Edward Alford

Who was Edward Alford?

Sir Edward Alford was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1644. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Alford was the son of Edward Alford and his wife Judith Downing, daughter of Edmund Downing of Suffolk. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford on 30 October 1612, aged 17. While his father was occupied with his Parliamentary and public duties in London and Essex, Alford appears to have lived at Offington, and was active in Sussex. He was High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1624 and was concerned with local militia. In 1627 "The King commissioned Edward Alford, with others, to use martial law to soldiers billeted in co. Sussex." and he made complaints against the freeman of Billinghurst, Sussex, for not duly maintaining a watch at a beacon."In 1628 he "renders some accounts of prize-ships." and is in correspondence with Sir John Coke regarding the billeting of soldiers near Portsmouth. In 1628 Edward Alford was elected Member of Parliament for Steyning. Sources differ as to whether this is Alford or his father, who was also elected for Colchester but was unseated on petition.