Alice was born on 18 June 1874 at No. 3 Westbourne Street, near Hyde Park in London, England; and christened Alice Jane de Courcy on 5 August 1874 at the church of St. Michael and All Angels in Paddington, London.
She began writing "for her own amusement" before her marriage, did have one short story published under her own name alone (or rather initials), "A.