Alfred had gone to work for Mackintosh, Burn & Co., of 15-1, Esplanade Row, Calcutta. It was a substantial contruction company and had been established about thirty years.

On his son's birth certificate he is described as an Architect.In 1881, after returning to England, he was elected as an Honary Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

From letters found in the familiy's possession, it is known that Alfred sailed from Southampton to Calcutta on the 15th ofNovember 1852 on the P & O ship Bentinck. In one of his letter she describes his initiation into the ships company. "...I have discovered this morning that paying the fine releases us only from the tarring, but not the ducking, etc.. Finding preparations going on in earnest after breakfast, I went to my cabin to prepare for the ducking by getting into some dirty white trousers etc.. While there, Neptune's police came for me. I was obliged to go with them and was taken below with the doctor and third officer and confined in a cabin. All the unfortunates being of a lower grade, were stowed away in thefore peak. We remained for some time rather impatiently while the 'jolly sea God' and all his attendants paraded the quarterdeck in procession and christened the Captain's infant son. We were then fetched one at a time by the police and conducted on deck in a most ignominious state, blindfolded and handcuffed. Being utterly ignorant of the process, I was considerably astounded at the proceedings, though I enjoyed it heartily.

It was no joke, in the first place, stumbling up the ladder toreach the deck blindfolded and handcuffed. The police of course assisted me up, but I knocked my shine famously to their great delight. I had scarcely reached the deck, when I received as I thought, a tremendous blow in the face which nearly stunned me,but which I speedily found out to be a heavy discharge of waterfrom the hose of the fire-engine, skillfully directed as I afterwards learned by our chief officer. I then found I was being marched, guided by the police, all round the deck, the hose playing upon me most unmercifully and the whole crew,officers included, sousing me with buckets of water every step.After going the round of the deck, we approached Neptune's throne which was raised in front of the bath. The bath wasformed of a large sail suspended from sundry ropes and stays. It must have been eighteen to twenty feet square and thewater from four to five feet deep. I was requested to step upand pay my respects to Neptune (still blindfolded, but without the handcuffs) and seated by the side of the monarch on thetimbers supporting one side of the bath, with my back to thewater. Though I could not see, I guessed my position prettywell, and what was to follow. Sundry questions were put by his majesty which I answered as well as I could, touching myhealth and business, etc... The barber went through the form of shaving me, but my fine had bought off the tar. The doctor'prescribed' but allowed me to omit taking the medicine. Neptunedeclared me free to pass the line for ever, and in an instant,my heels were in the air and I turned an involuntary somersault backwards into the bath, where four of Neptune's assistants called 'Bears' received me and ducked me again and again totheir heart's content. When I had got enough, I was allowed to scramble out the opposite side as well as I could. It was themost complete ducking I ever experienced, but not veryunpleasant after the first shock was over.I then joined, ofcourse, in the fun of ducking others and for about three hours,we kept it up in style. It rarley happens that there are so many to be operated on, and the Captain assures me I shall never seea better edition of this time honoured ceremony."

Alfred was surprised, at the contrast between the great wealth and abject poverty, which existed side by side. He could not getover the need for a host of house servants, twenty five of themto cater for the needs of just five Europeans, each with aspecific task to do, and sadly, the lack of privacy that thisnew life brought him. He writes, "I am getting some what accustomed to Indian life, but cannot say that I am at all in love with it. You can have no end of luxuries, if you have the money, but the quiet and comfort of an English home are not tobe had for love or money. You live as it were in public - crowds of servants and petty native trades people follow you everywhere."

Cholera was raging at the time. Alfred writes, "As I write this(6am), a lady is being carried to her grave who was quite wellat this time yesterday! "He was instructed as follows in how to handle the natives, "It is the custom here if a man does not not immediately understand you, or if he is slow to obey an order, to strike or kick him. Mr Mackintosh tells me it is impossible to get on without it, but I don't believe it. Poor blackie never thinks of retaliating or even defending himself from the blows of his white master...Most of the lower castes.. have the character of being very lazy, sly and thievish. No doubt this is the case to a very great extent, but I suspect that the English have themselves to thank for it in a great measure. Instead of treating the natives like rational creatures, they have been treated as dogs... I am sometimes obliged to complain of the in attention or stupidity of some of these poor fellows and the only answer I get is: "Pound him well", and I get finely laughed at because I refuse to do anything of the kind." On returning to England, they lived in London, at 8 Wetherby Gardens, S.W.. Alfred obviously had some means, as he employed servants, he had 'his days in the city' and Emma had 'at homes' and they frequently entertained at home.

The 1881 Census records that Alfred and Emma employed three servants - a cook Emma KEDGE aged 28, a parlour maid Elizabeth ATAVERNER aged 28 and a housemaid Harriett S LOFTING aged 22 -all unmarried.