Biography.guide
Home › People › Australian rules football player › Alec Birrell
Portrait of Alec Birrell

Alec Birrell

1885 – 1948

Australian rules footballer

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Alec Birrell

Lived 1885 – 1948 (aged 63). Alec Birrell was an australian rules football player and physician.

William Alexander Hamilton Birrell (24 January 1885 – 11 May 1948) was a doctor and an Australian rules footballer who played for University in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

The oldest son of Albert Veit Birrell and Christina Matheson, Alec Birrell was born in Laen (near Donald, Victoria) and was educated at Geelong College where he was a prominent member of the school football team.

He proceeded to study medicine at the University of Melbourne and during his student years Birrell was promoted from the seconds to play one VFL match for University against South Melbourne in the first round of the 1911 VFL season.

After graduating as a doctor in 1914, he served with the 20th Light Horse and British Royal Army Medical Corps in World War I. Upon his return to Australia, Birrell practiced in Nathalia for several years. Birrell was also Vice President of the Nathalia Football Club in 1923.

Birrell later brought into a medical practice in Cheltenham, Victoria in 1927.

In 1920, he married Mary Adela Lane and they had three children together. He died in the Repatriation Hospital in Heidelberg on 11 May 1948.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Education
The Geelong College, University of Melbourne
Also known as
William Alexander Hamilton Birrell

People in Alec Birrell's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alec Birrell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alec Birrell?

Australian rules footballer (1885–1948)

When was Alec Birrell born?

Alec Birrell was born on 24 January 1885 in Laen.

When did Alec Birrell die?

Alec Birrell died on 11 May 1948 in Heidelberg.

What was Alec Birrell's occupation?

Alec Birrell was an australian rules football player and physician.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alec Birrell

· Wikidata: Q4714079

· DBpedia: Alec Birrell

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alec Birrell. https://biography.guide/alec-birrell/

MLA: "Alec Birrell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alec-birrell/.

Chicago: "Alec Birrell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alec-birrell/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC