Allen

This story and why it means so much to me

Miss W. #52ancestors, Allen, Wyatt ,
Peggy_Marco / Pixabay

Most of the stories I have researched in my family have been pretty straight forward. Lots of easily found data relating to births, deaths, marriages, children, newspaper articles giving the background to the family as well as photos to add that personal touch. Also more recently DNA matches proving the relationships.

But the one person who has taken a lot of research was my grandfather, William Elvis Allen. I have written about him often on my blog and wrote his biography here. But a bit of background to him.

  • Born in England just after his father died
  • Mother remarried
  • He joined the navy
  • Eventually arrived in Australia
  • First marriage in New South Wales then deserted wife and two children
  • Moved to Tasmania, added new surname of Wyatt
  • Married, two children, wife died
  • Remarried, one child (my dad) then deserted wife and child again
  • Moved back to New South Wales
  • Married again, three children, stayed with that family until death

Why was the research tough? I had been using paperwork from his marriages in Tasmania which were under his assumed name. He had listed his grandfather as his father, his mother’s maiden name was correct, his occupation as steward was correct but the most important bit was wrong. His surname at birth.

It took over twenty years research and DNA matches from the two marriages in New South Wales to finally get the answers I needed. Once I had the correct surname at birth, it only took a weekend to build his biography using all the different sources I could find.

This story means so much to me because all the research was completed and the biography written before my father and his half brother in New South Wales passed away in 2024. Also this was a story of collaboration with newly found cousins who each had their own stories and knowledge of William Elvis Allen aka Wyatt.

Please read the biography linked on this post to read the full story of my grandfather.

K for Kingston upon Thames

Miss W. Allen , , , ,

Foot Ball, Kingston-upon-Thames, Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 24th, 1846

Kingston upon Thames is a town in the Royal Borough of the same name. It is historically part of the county of Surrey. As the name implies, it is on the river Thames in London.

It is famous for many coronations of Saxon kings of England. Kingston is an ancient market town and is nowadays one of the biggest retail centres in the UK.

The name of the town has varied since early times when it was considered a royal manor.

  • Cyninges tun in 838AD
  •  Chingestune in 1086
  • Kingeston in 1164
  • Kyngeston super Tamisiam in 1321
  • Kingestowne upon Thames in 1589

The Post Office called it ‘Kingston-on-Thames’, then the Ordnance Survey maps called it ‘Kingston upon Thames’ but the borough council added hyphens. This is what it is now known as officially without hyphens.

From mediaeval times until 1866 there used to be a Shrovetide football match held in the town. All the shops and windows were boarded up and from 12 noon, men and women kicked many balls around the town before heading to the pubs.

Check out the website for more information on the history and businesses in Kingston upon Thames.

Now to how this town fits into my family history. It certainly doesn’t go back to the early times of the Saxon kings but to my most recent discovery on my father’s line.

My great great grandfather was George James Allen who was born in January 1851 and he was included on the English 1851 census. His father, John Allen was a shoemaker and his mother, Amelia Allen nee Elwes was a shoebinder. The family were living at 81 Forty Acres, Kingston. Most of George’s siblings were also born in Kingston.

In the 1861 census, the family were listed at Cowleaze Road, Canbury, Kingston where John was a cordwainer.

His parents John and Amelia died in Kingston before the 1871 census and were buried at Plot E268 at the Kingston Cemetery and Crematorium.

I for Isleworth

Miss W. Allen , , ,
All Saints Church, Isleworth

Isleworth is a parish in county Middlesex and is on the Thames River. At the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, Isleworth was well cultivated farming land on the north shore of the Thames. Being on the river banks, meant it became a trading settlement as well. In the Domesday book it is written as  Gistelesworde. There were 118 households according to the survey.

The tower of the present church All Saints is from the 14th century but it is unknown when the actual church was built. The plague in 1665 killed 149 residents. Many of the plague victims from London were barged down the river and buried at Isleworth.

By 1868, The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland, mentions a lot of the parish is market gardens including strawberries and raspberries. There is also a brewery, cement works and corn mill.

My 4x great grandparents John Allen and Sarah Medwin were born around 1790 in Benson, Oxfordshire and Twickenham which is west of Isleworth. Their nine children were born in Isleworth between 1810 and 1830.

At the time of the 1841 census, John was a bricklayer. Others mentioned were Sarah, James, Richard and Elizabeth. Also living in the same house was James Medwin. Looks like one child Martha born between Richard and Elizabeth has passed away unless she married at age 16. They were living in South Street, Isleworth.

By the 1851 census, John a labourer and Sarah a basket maker were still alive and their grandson John Allen aged 4 was living with them at Richmond Road in Isleworth.

John was the only person mentioned in the 1861 census where he was residing at the Tollson Alms House at age 73 and now a widower. There were 8 other people also at the alms house all aged in their 60s to 80s.

Sources for information:

*Brief history of Isleworth

*Genuki – including the Gazetteer