The Rev'd William Allen

[rogtut]

He was born in Rochester Kent in 1770, the son of the Revd Charles Allen Vicar of Rochester and Sarah Allen (nee Boyle). He matriculated from Magdalen, Oxford in 1789.

He then disappears from all records but in a Chancery court case in 1820 that was finally settled in 1825 he is referred to as “of Glastonbury” but recently removed to Guernsey because he was impoverished (it’s the opposite these days!) and living on an Army Chaplain’s pension of £59 a year. He also has a wife and six children but no names given.

He receives a settlement from the Chancery case but I can’t find any trace of him or his family after 1825 or his death. All ideas welcomed.

Roger J Tutton

[Coromandel]

. . . living on an Army Chaplain’s pension of £59 a year

This National Archives' guide mentions two sources that may be of use:

• Army chaplains on retired pay, 1806-1837 (WO 25/252)
• Army chaplains' certificates of service, 1817-1843 (WO 25/256)

[Coromandel]

William Allen is a such a common name that this may just be a coincidence:

From the London Gazette, 8 September 1795, in a list of appointments in the 93rd Regiment of Foot:

'The Reverend William Allen to be Chaplain, vice Rudd, deceased. Dated as above.' [June 30]

[malcolm99]

Have you contacted the Museum of Army Chaplaincy?:
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...m/default.aspx

[malcolm99]

Have you come across this book?

Michael Snape, The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, 1796-1953: clergy under fire, Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2008, xviii + 480pp. ISBN: 9781843833468.

Your local library will be able to get hold of a copy for you.

[rogtut]

This National Archives' guide mentions two sources that may be of use:

• Army chaplains on retired pay, 1806-1837 (WO 25/252)
• Army chaplains' certificates of service, 1817-1843 (WO 25/256)

Thanks for this. I was at TNA last week and both searched and asked for guidance but to no avail. You know more about their catalogue that they do! I will be going to Kew again next week and will request the papers.

[rogtut]

Have you come across this book?

Michael Snape, The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, 1796-1953: clergy under fire, Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2008, xviii + 480pp. ISBN: 9781843833468.

Your local library will be able to get hold of a copy for you.

Thanks - There is a copy at the British Library and I will have a look at it on my next visit. I will also contact Museum of Army Chaplaincy.

[rogtut]

William Allen is a such a common name that this may just be a coincidence:

From the London Gazette, 8 September 1795, in a list of appointments in the 93rd Regiment of Foot:

'The Reverend William Allen to be Chaplain, vice Rudd, deceased. Dated as above.' [June 30]

Thanks, I omitted the Gazette from my search - this looks like my man and should help to narrow the search.

[Coromandel]

• Army chaplains on retired pay, 1806-1837 (WO 25/252)
• Army chaplains' certificates of service, 1817-1843 (WO 25/256)

I wondered if the documents in between WO 25/252 and WO 25/256 might also be to do with chaplains. From the TNA catalogue it appears that they are. They (with WO 25/257 and 258) are all in a subseries called just 'Chaplains'. The items not already mentioned above are:

• WO 25/253, just labelled 'Retired', covering dates 1816-1837
• WO 25/254, 'Payments by Commissariat, 1812-1830'
• WO 25/255, 'Payments for miscellaneous services, 1808-1831'
• WO 25/257 and WO 25/258, 'Certificates of service', for 1833-1836 and 1839-1843, respectively.

Some more for your 'to do' list at Kew!

[rogtut]

Thanks again, Coromandel, my to do list is ever expanding!

I've uploaded the relevant page regarding Rev'd William Allen from the Chancery case to Photobuckrt via the following link

https://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/...t/DSCF5587.jpg