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Alford 1872 (SLSA)
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On 16 August 1886 several papers mentioned his 50 years in the colony. 'Henry Alford, one of our pioneer colonists, celebrated his fiftieth anniversary of arrival in the colony on Monday, August 16. He arrived at Kangaroo Island on that day fifty years ago in the John Pirie'. He is then quoted as saying that they left London first, and had a spell of very bad weather. Had to put into Falmouth and Dartmouth for fresh supplies and repairs.
After that, 'the voyage was a good one, and towards the evening of August 15, we sighted the bold coast of Kangaroo Island, and there was great jubilation, but the captain put back to sea, and waited till daylight. The second mate, Mr Simpson (afterwards the well-known Portonian, Captain Simpson) went up aloft and saw two ships anchored close inshore, so we were not the first.
Those were the Duke of York and the Lady Mary Pelham. We were very glad of the run ashore, and to fraternize with those who had already arrived, and who gave us hearty cheers of welcome. They never thought we would arrive, as we were a washing tub, steered with a tiller. All the vessels hoisted their banting, and their people gave us every assistance to land. We saw some of the islanders, who reminded us very much of Robinson Crusoe.
The passengers on our ship were myself, Joseph Jones and his brother, Mr Neville and his wife, Mr and Mrs Chandler and family and others to the number of twenty-eight all told. Of these I believe Chandler's family are living, baby Chandler, who was a great pet on board, her mother having died on the voyage out, is now a fine matron and the mother of a family.
We thought we would never see South Australia, as when crossing the Bay of Biscay, we had very stormy weather, and had to batten down hatchways, the seas coming right over her. She was only 105 tons, but she made the run in good time'. Other papers carried very similar accounts. From then on there was little news about Alford. This changed again when the Express and Telegraph of Saturday 20 February 1892, published the passing of Alford.
DEATH OF MR. HENRY ALFORD, The First Police Constable.
We announce with regret the death, at the age of 76. of Mr Henry Alford, which occurred at his residence, Kent Town, early on Saturday morning. Mr Alford, who was a colonist of 56 years, and who until recently had been hale and hearty, has lately been suffering from a severe throat affection. His death, which was not altogether unexpected, has been received with feelings of regret in every part of the city. Mr Alford came out in the employ of the South Australian Company, and his early experience of life in the colony were of a somewhat rough nature, having to camp out under whatever shelter there was to be found.
After working for the company for 12 months Mr Alford severed his connection and entered the employ of the Government and received the appointment of first police constable in the colony, his first duty being to arrest the notorious bushranger Morgan. He remained in the force for 16 years, and as inspector brought over the gold escort from Victoria in 1853 and 1854. The deceased gentleman will be buried on Monday.
The Evening Journal wrote; We regret to announce the death at Kent Town, at 2.30 this morning, from stricture of the throat, after a lingering illness of six months, of Mr Henry Alford, who was one of South Australia's most popular old identities, genial and hearty always. He was a first-rate example of the early pioneer, hardy, enduring, active, and possessed of indomitable pluck; he was ready to tackle any kind of work or danger, from felling trees to arresting desperate bushrangers.
He always entered into any undertaking with an amount of energy only equalled by his old chief, the late Mr Tolmer, with whom he was associated in many a daring adventure and risky encounter with the colonial outlaws of the times. Mr Alford was always in the habit of celebrating the anniversary of his arrival by coming into the city and entertaining as many of his old shipmates and early pioneers as he could find.
Mr Henry Alford, was interred on Monday afternoon in the West Terrace Cemetery, when a large number of the police force besides many other friends of the deceased gentleman were present. The funeral procession was preceded by members of the mounted and foot police, while the Police Band rendered the "Dead March in Saul." The service at the grave was performed by the Ven. Archdeacon Farr.
The chief mourners were his son Edwin Alford, grandchildren H Alford and Arthur George Alford and two great grandchildren. Amongst those standing around the grave were Inspectors Hunt and Woodcock, Sub-Inspector Doyle, the Hons. J H Howe, MP, and T Burgoyne, MP, Messrs T Coward, Champion, Gepp, Joseph Conigrave, Bucknall, Wright, Clark, Williams, H Mildred, F Catchlove, C.Farr, and Gwynne. The mourners dispersed to the strains of "Go bury thy sorrow" from the Police Band.
His obituary in the Advertiser of 22 February 1892 repeated most of his own early story with a few additional notes. However, the misnaming of Michael Magee as Yeates was not corrected. It stated among other things that 'Alford gained great praise through his display of pluck in capturing the Black Forest cattle-stealers, while he also played a prominent part in the arrest of Gofton, who was subsequently supposed to have been murdered by Stagg in the Gawler Belt. Stagg was hanged for the offence, having been arrested in the Black Bull Hotel by a trooper who sometime later acknowledged having committed the crime for which Stagg suffered.
Mr Alford was associated with numerous other affrays of equal notoriety, and Mr Tolmer in his Early Reminiscences of Life in South Australia frequently alludes to him in eulogistic terms. After he severed his connection with the police force, he went into business. For some years after this, he kept the Glynde Hotel, and being very successful in business pursuits was soon enabled to lead a retired life.
Until recently he had been hale and hearty, but lately had contracted a severe throat affection, which ultimately caused his death. The end was not altogether unexpected, but when it was made known on Saturday regret was very generally expressed. According to the Evening Journal though, 'Henry Alford had retired from the Police Force forty years ago, and had lived in comparative retirement away from the public gaze for many years, the deceased gentleman was not forgotten, if we may judge by the tremendous crowd at the funeral on Monday afternoon, February 22. There has not been for many years a funeral attended by such a large number of old pioneers as that on Monday, when the remains of the late Inspector of Police were interred at West Terrace.
The funeral cortege left the house of the deceased at Kent Town at twenty minutes to 3, and went up Rundle Road, along North Terrace to meet the police, for it was decided to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of the departed colonist with full police honours. Thirteen troopers and a large body of the foot police were drawn up opposite to the Barracks awaiting the arrival of the procession, and we also noticed a messenger from His Excellency the Governor.
The police were stationed in front of the old gate through which Mr Alford passed as a police officer half a century ago, when the gum trees grew green. When the police had taken up their places ready to march in front of the hearse the Police Band, with muffled drum, struck up the "Dead March," which was played up the Terrace and King William Street and just before reaching the cemetery gates.
The Terrace and the chief street of the city were lined with people. Business for the time being was practically suspended; even workmen engaged on new buildings left their tools during the progress of the procession up King William Street. Tramcars either went at slow pace or stopped altogether; in fact, in some parts vehicular traffic was suspended. The cemetery, which contained a great number of people, was reached at 4 o'clock. Inspector Hunt and Sub-Inspectors Doyle and Shaw walked behind the police immediately preceding the hearse.
It was impossible in the crush at the grave to see all the old identities who were contemporaries with Mr Alford, and who with the departed colonist were prominent figures in our earlier history. There was also quite a host of younger colonists who knew the landlord of the Glynde, and respected him on account of his character and his old associations. The Licensed Victuallers' Association, which Mr Alford helped to found, was well represented.
Among those who attended the funeral were the Hon. J H Howe, M.P., T Burgoyne, M.P., Alderman Ellery, Messrs. Tom Coward, and Isaac Dewson (surviving members of the Victorian gold escort led from and to Adelaide in the fifties by Mr Alford); D. Morgan (a member of the escort from the Victorian gold fields, led by the late Inspector Tolmer); Messrs. A H D Tolmer, T Williams (of the Para), Humphries, Horsnell, T Gepp, sen., T Denby, T Semple, D Packham, W P Auld, R George, F E Bucknall, J Wisdom, J Bradley, Littlefield, G F Ind, J Curnow and C Newham.
Other mourners included; W F Clarke, H Newland, H Birt, C Pearce, W Cate, sen., G Welchford, John Mitchell, Abercrombie, C Benson, Pell, Hiram Mildred, A Jahn, M Hall, Heuzenroder, T B Champion, J S Crocker, C W Stuart, E C Gwynne, A K Whitby, R Brewster, John Ladd, Joseph Ladd, Catchlove, Adam Wright, R S Crabb, sen., S J Skipper, W Nicholls, C Farr. R Wells, J Chittleborough, and Burich, Lieutenant-Colonel Claxton, and Messrs. Stephens, R. Nurse, F. Schultz, J
Gleeson, J T Weeden, and Hack.
The service at the grave was conducted by Archdeacon Farr, the band playing 'Go Bury Thy Sorrow.' Within a few days the Evening Journal of Wednesday 24 February 1892, had dug up an old article about Alford and published it as A REMINISCENCE OF THE LATE MR H ALFORD.
The following description of an affray in which Mr H Alford, whose death we announced the other day, was a prominent figure will be read now with interest. It was published by us in October, 1887, and was contained in an article entitled 'Old Time Memories,' written by Thomas Giles. Sergeant-Major Alford, as he was then known, went to Lake Albert with a police force in order to put down sheep stealing by the natives.
'Mr Alford had a narrow escape of being killed, as the reminiscence will show. Mr Giles, after referring to other encounters, said: 'Very soon after this affray the police arrived in charge of Sergeant-Major Alfold, with orders to proceed to Mr McFarlane's station, where Tolmer would join them. We started out the next morning for that station, passing our own stations, Meningie and Warringer, but did not see a native all the way.
On arriving there in the evening, we found that Tolmer had not arrived, but the police boat was awaiting us, having been brought from Wellington by a policeman and old 'Williamy,' the chief of the tribe, and Mason's trusty henchman. We heard that a number of blacks had assembled at Warringer, who must have been hidden in the reeds when we passed the previous day.
Alford determined to make back for this place the next morning, so he arranged to steer straight for it in the boat, while three troopers were told off to ride back and get posted between the lake and the scrub to keep the natives from taking refuge there when we approached by water.
There were six of us in the boat, Alford, Mason, and another trooper named Spencer, with Williamy, myself, and one of my station hands. As we neared the place, we could see a number of natives on the beach, but we took care to keep some distance off till the troopers hove in sight on the high land at the back. All of a sudden, the whole of the blacks disappeared like magic and hid themselves in the reeds, as, seeing the troopers, they dared not try to make for the scrub.
It would have been better for them if they had met us on the beach, for we could not have touched them, as the men against whom a warrant was issued were among them. We knew now that we had them in a trap, and pulled ashore as fast as we could. Alford jumped out of the boat, sword in hand, followed by Mason with a pistol in his. Spencer and Williamy remained in the boat, and were to land if required.
Our part of the play was to go for them if they took to the water. The reedbeds were not more than twenty yards wide at this place, but the reeds were more than 6 ft. high, so that on entering them Alford and Mason were out of sight at once. The first thing we heard was Alford's voice calling to a trooper inland, but very soon after we heard a pistol shot, when Spencer and Williamy jumped ashore, the former with his carbine and the latter with a rope in his hand.
Just as they were entering the reeds, I saw a blackfellow coming straight for Spencer, waddy in hand, but the trooper was too quick, striking the native on the temple with his carbine, and sending him staggering to his knees. Before he could recover old Williamy sprang on him, and in less than a minute had him bound hard and fast. Directly afterwards out came Alford, dragging another, and Mason followed with a third. We soon had them handcuffed in the boat, and the first question they asked was what was the name of the blackfellow who had informed on them.
It was satisfactory to know that we had got some of the sheep stealers at all events. Alford and his captive both looked as though they had been in the wars. Alford had streaks of blood on his face, the back of his hand was swollen, and his boot was cut through by his sword. The darkie, too, was somewhat dilapidated, blood was running down his face, and he had a sword cut in the hand.
It appeared that Alford had come across this blackfellow soon after he got into the reeds, and on trying to take him prisoner stumbled and fell. The black fellow sprang on top of him at once, catching hold of his sword, and striking him with his waddy. He managed to save his head, although he got an ugly knock on his arm and hand. In the scramble he struck the black on the face with his fist and made his nose bleed, and the darkie cut his hand by grasping Alford's sword.
It might have gone badly with the gallant officer, had not Mason come up and fired his pistol at the black. Fortunately, the ball had dropped out of the pistol, or the native must have been killed, as Mason was so close. One would have thought that Alford would not have felt particularly comfortable after being knocked about in this way, but he seemed to think nothing of it, and was livelier and jollier than ever, and as pleased as though he had been promoted to be Inspector. He did attain that position after a time, and he well deserved it.'
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