[5] Alfred first appeared as an amateur in Portsmouth, carrying off all prizes at singing contests with character songs, written by his brother Mark.

The company performed his own plays, and he claimed that his tours with Kleptomania, Flying from Justice, Secrets of the Police, were all great financial successes.

"[15] He wrote at least one other farce based on a mental disorder, A Screw Loose, in 1893; and also a drama in four acts called The Maelstrom about a homicidal maniac.

The Era wrote "The Maelstrom is decidedly a remarkable play; and though ... we do not believe that there is much 'money in it' for London; we must give to the author the credit due to daring and fertility.

[17] William Moy Thomas in his review of A Screw Loose in The Graphic wrote "Lunacy as a basis of farce is obviously a material that may easily be made offensive; but Mr Melford handles it with such excellent discretion and keeps the humorous side of things so constantly in view throughout the genuinely comic imbroglio, that his audience are always in good humour.

The troupe's gymnastic and musical abilities were melded into a story line involving an elopement, some students, a pursuit to France and some lively adventures in Paris.

"[2]: 109 In the late nineteenth century the three-act extreme farce was falling out of favour,[2]: 130  and music hall variety shows became more popular.

From the mid-1890s Melford wrote and performed many short farcical sketches in this genre, and for the next 15 years he and his company appeared frequently at the London Pavilion Music Hall.

Later Miss Marie Dalroyde purchased the provincial rights to the 20 minute sketch, for a then record price of £500,[25] worth almost £45,000 British pounds today.

[30] Melford was a free thinker, humanist, anti-vivisectionist, animal welfare activist, and supporter of women's suffrage, as documented in Life in a Booth and Something More.

Jackeydawra, his eldest daughter, born Alice Bradshaw Jackeydora Melford, was one of the early British women pioneers of film.

"[36] Mr Bransby Williams said that, after being in bed practically helpless for some months, Mark rallied and wrote 3,000 words of his unfinished book in the last few days before his death.