He was employed to preach to patients in a chapel Sutton had built in 1766 at Ingatestone in Essex, where he had moved from Suffolk after breaking with his father.
He also wrote in 1782 for John Magee's Dublin Evening Post, at the nationalist end of the spectrum, as the Freeman's Journal spoke for the British administration.
[10] In 1789 he admitted he had used the pseudonym "Hampden Alter" in attacks in the Dublin Evening Post on Henry Grattan, stating also that he was not employed by Magee after 1783.
[12] They were:[2] For a season Houlton shared the honours at the Capel Street Theatre for new work performed, with Walley Chamberlain Oulton.
Poor health meant he resigned this post in about year, and after a long period of illness he was committed to the Fleet prison for debt in 1795.
[2] He wrote verse: a dramatic prologue;[8] an ode for Vauxhall Gardens, on George III's escape from the assassin James Hadfield.
[16] Some of his songs and ballads for Vauxhall became popular; his Blithsome Cherry was sung there by Maria Theresa Bland, to music by Samuel Arnold.
[8] With James Hook writing the music, he brought out at Drury Lane on 21 October 1800 a comic opera, called Wilmore Castle.