Alderman Mrs Joyce Oliver Alexander, MBE. 1891 – 1982. Town Councillor.
Mrs Alexander moved to Bexhill with her husband Captain D F Alexander in 1939. At the outbreak of war later that year she began her long career in the town’s public life. She joined the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) and was largely responsible for billeting evacuees and, the following year, for making evacuation arrangements for local children and families. Spike Milligan particularly remembers her work with the WVS for the soldiers billeted here during the war. She was also involved with the Air Raid Precautions Control Centre and was the local representative for the Women’s Land Army. Mrs Alexander was first elected a town councillor in November 1945, representing St Marks Ward, Little Common. She was elected Mayor three times, in 1954–55, 1955–56 and 1962–63. In 1964 she was elected an Alderman. Her great interest whilst serving on the council was housing and social welfare.
Her public service included serving on committees of many town organisations including the Citizens Advice Bureau and Bexhill Hospital. She was a governor of the Down County Secondary School and Manager of Little Common County Primary School. Alderman Mrs Alexander always had the well being of the town at heart, giving her wholehearted support to many ideas and organisations. In recognition of her many outstanding services she had rendered, the council in 1968 conferred upon her the Honorary Freedom of the Borough, previously only given to ten people since the towns incorporation in 1902. A special garden within Egerton Park was formed in her memory and bears a memorial plaque.