Alec was born on 9th October 1925 in Cleethorpes.

From 1929 to 1936 he attended Reynold’s Street Infant and Junior School and from 1936 to 1939 Elliston Street Senior School. He had no formal further education but is very proud of his bookkeeping skills, being “self taught”.

From 1932 to 1938 he sang in the Church choir and from 1939 to 1942 he was leader of the Sea Cadet drum and bugle band. Between 1945 and 1948 he was their instructor.

He was a barrow boy and filleter from leaving school until 1943 when he went into the Royal Navy. When he was 17½ he was selected for the Communications Branch in the Royal Navy, quite an achievement for a boy who left school at 14

In 1946 he became a policeman and in the following year a self-employed fish merchant.

He has been married to Lil for over fifty years, has two beautiful daughters and five wonderful grandchildren.

He says one highlight of his life was being Chairman of the Orpheus – "The finest gentlemen I have ever met”. Surely another must be being the President of that same group of fine gentlemen.

Although he claims a lack of formal education he has an amazing ability to put feelings into words, as many of us have witnessed when Alec has been called upon to say a few words about one of our members who has moved on to sing in a higher choir.

He has one main ambition left, “to live for another year”.

Many choirs have local dignitaries, local gentry or even royalty as President. WE have a local dignified human being. WE have a thorough gentleman. WE have Alec Bills.