Green’s Dictionary of Slang

alfred david n.

an affidavit.

1865		Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1994) 148: The visitor [...] doggedly muttered, ‘alfred david.’ ‘Is that your name?’ [...] ‘My name? [...] No; I want to take an alfred david.’.
1880		Harry Adams ‘Blighted Love’ 🎵 And I’ll take my alfred david hot, She don’t catch me there again [F&H].
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 5 Sept. 11/2: At once to insect joys you’d fly, / We’ll take our Alfred Davy, / If only you’d the pluck to try / A wasp in thickened gravy.
1891		Hants Teleg. 3 Jan. 12/7: I’ve been took with bronchitis, or you may take your Alfry Davy I’d have been ’ere.
1893		Sportsman (Melbourne) 9 May 19/4: [T]he club has put a stop to the ‘ringing in’ business, by making nominators take an ‘Alfred David’ [...] that their nomination has complied with the conditions set forth in the entry form.
1905		Southerly Times (Bunbury, WA) 20 Sept. 5/2: aus.
1908		(?) H. Lawson ‘The Man Who Was Drowned’ in Roderick (1972) 676: She’s a sensible woman, and she’s got plenty to comfort her by this time, you take your alfy!
1912		Truth (Sydney) 8 Dec. 6/6: Werry painful are the subjec’ / For a feller to discuss— / And I’ll take my Alfred David / As I never heard no wuss.
1913		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 91: I’m a lawyer. I’ll give you my Alfred David he’s groggy.
1936		‘Josphine Tey’ Shilling for Candles 16: I’ll take my alfred davy she never did.