Constituency : Cricklade 1895-1898 ( Liberal Unionist ), Combined English Universities 1926-9 ( Conservative )
Alfred took Cricklade for the Liberal Unionists by 99 votes after the incumbent John Husband stood down.
Alfred was the son of a mechanical engineer. He was educated at a Manchester private school and Oxford . He became a barrister and Professor of Law at Owens College .He stood for the Liberals in Manchester East in 1885. He went over to the Liberal Unionists and stood for them in Manchester South West in 1892. He was a devout Christian.
Alfred's maiden speech in 1896 supported the Working Men's Dwellings Bill which aimed at helping working class people purchase houses.
Alfred stood down in 1898 to take up the post of Principal of Owens College. In 1901 he became Vice-Chancellor of the Victoria University ( precursor of Manchester and Liverpool Universities ) and then of Victoria University of Manchester from 1903 to 1913. He was knighted in 1910. He was sent to report on the University of Bombay in 1913 .In December 1914 he was appointed to the Committee on Alleged German Outrages which looked at the Germans' activities in Belgium. In 1920 he chaired a committee on adoption.
Alfred published a book on post-war reconstruction in 1918 and a memoir Penultima in 1930.
In 1926 Alfred returned to Parliament in a by-election, representing the Combined English Universities as a Conservative. He supported the League of Nations . His final speech in 1929 laid down his views on education. He stood down at the general election.
He died in 1939 aged 88. His son Austin was an MP in three separate spells between 1929 and 1945.
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