| Alexander Keith | |
| Office: | President of the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia |
| Term Start: | 1867 |
| Term End: | 1873 |
| Office2: | 4th Mayor of Halifax |
| Term Start2: | 1852 |
| Term End2: | 1853 |
| Predecessor2: | Andrew MacKinlay |
| Successor2: | Henry Pryor |
| Term Start3: | 1843 |
| Term End3: | 1844 |
| Predecessor3: | Thomas Williamson |
| Successor3: | Hugh Bell |
| Birth Date: | 1795 10, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Halkirk, Caithness, Highland, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Resting Place: | Camp Hill Cemetery |
| Resting Place Coordinates: | 44.6428°N -63.5862°W |
| Nationality: | Canadian |
| Party: | Conservative |
| Residence: | Keith Hall, Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Occupation: | Brewer |
| Mawards: | is not set --> |
| Signature: | AlexanderKeithSignature.svg |
Alexander Keith (5 October 1795 - 14 December 1873) was the founder of Alexander Keith's Brewery, a businessman, politician and Freemason.
After learning the brewing trade from his uncle in Northern England,[1] Keith emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1817 and became manager at a brewery, which he bought out in 1820. In 1822, he moved the brewery to larger facilities and, in 1836, built a new brewery.
The end of slavery in the British and French Caribbean reduced the availability of sugar for rum-making, and other beverages grew in popularity. Beverages brewed by Keith included spruce beer, porter, ginger wine, and strong ale. The brewery is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
From 1837, he served in senior management of various companies, including the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Halifax Fire Insurance Company, Colonial Life Assurance Company, the Halifax Gas, Light, and Water Company, the Provincial Permanent Building, and Investment Society.
In 1841, he was elected to the city council of Halifax and was elected mayor in 1843, 1853, and 1854. In 1843, he was appointed to the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia, becoming its president from 1867[1] until his death in 1873.
Keith served with several fraternal and charitable societies, including as president of the North British Society and Grand Master of the Freemasons.
Born in Caithness, Scotland, in 1795 he immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1817. Keith married Sarah Ann Stalcup in 1822, and they had three children, all of whom died before reaching adulthood. Sarah Ann Stalcup died in 1832, and a year later, Keith married Eliza Keith, with whom he had eight children.[1] Architect William Hay began construction of Keith's new residence, Keith Hall, in 1863. The palazzo mixes styles including baroque and a mansard roof. He died in Halifax in 1873 and is buried at Camp Hill Cemetery. His estate at death was evaluated at $251,000.[1]
his nephew, who was a criminal and Confederate secret agent and used in 1875 a time bomb in an attempt to destroy the ship Mosel in Bremerhaven, Germany, to collect in an insurance fraud scheme.