowoomba_City_Hall), [Toowoomba Post Office](/source/Toowoomba_Post_Office), Tooowoomba Masonic Hall, Commercial Bank, [Toowoomba Technical College](/source/Toowoomba_Technical_College) and [Vacy Hall](/source/Vacy_Hall) and many private homes. Circa 1901, he built his own home *Largo* (now the heritage-listed [Gowrie House](/source/Gowrie_House)) based on a design by Toowoomba architect, [Harry Marks](/source/Harry_Marks_(Queensland_architect)).[4] ## Public service Mayes was active in local politics, being mayor of Toowoomba in 1896, 1903 and 1917.[3] He was honorary superintendent of the Toowoomba Fire Brigade for many decades.[2] He was a prominent [Freemason](/source/Freemason).[2] ## Personal life Mayes was married twice. He married his first wife Eleanor Godsall (née Hickey, 1843–1896), the widow of Toowoomba mayor Richard Godsall (1837–1885) on 20 June 1888; she had nine children by her first marriage. Eleanor died on 23 August 1896.[5] He married his second wife, Miss Helena Agnes (Nellie) Grieves of [Warwick](/source/Warwick,_Queensland), on 6 October 1897 in the Warwick Presbyterian Church.[6][7] He had four sons with his second wife: Bruce Toowoomba Mayes (a professor of obstetrics at [University of Sydney](/source/University_of_Sydney)), [Alex Mayes](/source/Alexander_Mayes_(cricketer)) (a doctor and cricket player), Hector Mayes and Charles Mayes (a Presbyterian minister).[2] ## Later life Mayes left Toowoomba in 1922 for [Bilinga](/source/Bilinga,_Queensland) near [Coolangatta](/source/Coolangatta) and returned to Scotland in 1926.[8][3] A staunch Presbyterian, he led the establishment of a Presbyterian church in Lower [Currumbin](/source/Currumbin,_Queensland), which officially opened on 8 May 1926.[9] He died in his residence in [Newmarket](/source/Newmarket,_Queensland), Brisbane on 28 November 1940.[3] He was cremated at the [Mount Thompson Crematorium](/source/Mount_Thompson_crematorium) on 30 November 1940.[2] His wife Nellie died on 25 April 1948 and her cremated remains are interred with her husband's in the crematorium grounds.[1] ## References 1. ["Alexander Mayes"](http://www.heavenaddress.com/Alexander-Mayes/835702). *HeavenAddress*. Retrieved 15 December 2016. 1. ["MR. ALEXANDER MAYES"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187020310). *[Warwick Daily News](/source/Warwick_Daily_News)*. No. 6662. 29 November 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 15 December 2016. – via National Library of Australia. 1. ["Toowoomba City Council Mayors"](http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/our-region/history/past-mayors/11431-toowoomba-city-mayors). Toowoomba Regional Council. Retrieved 15 December 2016. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2014. 1. ["Queensland News."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article123362858). *[Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser](/source/Queensland_Times,_Ipswich_Herald_and_General_Advertiser)*. Vol. XXXVII, no. 5481. 25 August 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 15 December 2016. – via National Library of Australia. 1. ["WEDDING."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170132712). *[Darling Downs Gazette](/source/Darling_Downs_Gazette)*. Vol. XXXIX, no. 9,241. 9 October 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 15 December 2016. – via National Library of Australia. 1. ["ORANGE BLOSSOMS."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76575571). *[Warwick Argus](/source/Warwick_Argus)*. Vol. XXXIII, no. 2664. 9 October 1897. p. 7. Retrieved 15 December 2016. – via National Library of Australia. 1. Uniting Church in Australia. Burleigh Heads Parish (1998), ["Burleigh Heads Methodist/Presbyterian/Uniting Church : 75 years of Christian witness 1923-1998"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12467827), Uniting Church in Australia 1. Uniting Church in Australia. Burleigh Heads Parish (1998), ["Burleigh Heads Methodist/Presbyterian/Uniting Church : 75 years of Christian witness 1923-1998"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12467827), Uniting Church in Australia --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Mayes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mayes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mayes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.