Lt. Col. Alexander Livingstone Bruce

Alexander Livingstone Bruce was born in1881 in Edinburgh, Scotland.His father was Alexander Low Bruce, a master brewer. His mother was Agnes Livingstone, daughter of physician, missionary and explorer of Africa, David Livingstone.

Alexander Low Bruce acquired 170,000 acres of land in Nyasaland (current day Malawi) in an estate called Magomero. Alexander Low Bruce died in 1893 and the estate passed to the A L Bruce Trust, until Alexander Livingstone Bruce and his brother and sister were of age to inherit the estate.

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Alexander Livingstone Bruce attended the Edinburgh Academy from 1888 to 1894.

In 1901 he was commissioned in the 16th Queen's Lancers and took part in the Second Boer War.

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In 1908, Alexander Livingstone Bruce moved to the Magomero estate in Nayasaland and took over the financial management of the estate. Alexander and his brother David set up A L Bruce Estates and acquired the assets of the A L Bruce Trust.

Alexander Livingstone Bruce also became a member of the Nyasaland Legislative Council, set up to advise the Governor of Nyasaland, in 1908.

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He joined the King's African Rifles in World War 1 and was in the Battle of Karonga in 1915, one of the first actions fought in Africa. He was awarded the French Croix de Geurre in 1917 and the Military Cross in 1918.

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Growing resentment at the treatment of Africans working on European owned estates and the colonial government in Nyasaland in general led to an armed uprising in 1915, against the estate owners and particularly against the A L Bruce estate. It was led by John Chilembwe, a Baptist pastor, educator and revolutionary. Because of this, Alexander Livingstone Bruce returned to the estate from Karonga and took part in its suppression. Although the uprising was unsuccessful, John Chilembwe is celebrated as a hero of independence in Malawi.

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Alexander Livingstone Bruce returned to England in 1922 and  married Amy Proctor Sanderson in London in 1924. They moved to Norfolk and their daughter, Diana Livingstone Bruce was born there in 1927. Amy died in Norfolk in 1931. By 1939, Alexander Livingstone Bruce was living in Hampshire.

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After World War 1, the A L Bruce Estate failed to become a successful enterprise for a number of years.  Several attempts to sell the business were made. It was finally wound up in 1952.

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Alexander Livingstone Bruce moved to Moncks Dene in 1946. He died in 1954. He was buried with his wife in Norfolk.

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For further information:

On Alexander Livingstone Bruce see ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Livingstone_Bruce

On A L Bruce Estates Ltd see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._L._Bruce_Estates

On Mangomero see Magomero: Portrait Of An African Village by L White.

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