Some years later in company with sister Dot the two set up as dressmakers in Inglewood. From Inglewood they moved south to Timaru, South Canterbury, where the business flourished and there were eight in the workroom. During these working years Alice was always in a church choir and an accompanist to sister Dot whose quality voice was ever in demand and together they sang duets.

During Alice's time in New Plymouth she and four others of the family were members of the Methodist Primitive Choir, a balanced choir into which one had to be invited for their particular quality of voice. The organist and choir master became her brother- in-law - Edward Golding and sister May were married.

On January 1920, Alice married Leonard Guilford (first cousin) and they took over an undeveloped farm property at Okahukua, King Country (seven miles north of Taumarunui) where they remained for twenty years. It was here the three children were born, Kathleen Anne, Leonard Cecil and Bruce Norman. Together, through sheer endurance they made a good life for their family while also contributing to the community by way of service to School and Hall committees. Alice was a foundation member of the local Womens WDFU and served as President for several years. For funds for celebration and travel to conference she staged local concerts which included items of choirs and solos, dance and plays. Together with 'Toge' a duet was usually provided and she also accompained other's vocal items.

It was not a Sunday' if relatives or friends did not visit the farm for a picnic by the river, a meal of home grown meat and veges or home baking from bread through to cream topped sponges was followed by a sing song around the piano, usually dancing too for all ages. During the farm years of the 20s and 30s of little money and no paid employment, Alice along with homemaking, raising the family, sometimes sharing in the farm development and milking cows, and giving support in the community, managed to sew for many of the locals who did not have her talent. When there was no work for teenagers leaving school and they would come to stay and do the household chores while Alice produced fashionable clothes for the teenagers and her family frequently from something handed down.  For a few special people, Alice painstakingly created beautiful models for the most social of occassions - bridal gowns and trousers were her passion. For daughter Anne and lifelong friend Alma Bull she created wonderful dancing costumes and later 'belle of the ball' evening wear. Sons Cecil and Bruce always wore tailor made clothes and some very original costumes at the school fancy dress balls.

Early 1940 the family moved to New Plymouth where Alice re-linked with six brothers and sisters then living in Taranaki. She joined a local WDFU and was a member of the choir, and gave considerable time to the local ANA (Army, Navy, Airforce) Service. She was forced to live alone for several years during the war tending hens, growing a garden and milking two cows (within the city boundary). Husband Len spent five years in Security with RNZAF at Bell Block; Anne in Wellington, the Middle East and on the Hospital Ship "Oranje" as a nurse with the NZ Army; Cecil in RNZAF at Ohakea and the Soloman Islands, Santos, Guadacanal and Bouganville and Bruce in Taieri, Dunedin as a RNZAF pilot trainee.

After almost ten years in New Plymouth, Alice and Leonard moved north briefly to Otahuhu thence to Wanganui where husband Len worked successfully as a private racehorse trainer, almost until death in June 1964. Son Bruce had died earlier that same year, suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. Alice and son Cecil remained in Wanganui until 1970 when they returned to New Plymouth and Alice bought her final home on Coronation Avenue. She retained her interests (aged 86) outside the home and attended a 'Friendship Group' with the local Baptist Church which encouraged socialising, provided some entertainment and demonstrated and encouraged participation in arts and crafts.