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Alexander John MacRae (25 December 1889 – 30 November 1938) was a sports entrepreneur and clothing manufacturer. Born in Scotland, he emigrated to Australia where, in 1914, he founded the company that became the swimwear giant Speedo.
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Alexander MacRae | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alexander John MacRae 25 December 1889[1] |
| Died | 30 November 1938 (aged 48) Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupations | |
| Known for | Founder of Speedo |
| Spouse | Martha MacRae |
| Children | 6 |
| Parents |
|
Early life
MacRae was born on Christmas Day 1889 in Applecross, Ross, Scotland, the son of Murdo and Mary MacRae.[2][3] In 1910, he immigrated to Australia.
Career
It was in 1914 that he founded the hosiery company MacRae Knitting Mills in Regent St Sydney, Australia.[citation needed] In 1918, the company moved into a larger factory in Camperdown. The company was growing quickly, which required more space to manufacture what was becoming an icon of Australia. In 1928, a competition was held to see who could come up with a new name for the business. The name "Speedo" was born and it is the company's name to this day.[4] Later, he flew to America and set the business up there.[citation needed]
Personal life
He married Martha MacRae. They had five sons and a daughter: Alisdair, William, James, Ronald, Duncan, and Jean. All of their sons became directors of Speedo. MacRae died on 30 November 1938, aged 48.[5]
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