Alfred Houghton

Very little exists in the historical record on Alfred Houghton. As a young boy, he went to the Bunbury Hospital requiring an operation (reference). On 31 December 1899, Dr Ignatius Flynn and Dr Joel operated on Alfred (reference). In the Bunbury Hospital matron’s diary, it was reported that Alfred was doing well after his operation (reference).

On 12 March Alfred had his old wound operated on. The Doctors of the Bunbury Hospital opened the old wound and scraped it as a ‘small sinus’ preventing it from healing. The doctors then put in gauze to drain the wound, stitched it with three stitches and dressed it (reference).

This young boy likely grew up and stayed in the Bunbury area, next appearing in the historical record in 1912. If so, the following is an event in Alfred’s life.

Alfred, along with six other men, John Donovan, Percy Maudsley, Joseph Daniells, Septimus Shaw, James Thompson and John Joseph Moore were caught playing ‘two-up’ at the Bunbury Harbour Board grain sheds on the afternoon of Sunday 20 October 1912 (reference). Two-up is a traditional Australian gambling game remembered as a favourite pastime despite being illegal. It is played by betting on how two pennies would land when thrown into the air. 

The men were defended by Mr Jenour of Stanley, Money and Walker and pleaded not guilty (reference). Mr Jenour also objected to the charge on the grounds that the grain sheds were private property, not a public place (reference). The sheds were located near the Bunbury jetty on railway property (reference). The court case revealed that Constable Lyons and Constable Buttle witnessed the two-up game (reference). More than the seven men charged were present at the sheds, but they remained unknown to the authorities as they gave incorrect names (reference). In the proceedings, Alfred claimed he was standing in the crowd and not participating in the game (reference). The defendants were found guilty and each fined two pounds and court costs (reference).

There is also evidence of an Alfred Houghton living in Bunbury in the electoral rolls but it is unclear if this is the same Alfred as the little boy with an operation at the Bunbury Hospital.