Alfred Swash was born in Neath, near Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales on 22 October 1860. He was was articled to William Gilbee Habershon (1818?-1891), Alfred Robert Pite (1832-1911) and James Follet Fawckner (c.1828–1898) of Habershon, Pite & Fawckner in Newport, Wales in 1877 and remained with them as their assistant for nine years.
Swash commenced practice as an independent architect in 1888. He was in partnership with John Bain (1868-1935) as Swash & Bain from 1888, and with his son, Frank Stanley Swash (1885-1965) as Alfred Swash & Son from 1908.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1906. His address was given as 176 Stapleton Rd, Bristol, Gloucestershire in 1881; Ingleside, Fields Park Crescent, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales in 1901; 5 Fields Park Avenue, Newport Monmouthshire in 1914 and 1923; and "Stoneycroft" Ridgeway, Newport, Monmouthshire in 1926. By 1937 he had moved to Bexhill in Sussex. He died on 6 June 1939. His address at the time of his death was 14 Cooden Drive, Bexhill, Sussex.
Free Branch Library, Temple Street, Newport (won in open competition); Museum and Art Gallery; Liberal Institute: various places of worship, public schools and other buildings in Newport, Llandrindod Wells, Llanwrtyd Wells, Abertillery, Risca, Newbridge, and elsewhere; Gwalla Hotel, Upper Woburn Place; now County Training College, Caerleon; architect to Fields Park Estate (won in open competition). [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
For an additional list of architectural projects by Alfred Swash see: An Index of Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Builders, Working in Wales.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001