Richard Allen (1814 - 16 February 1884) was a stationer and publisher in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

Background

He was born on 29 December 1814, the son of Edward Allen (1788-1863) of Leicester and Sarah Townsend (1792-1941). He married firstly Catherine Morris (1816 - 2 October 1837) and they had one child. *Sarah Elizabeth Allen (1837-1929) He married secondly Mary Ann Small (1810 - 1900), eldest daughter of William Small, on 12 July 1838 at Skirbeck and they had two children: *Edward Henry Allen (1840 - 1875) *Mary Adelaide Allen (1841 - 1901) He took an active part in the establishment of the Park Company of the Robin Hood Rifles. He was also Provincial Grand Secretary of the Nottingham Freemasons. He died on 16 February 1884 at his house Albert Villa, 21 Cavendish Crescent South, The Park, Nottingham and left an estate valued at £34,611 9s 1d. ().

Business interests

He succeeded to the business of Samuel Bennett in 1836, printer and publisher, based on

Long Row Long Row is a row of retail buildings in Nottingham City Centre forming the north side of Old Market Square, Nottingham, Old Market Square, Nottingham. Notable buildings Long Row West *70 West End Arcade 1920s *67 The Dragon by John Henry Stat ...

in Nottingham and until 1847 issued the ''Nottingham and Newark Mercury'', later shortened to the '' Nottingham Mercury'', which was the organ of the Whig party in Nottingham. He was based at Caxton House Photographic Studio, 34

, Nottingham and produced many ''

Carte de visite The ''carte de visite'' (, English: 'visiting card', abbr. 'CdV', pl. ''cartes de visite'') was a format of small photograph which was patented in Paris by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero ...

'' for local people. In June 1860 he installed a steam engine and Cameron’s patent boiler to power the printing presses and insured it with the Steam Boiler Assurance Company of Manchester On 10 December, the insurance company sent its inspector who discovered considerable leakage and corrosion but deemed the boiler safe to continue to use until Christmas when repairs could be made. On 14 December the boiler exploded but the insurance company refused to pay out which led to a

Nisi prius ''Nisi prius'' () (Latin: "unless before") is a historical term in English law. In the 19th century, it came to be used to denote generally all legal actions tried before judges of the King's Bench Division and in the early twentieth century for a ...

court case in 1864 from which Richard Allen was awarded £58 () in damages. Later in life he converted his stationery and book-binding business into a limited liability company and he retired from the active management of it, but remained a director up until his death.

Publications

*''Allen’s Midland Counties’ Railway Companion'' 1840 *''Rules and Regulations to be observed by the Enginemen, Guards, Policemen and others employed on the Midland Railway'' 1842 *''The History and Antiquities of Charnwood Forest. With an Appendix on the Geology, Botany, and Ornithology of the District.'' Authors J.B. Jukes; Rev.

Andrew Bloxam Andrew Bloxam (22 September 1801 – 2 February 1878) was an English clergyman and naturalist; in his later life he had a particular interest in botany. He was the naturalist on board during its voyage around South America and the Pacific in 18 ...

and

Churchill Babington Churchill Babington (; 11 March 182112 January 1889) was an English classical scholar, archaeologist and naturalist. He served as Rector of Cockfield, Suffolk. He was a cousin of Cardale Babington. Life He was born at Rothley Temple, in ...

1842 *''Allen’s Railway Time Table'' *''Memoir of the late John Wolley.'' Author

Alfred Newton Alfred Newton Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS HFRSE (11 June 18297 June 1907) was an England, English zoologist and ornithologist. Newton was Professor of Comparative Anatomy at Cambridge University from 1866 to 1907. Among his numerous public ...

1860 *''Allen's Illustrated Hand-Book and Guide, to ... Nottingham and its Environs'' 1866 *''Red Book of Local Institutions'' 1867 onwards *''History of Old Trent Bridge, With a Descriptive Account of the New Bridge, Nottingham. Illustrated by Photographs.'' author Marriott Ogle Tarbotton 1871 *''A souvenir of Newstead Abbey'' 1874 *''Nottingham Past and Present'' by Frederick Smeeton Williams 1877 *''Great Midland Almanack'' *''Book of hunting songs and sport collected by Mrs Chaworth Musters'' 1885

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Richard 1814 births 1884 deaths 19th-century British publishers (people) English book publishers (people) People from Leicester Companies based in Nottingham History of Nottingham 19th-century English businesspeople