Date of Birth: 23/11/1800
Place of Birth: London, England
Date of Death: 03/11/1877
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Chairman of Committees - Legislative Council |
03 Sep 1861 |
15 Jan 1873 |
11 years 4 months 13 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
03 Sep 1861 |
03 Nov 1877 |
16 years 2 months 1 day |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act: Date of Writ of Summons 24 June 1861. |
| Chairman of Committees - Legislative Council |
04 Jun 1856 |
13 May 1861 |
4 years 11 months 10 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
22 May 1856 |
13 May 1861 |
4 years 11 months 22 days |
First (Quinquennial) appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 13 May 1856. |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
28 Jul 1845 |
29 Feb 1856 |
10 years 7 months 2 days |
Non-elective Member of the first Legislative Council: appointed by the Governor |
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (solicitor). In 1817 was articled to a government solicitor; In 1822 was admitted to practice. He was the first solicitor trained in Australia and he founded the olderst surviving legal firm in Australia. In 1836 was founding Director of the Australian Gas Light Company (now AGL). In 1843 became Solicitor for the Bank of New South Wales from this date. In 1847 took his son, George Wigram Allen, into partnership and in 1855 retired from the law. From 1860 - 1866 became a Director of the Bank of New South Wales. In 1863 - 1866 became a President of the Bank of New South Wales and Vice President of the New South Wales Savings Bank and director of several other companies. In 1868 - 1877 became a Director of the Bank of New South Wales. By 1831, he owned three houses in Sydney, held estate of 30 acres at Botany Bay and built Toxteth Park in Glebe on a 96 acre estate.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Foundation Alderman of the Sydney City Council for Bourke Ward 1 November 1842 - 31 December 1853. Presided over the first meeting of the Council on 9 November 1842. Mayor 1844 - 1845.
Personal
Son of Richard Allen, physician, and his wife Mary Tickfold. Married Jane Bowden, daughter of Thomas Bowden, on 24 July 1823, and had issue 14 children, of whom 5 daughters and 5 sons survived infancy. His son, (Sir) George Wigram Allen, was also a Member of Parliament. Wesleyan Methodist. After his father died in 1806, his mother married Thomas Collicott, vendor of medicines in 1809. Collicott was transported to New South Wales in 1813 and his wife and children followed in 1816.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1
George Wigram Dundas Allen (ed.), Early Georgian: Extracts from the Journal of
George Allen 1800 - 1877, Sydney,1958.
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1.
George Allen - papers 1816-1905 (MLMSS 477) PICMAN IRN:430713
