Allen family of Sefton and Mount Salem
Charles Frederick Allen married Edith Mary Harlock
born 23 May 1857 19 Aug 1880 born 1854
Ballitore, Kildare Cheshire Nantwich, Cheshire
died 12 Dec 1911 died 26 Jan 1943
Dublin Drogheda
Charles Frederick Allen born 23 May 1857 at Ballitore, Co Kildare. He was the son of Henry Allen
and his second wife Elizabeth Green. His father was a shopkeeper and shareholder of Robert
Usher & Co. Charles a linen merchant married Edith Mary Harlock on 19 Aug 1880 at the Friends
Meeting House, Nanwich in Cheshire. Edith was the daughter of Charles and Emily Harlock of
Townsend House, Nanwich. He purchased Robert Usher and Company’s linen mill in Drogheda
1901 on the death of Robert Usher and continued to trade as Robert Usher & Co. A fire in Drogheda
destroyed the premises and it took a number of years to rebuild. Robert Usher and Co., produced
household linens and cottons and also towels which were branded Greenhills. They were living in
Rathfarnham in 1911 and had three children. Charles had offices at 4 Burgh Quay. Charles died
late of Rathfarnham on the train between Bray and Harcourt Street Station on 12 Dec 1911, his
son Norman in attendance. He was buried at Temple Hill and left 7K in personal estate. Edith
died 26 Jan 1943 at Boyne House, North Strand, Drogheda and was buried at Temple Hill.
1 Bertram Ernest Allen born 1 Nov 1881 at 1 Cowper Terrace, Moyne Road Co Dublin was a
linen manufacturer for Robert Usher in Drogheda. He married Annie Clarke on 27 Sep 1905
at the Parish Church of Ireland, Castlederg, Co Tyrone. Annie was a clerk and the daughter of
John Clarke, a farmer. They were living at Newtownstalaban in Co Louth in 1911. By 1915
Bertram was the mill manager at Robert Ushers which his father purchased in 1901. Annie
died at The Grove, Drogheda on 5 Oct 1927 and was buried at Temple Hill.
1 Frederick Ernest Allen born 16 Feb 1906 at Clarkestown, Drogheda.
2 Maurice Bertram Allen born 18 Oct 1907 at Clarkestown House, Drogheda.
3 William Kenneth (Ken) Allen born 1 May 1909 at Clarkestown, Drogheda.
4 George Reginald (Rex) Allen born on 21 Jul 1911 at Boyneview, Drogheda.
5 Richard Ivan Allen born on 15 Feb 1915 at Church Road, Drogheda.
Bertram secondly married Edith Winifred Harris 28 Jun 1933 at St Peter’s Drogheda. Bertram
died at 14 May 1944 at Drogheda. His sons Ken and Rex took over Robert Usher and Co and
built a new factory at Castleguard, Ardee. Edith worked as a cashier and died 6 Oct 1968 at
Dublin Road, Drogheda and was buried at Temple Hill. In 1962 Robert Usher and Co was taken
over by Ashton Brothers Holdings, which collapsed in 1968. They were subsequently taken over
by Courtaulds of England and the company closed it’s doors in 1993.
2 Norman Edgar Allen born 2 Jul 1884 at 83 Moyne Road, Rathmines. He married Rebecca
Valentine Fairbrother at the Friends Meeting House Churchtown on 21 Dec 1910. Norman
was the nephew of Henry J Williams, managing director and chairman of H William & Co of
Henry Street and was one of the Quakers who was involved in settling Belgium refugees at
Stradbrook Hall in 1914. Norman was a decorator living at Newtown Villas, Rathfarnham
and Rebecca was living at Kerriemuir Stillorgan and the daughter of John Fairbrother, a
merchant and his wife Sarah Jane. They were living at Sunnymeade, Zion Road, Rathgar in
1919 and moved to Sefton House in 1926 and to Mount Salem in 1935. Norman was
managing Director of Norman Allen Ltd of 4 Merrion Square, decorators and builders of 4
Merrion Row and he was president of the National Master Painters and Decorators
Association in 1930. Rebecca died at Mount Salem Stillorgan on 13 Oct 1949 aged 66 and was
buried at Temple Hill. Norman married a second time and died 6 Jan 1961 at Primrose Hill,
Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire.
1 Norman Leslie Allen born 21 May 1919 at 89 Lower Bagot Street. He was an office
clerk and died a bachelor 2 Dec 1961 at the Adelaide Hospital late of Primrose Hill,
Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire.
3 Ivy Muriel Allen born 19 Dec 1885 at 2 Newtown (Little) Villas, Rathfarnham. Ivy was living
at Boyne House, Drogheda and married Massy Hewson on 19 Jul 1916 the Friends Meeting
House, Churchtown. Massy was an accountant and the son of James Hewson, an accountant.
Their son Eric joined Robert Usher and Company in 1941.
1 Doris Hewson born on 18 Apr 1918 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
2 Gerald Arthur Hewson born on 27 Aug 1919 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
3 Muriel Stephens Hewson on 30 Sep 1920 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – May 2022
Charles Frederick Allen married Edith Mary Harlock
born 23 May 1857 19 Aug 1880 born 1854
Ballitore, Kildare Cheshire Nantwich, Cheshire
died 12 Dec 1911 died 26 Jan 1943
Dublin Drogheda
Charles Frederick Allen born 23 May 1857 at Ballitore, Co Kildare. He was the son of Henry Allen
and his second wife Elizabeth Green. His father was a shopkeeper and shareholder of Robert
Usher & Co. Charles a linen merchant married Edith Mary Harlock on 19 Aug 1880 at the Friends
Meeting House, Nanwich in Cheshire. Edith was the daughter of Charles and Emily Harlock of
Townsend House, Nanwich. He purchased Robert Usher and Company’s linen mill in Drogheda
1901 on the death of Robert Usher and continued to trade as Robert Usher & Co. A fire in Drogheda
destroyed the premises and it took a number of years to rebuild. Robert Usher and Co., produced
household linens and cottons and also towels which were branded Greenhills. They were living in
Rathfarnham in 1911 and had three children. Charles had offices at 4 Burgh Quay. Charles died
late of Rathfarnham on the train between Bray and Harcourt Street Station on 12 Dec 1911, his
son Norman in attendance. He was buried at Temple Hill and left 7K in personal estate. Edith
died 26 Jan 1943 at Boyne House, North Strand, Drogheda and was buried at Temple Hill.
1 Bertram Ernest Allen born 1 Nov 1881 at 1 Cowper Terrace, Moyne Road Co Dublin was a
linen manufacturer for Robert Usher in Drogheda. He married Annie Clarke on 27 Sep 1905
at the Parish Church of Ireland, Castlederg, Co Tyrone. Annie was a clerk and the daughter of
John Clarke, a farmer. They were living at Newtownstalaban in Co Louth in 1911. By 1915
Bertram was the mill manager at Robert Ushers which his father purchased in 1901. Annie
died at The Grove, Drogheda on 5 Oct 1927 and was buried at Temple Hill.
1 Frederick Ernest Allen born 16 Feb 1906 at Clarkestown, Drogheda.
2 Maurice Bertram Allen born 18 Oct 1907 at Clarkestown House, Drogheda.
3 William Kenneth (Ken) Allen born 1 May 1909 at Clarkestown, Drogheda.
4 George Reginald (Rex) Allen born on 21 Jul 1911 at Boyneview, Drogheda.
5 Richard Ivan Allen born on 15 Feb 1915 at Church Road, Drogheda.
Bertram secondly married Edith Winifred Harris 28 Jun 1933 at St Peter’s Drogheda. Bertram
died at 14 May 1944 at Drogheda. His sons Ken and Rex took over Robert Usher and Co and
built a new factory at Castleguard, Ardee. Edith worked as a cashier and died 6 Oct 1968 at
Dublin Road, Drogheda and was buried at Temple Hill. In 1962 Robert Usher and Co was taken
over by Ashton Brothers Holdings, which collapsed in 1968. They were subsequently taken over
by Courtaulds of England and the company closed it’s doors in 1993.
2 Norman Edgar Allen born 2 Jul 1884 at 83 Moyne Road, Rathmines. He married Rebecca
Valentine Fairbrother at the Friends Meeting House Churchtown on 21 Dec 1910. Norman
was the nephew of Henry J Williams, managing director and chairman of H William & Co of
Henry Street and was one of the Quakers who was involved in settling Belgium refugees at
Stradbrook Hall in 1914. Norman was a decorator living at Newtown Villas, Rathfarnham
and Rebecca was living at Kerriemuir Stillorgan and the daughter of John Fairbrother, a
merchant and his wife Sarah Jane. They were living at Sunnymeade, Zion Road, Rathgar in
1919 and moved to Sefton House in 1926 and to Mount Salem in 1935. Norman was
managing Director of Norman Allen Ltd of 4 Merrion Square, decorators and builders of 4
Merrion Row and he was president of the National Master Painters and Decorators
Association in 1930. Rebecca died at Mount Salem Stillorgan on 13 Oct 1949 aged 66 and was
buried at Temple Hill. Norman married a second time and died 6 Jan 1961 at Primrose Hill,
Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire.
1 Norman Leslie Allen born 21 May 1919 at 89 Lower Bagot Street. He was an office
clerk and died a bachelor 2 Dec 1961 at the Adelaide Hospital late of Primrose Hill,
Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire.
3 Ivy Muriel Allen born 19 Dec 1885 at 2 Newtown (Little) Villas, Rathfarnham. Ivy was living
at Boyne House, Drogheda and married Massy Hewson on 19 Jul 1916 the Friends Meeting
House, Churchtown. Massy was an accountant and the son of James Hewson, an accountant.
Their son Eric joined Robert Usher and Company in 1941.
1 Doris Hewson born on 18 Apr 1918 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
2 Gerald Arthur Hewson born on 27 Aug 1919 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
3 Muriel Stephens Hewson on 30 Sep 1920 at Palace Street, Drogheda.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – May 2022