Annie Perrie was born around 1800. She married John Alexander. A daughter, Jane, was born to Annie and John around 1827. Jane married George Carnegie around 1851 in Montrose, Scotland. Annie Alexander’s grandson, James, was the son of Jane Carnegie (Alexander). 

Annie and John Alexander immigrated to Australia from Montrose, Scotland, with their grandson, James, arriving in Melbourne in 1853. They then made their way to the Ballarat goldfields and lived in the vicinity of the Eureka Lead. They were present near the site of the Eureka Diggings at the time of the Stockade battle.

Montrose Cottage, Ballarat, John T. Collins, State Library of Victoria, H90.100/918.

John Alexander, a stonemason, with the help of his son-in-law, George Carnegie, built Montrose Cottage one of the first masonry cottages on the goldfields. Of Georgian architectural style, it has been listed on the Heritage Victoria Register (H0108) as a significant heritage building. It is also included on the National Estate. Montrose Cottage was situated in Eureka Street, which was one of the main roads between Melbourne and Ballarat in the 1850s. The house was built near the site of the rich Eureka gold lead where the Eureka uprising of 1854 was staged. The exact date of construction of Montrose Cottage is not known but believed to be prior to 1856. The basalt it was made from was carted from local deep lead mines. John Alexander named the cottage after his birthplace and lived there until his death.

Annie Alexander died in 1875 aged 75 years and was buried on 9 September at Ballaarat New Cemetery (Pres A 17 14). John died in April 1891 aged 99 years and was buried with Annie.

Laurel Johnson, Women of Eureka, Ballarat 1995, pp. 52-53;

Dorothy Wickham, Women of the Diggings: Ballarat 1854, p. 118.