Sir Alexander John Ball | |
|---|---|
,_by_Henry_William_Pickersgill.jpg) Admiral Sir Alexander John Ball, 1st Baronet | |
| Born | 22 July 1757 Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire |
| Died | 25 October 1809 (aged 52) San Anton Palace, Malta |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1778–1809 |
| Rank | Rear-Admiral of the Red |
| Battles / wars | |
| Other work | Civil Commissioner of Malta |
Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander John Ball, 1st Baronet (Italian: Alessandro Giovanni Ball, 22 July 1757 – 25 October 1809) was a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator who served as the Civil Commissioner of Malta. He was born in Ebworth Park in Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire.[1] He was the fourth son of Robert and Mary (Dickinson) Ball and the younger brother of Ingram Ball.
- ^ An anecdote surviving from his school days at the Market House School, Stroud, then directed by Samuel Purnell, says that after the execution of some thieves at Gloucester, the boys decided to play at hanging in the Shambles. Alexander volunteered for the experience and after being suspended for some time in mid-air, everyone thought his performance very life-like. When an older boy came by and cut him down, he was black in the face. Paul Hawkins Fisher Notes and Recollections of Stroud ISBN 0-904387-06-2