Alford, Henry

Descendants of :

Henry ALFORD

a.k.a. Henry Halford

for sources and more details, click here

Generation 1

1. Henry ALFORD was born 12 Feb 1816 in Acton, Middlesex, England and died 20 Feb 1892 in Kent Town, SA. He married Elizabeth Ann ROBERTS 18 Dec 1844 in Adelaide, SA. She was born ABT 1812 and died 26 Jun 1875 in Glynde, SA. He married Ellen Taylor HUNTER 31 May 1877 in Kent Town, SA. She was born ABT 1829 and died 30 Sep 1908 in 71 Rundle Street, Kent Town, Adelaide SA, daughter of William HUNTER.

Other events in the life of Henry ALFORD
Occupation: Policeman, Publican
Immigration: 16 Aug 1836, John Pirie

Children of Henry ALFORD and Elizabeth Ann ROBERTS:
i. 2. Henry ALFORD was born ABT 1839 and died 21 Mar 1882 in Adelaide, SA
ii. Elizabeth ALFORD was born ABT 1842 and died 17 Jun 1843
iii. Elizabeth Ann ALFORD was born 25 Feb 1846 in Adelaide, SA and died 04 Jun 1846 in Adelaide, SA
iv. 3. Edwin ALFORD was born 22 Jul 1847 in Adelaide, SA and died 31 Jul 1900 in Glynde, SA
v. Julia ALFORD was born 05 Aug 1849 in Adelaide, SA and died 07 Dec 1852 in Adelaide, SA
vi. Elizabeth Anne ALFORD was born 22 Oct 1851 in Adelaide, SA and died 21 May 1854 in Adelaide, SA
vii. Mary Ann ALFORD was born 08 Sep 1854 in Adelaide, SA and died 10 Aug 1859 in Norwood, SA

Generation 2

2. Henry ALFORD was born ABT 1839 and died 21 Mar 1882 in Adelaide, SA. He married Mary DAVIS 04 Jul 1860 in Glynde, SA. She was born ABT 1836 and died 30 Aug 1880 in Maclaren Street, Adelaide, SA.

Children of Henry ALFORD and Mary DAVIS:
i. 4. Mary Ann ALFORD was born 22 May 1861 in Adelaide, SA and died 15 Sep 1929 in Wyalkatchem WA
ii. Henry Edwin ALFORD was born 17 Aug 1862 in Adelaide, SA and died 23 Feb 1918 in NSW
iii. Samuel Davis ALFORD was born 28 Jun 1865 in Adelaide, SA and died 19 Feb 1866 in Glynde, SA
iv. 5. Elizabeth Davis (Bessie) ALFORD was born 24 Oct 1868 in Adelaide, SA and died 01 Nov 1953 in Payneham, SA

v. 6. Arthur George ALFORD was born 14 Dec 1870 in Adelaide, SA and died 02 Jun 1950 in Adelaide, SA
vi. Frank ALFORD was born 27 May 1874 in Adelaide, SA and died 21 May 1878 in Adelaide, SA

3. Edwin ALFORD was born 22 Jul 1847 in Adelaide, SA and died 31 Jul 1900 in Glynde, SA. He married Evelina Moore TOWNSEND 27 May 1874 in Campbelltown, SA. She was born 17 Feb 1853 in Adelaide, SA and died 11 Oct 1915 in Glynde Road, Hectorville, SA, daughter of John TOWNSEND and Grace MOORE.

Children of Edwin ALFORD and Evelina Moore TOWNSEND:
i. 7. Elizabeth Ann ALFORD was born 09 Jun 1875 in Campbelltown, SA and died 1959 in Elwood, Victoria
ii. 8. Evelina Glynde ALFORD was born 16 Mar 1891 in Glynde, SA and died 02 Feb 1939 in Adelaide, SA

Generation 3

4. Mary Ann ALFORD was born 22 May 1861 in Adelaide, SA and died 15 Sep 1929 in Wyalkatchem WA. She married Conrad Ludwig Johann August JAHN 15 Feb 1882 in Golden Rule Hotel, Adelaide SA. He was born 09 Jan 1856 in Hahndorf SA and died 27 May 1922 in Northam WA, son of Heinrich Friedrich Nicolaus (Henry) JAHN and Regina Margaretha Katharina WIESE.

Other events in the life of Mary Ann ALFORD
Burial: Northam Cemetery, WA

5. Elizabeth Davis (Bessie) ALFORD was born 24 Oct 1868 in Adelaide, SA and died 01 Nov 1953 in Payneham, SA. She married Joseph TOY 05 Aug 1890 in Norwood, SA. He was born 30 Sep 1866 in Burra, SA and died 13 Mar 1912 in Glynde SA.

6. Arthur George ALFORD was born 14 Dec 1870 in Adelaide, SA and died 02 Jun 1950 in Adelaide, SA. He married Elizabeth Ann PIERSON 26 Dec 1898 in Adelaide, SA. She was born 25 Sep 1878 in Pirie, SA and died 05 Aug 1941 in Parkside, SA, daughter of Smith PIERSON and Ann BAKER.

7. Elizabeth Ann ALFORD was born 09 Jun 1875 in Campbelltown, SA and died 1959 in Elwood Vic. She married William Stokes LUMBERS 23 Sep 1903 in Campbelltown SA. He was born 1878 and died 23 Jan 1939 in Adelaide SA.

8. Evelina Glynde ALFORD was born 16 Mar 1891 in Glynde, SA and died 02 Feb 1939 in Adelaide, SA. She married Gordon Campbell CHURCH 24 Apr 1920 in Adelaide, SA. He was born 27 Dec 1888 in Marden, SA and died 26 Apr 1959 in Kirkcaldy, SA.

Last updated : 16 Aug 2021

About ALFORD, Henry

THE FIRST POLICE CONSTABLE.

Mr. Henry Alford, a hale and hearty old gentleman, now residing in Kent Town, relates his arrival and subsequent adventures in the colony with a considerable amount of gusto. He says—

"I arrived here by the schooner John Pirie, 110 tons, Captain Martin, in the latter end of the year 1836. At least I did not land in South Australia proper, but on Kangaroo Island, at Nepean Bay. There were two vessels that arrived two days before us. These were the Lady Mary Pelham and the Duke of York, but our ship was the first to start from London for the new land of South Australia. I and others came out in the employ of the South Australian Company. What had we to do? Well, we simply had to do what we were told. On landing there was nothing for it but to make the best of matters, and we had to camp under bushes or whatever other shelter there was to be found.

Two days after we landed there arrived the Rapid with Colonel Light and Admiral Pullen on board. I remember I also saw Dr. Woodforde, Mr. Hiram Mildred (who was then a lad), Mr. Barker, Mr. A. Hodges, Mr. Jacob and some others on the Rapid. Mr. Samuel Stephens, who came out for the South Australian Company, had arrived two days before our vessel. Well, we found that there were some white people already living on Kangaroo Island, but we did not know who they were. Certainly they did not come out with the expedition to colonise South Australia, and we understood that they had come over from Tasmania. These men came down to us, one at a time, and we became a little alarmed, because we did not know how many there were. About seven or eight put in an appearance altogether. Our great object was to find fresh water, because although we had some on the ships that would not last very long. Mr. Stephens asked these men to show us where we could get water, but they declined. After some solicitation, however, they relented and pointed out where the very requisite fluid was to be obtained. It was some distance across the gulf, whether on the island or on the mainland I cannot now say, but it took four of us the best part of a day to pull there. Then we worked during the night in filling a large cask, and started back on the following morning towing the cask behind the boat; but we had a head wind, and we were the whole day in getting back. These people who were on the island had small holdings, and I think they did a little cultivation.

The John Pirie, I may say, never returned to England, but afterwards traded about the colonies. Well, I was engaged by the company for 12 months, and after helping to discharge cargo I and some others went in the John Pirie to Tasmania, and we brought back two horses and two bullocks—the first stock that were landed in South Australia. We called at the island on the way back, leaving some cargo there, and then we came on to the mainland.

I finished my 12 months with the company, and then I went into the service of Mr. J. B. Hack, and remained with him until a lot of desperate bush-ranging broke out around Adelaide. I and two others volunteered, in response to a call from the Governor, and there were also several special constables. We were ordered to arrest the desperadoes, of whom there were three. They used to stick people up all about the place. We took two of them in town, and the other one, named Morgan, bolted to Encounter Bay. I and the other two volunteers were sent after him, and we caught him too, but he would not walk, and the result was that we had to handcuff him around a tree at Currency Creek while we sent in for a cart to fetch him along. Our orders were to bring him in dead or alive. One of these ruffians named Yeates was hung. This was in 1838.

On coming in for the cart the Governor summoned his colleagues in the management of the settlement, and it was thereupon decided that they must establish a police force. Captain Inman was selected as superintendent, and was entrusted with the duty of forming the force. First, however, he went back with us for Morgan, and as soon as we brought him in Captain Inman was sworn in as superintendent, and I and one of my mates were sworn in as constables on police pay. Now that was the absolute foundation of the police force in South Australia. Captain Inman subsequently went home, and is now, I believe, a clergyman in charge of a parish somewhere in Kent.

Well, I remained in the force for 16 years, and as inspector I brought over the gold escort from Victoria in 1853 and 1854. In one escort we brought over 33,763 ounces of gold, and in another 42,119 ounces. Of course in my time I had a lot of desperadoes to deal with and I arrested a good many. There were a lot of them who used to take work as splitters in the Tiers, but they would retire from the avocation of sawyers and take to the profession of bushrangers whenever the opportunity offered. Then they would get together a lot of money and actually come into town and knock it down. Sometimes they would put on masks and make a raid on that part of the Adelaide plains which is now Kensington. I was nearly forgetting to tell you about proclamation of the colony. It took place on the day after I had come back from the trip to Tasmania. There was great fun. They had one fife, an old tambourine, and some other instrument they had made themselves, and that was the band. There was a regular spree that day."