Alexander Douglas Sedgwick was born in 1895, in Perth, Western Australia, to father, Douglas Sedgwick and mother Jane Spence.
Alexander’s father Douglas had built a prosperous business under the name Sedgwick LTD. An oil and colour merchant, he had travelled to London and the eastern states to attend great exhibitions of manufacturers and designers and was one of Perth’s best-known businessmen.
Alexander took a different path, spending most of his early life as a farmer, and founding the family property known as “Montana’ in Toodyay.
Alexander married Joan Curtis on 14 August 1923, in St Mary’s Anglican Church in Busselton. Their son George Douglas Sedgwick, known as ‘Douglas’ or ‘Doug’ was born in 1927.
Not long after the family struck trouble, and the Great Depression led to Alexander filling for bankruptcy in 1933. After losing his farm, Alexander moved the family to the city. Their first house was in Coghlan Road, but they finally settled at 50 Bedford Street, Subiaco. Alexander would go on to find work as a stock inspector and the families prospects improved greatly.
Douglas attended Thomas Street State School and Perth Modern School. Bob Hawke was among his peers during his time at Perth Modern. While at school Douglas served as an air raid warden during World War Two.
