Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

George Allen's father Richard Allen died in 1806, leaving a widow and five children between 14 and 6, and little to support them. As well as his practice as a physician, he had had a business of vending medicines; it was managed by Thomas Collicott, whom his widow married in 1809. In 1812 Collicott was convicted of failing to affix revenue stamps to his medicine bottles, and was transported to New South Wales in the Earl Spencer in October 1813. His wife, with George Allen and two other children of her first marriage and three children of Collicott's previous marriage, followed him, reaching Sydney in the ship Mary Anne in January 1816.

V1823288 8/1823 ALLEN GEORGE BOWDEN JANE CA

George Allen a bachelor of Sydney was married to Jane Bowden, daughter of Thomas Bowden of Sydney by Rev. R. Hill at Sydney on 24 Jul 1823, the licence having been obtained 22 Jul 1823

They had fourteen children but only five sons and five daughters survived past infancy.

Allen, George, 27, came free, Mary Anne 1816, Protestant, solicitor, Elizabeth Street Sydney, 306 acres in total, 10 acres cleared and cultivated, 2 horses, and three horned cattle
Allen, Jane, 21, came free, General Graham, 1812, Protestant
Allen, George Wigram, 4, born in the colony
Allen, Jane E.P., 1 and a half, born in the colony

2404/1877 ALLEN GEORGE RICHARD MARY GLEBE

The Honorable George Allen.
The citizens of Sydney have been so long familiar with the face of the Hon. George Allen, and his name is so well known throughout the country, from his public position and his long-continued connection with benevolent and Christian enterprises, that, on his decease, some notice of his career in the journals of the colony is naturally expected.
Mr. Allen was born November 1800. His father, Dr. Richard Allen was one of the physicians of the King, and had an extensive practice in London. He died when his youngest son, George, was only six years of age. In July, 1815, George Allen left England for Australia; and arrived in Sydney, when he was a little over fifteen years of age, in January 1816. He was then articled as a pupil of Mr. Frederick Gurling, Crown Solicitor and Clerk of the Peace. After six years he was admitted to practice as attorney and solicitor for the Supreme Court. His admission took place on the 22nd July 1822. He was the first of his profession ever admitted in this country. Three days afterwards he was made attorney of the Governor's Court of New South Wales.
In 1824 on the promulgation of the new Charter of Justice, when Mr Allen was the only colonial attorney, the other legal practitioners being either English barristers or attorneys of England or Ireland, an attempt was made to exclude from practice, in the Suprme Court here, all but those who had been admitted in the courts of the United Kingdom. Led by Mr. W.C. Wentworth and Dr. Wardell, the members of the profession who derived their title to practice from the authority of the courts in the mother country, claimed the sole right to practice in the courts of the colony. But after, considerable argument, the Supreme Court decided in favour of Mr Allen's claim to equal rights with the attorneys admitted by English and Irish courts, and thus established, in his person, the equality of colonial attorneys with those of the mother country. He continued the practice of his profession for thirty-two years; and succeeded in obtaining an income which made him one of the wealthy. Unlike many who have attained financial prosperity in this country, he made it a rule to devote, in liberal measure, a portion of his increasing resources to the amelioration of the condition of his fellow men and to the advancement of philanthropic undertakings. In the city where he made his fortune he continued to work, as well as give, for the good of others.
In 1823 he married. His domestic life has been marked by a prosperity and peace well according with the usefulness and honour of his public career. He has seen growing up around him a large and increasing circle of children and grandchildren. His eldest son has become a representative of the people, was the first Minister of Justice and Public Instruction, and is now Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In 1854 he gave up his practice to his son, and devoted his energies to public duties and to the advancement of beneficient and religious purposes.
When the Corporation of Sydney was first established in 1842, he was chosen as one of the Aldermen, and held that position until 1853, when the first Corporation was dissolved. In 1844 he was elected mayor of Sydney. While holding that position, in 1845, he was appointed by Sir George Gipps to a seat in the Legislative Council, then the only legislative chamber. He also received a commission as honorary Police Magistrate of the city and port. When the present Parliamentary Constitution was established, in 1856, he was made a member of the Legislative Council. At the end of five years the appointments to that house ceased by effluxion of time; and according to the terms of the Constitution Act, the Governor, Sir John Young nominated members for life. Again Mr Allen was appointed. In 1856 he was elected Chairman of Committees; and was re-elected to the same office session after session, until January 1873, the failure of sight rendered it necessary for him to resign that position.
During these years Mr Allen was called to take part in various other important public duties. He was chairman and director of the Australian Gas Light Company, director and vice-president of the Savings Bank, director and President of the Bank of New South Wales. He was one of the first members of the denominational school Board; and after the abolition of that Board by the Public Schools Act of 1866, he was made a member of the Council of Education. He held a place in the council from January 1867 to January 1873, when he retired, and was succeeded by his son, now Sir Francis Wigram Allen. In 1828 he assisted Sir Francis Forbes and Messrs. Wentworth and Bland in founding the Sydney Grammar School. Under its present constitution he was a trustee and chairman of that institution. In 1859 he was made a member of the Senate of the University, and held that position until his death.
Mr Allen was for 56 years an active member of the New South Wales Benevolent Society. He was a member of the committee in 1821. In 1836 he was made co-secretary with the Venerable Archdeacon Cowper. On the retirement of the Archdeacon, Mr Allen became sole secretary, and held that office as long as he lived. He was also vice-president of the society. He was a member of the Committee of the Sydney Infirmary for more than thirty years, and was for some years a vice-president. He was one of the founders of the society for the relief of destitute children, through whose efforts the asylum, at Randwick, was erected. He acted on the board of that institution to the end of his life, and was vice-president.
He was a very active member of the Wesleyan Methodist denomination, liberally promoting their church extension and missions to the heathen. He was also a zealous promoter of the designs of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the Religious Tract Society, which are supported by all Protestant denominations; and the esteem entertained for him by Christians of various churches was manifested by their choosing him to preside in these assocaitions. His connexion with these societies began before his admission as an attorney, and continued for fifty six years.For a few years past the growing infirmities of age compelled Mr Allen to take a less active part than formerly in the many good works in which he delighted. But almost to the last day of his long life he continued to show his undecaying sympathy and seal for these undertakings. He died at his residence, Toxtext Park at Glebe, on Saturday the 3rd November, at the age of seventy-seven. Mrs. Allen, after a wedded life of fifty-four years, survives him; and he has left many descendants to hand down to future ages the family name, for which he has won honourable regard in Australia.