Albert was the youngest of six children from a second marriage and before the war he worked in his father's grocery business in Thaxted, Essex. From there he was called up and directed at his tribunal to agricultural work near Norwich. At this time he had some contact with Friends and later, with his wife and others, founded today's Bedford Quaker Meeting. During the Second World War he undertook fire watching, worked in a food shop as well as running his own newsagents.