There have been members of the Allen family in and around Sawley since at least the 17th century. The following is one branch, from the mid 18th century.
Benjamin Allen (1765-1844)
In Benjamin married Sarah Webster at Sawley Church. Their children were all born in the village:
- William (1794-1817)
- James (1796)
- Mary (1797-1797)
- Mary (1798-1798)
- Mary (1800-1842)
- Sarah (1804-1884) – see below
- Jane (1810)
- Ann (1816)
- James (1816-1897) – see below
By 1804 they were at Trent Lock. In 1841 Benjamin was widowed innkeeper, living at Trent Lock with Mary, Jane, Ann and James
Sarah Allen (1804-1884)
Sarah was born at Trent Lock. She married Luke Bell (1795-1842) in 1827 and moved to Castle Donington and then Selston, Notts, then Codnor Park. Two years after Luke died, she was living at Whitemoor Hall near Belper and married John Whysall, widowed a farmer. They moved to the Alfreton/Ironville area.
James Allen (1816-1897)
James was born at Trent Lock. He married in Ann Bradshaw (1820-1895) in 1845. By 1851 he’d taken over running the pub at Trent Lock (probably Erewash Navigation (Steamboat)). By 1861 he was running the Railway Inn in Cross Street (was the New Inn, originally called the railway?) He remained a publican in Cross Street for the next 30 years In 1880 he applied for a full licence for the New Inn, which had been a beer house for 20 years. Their children were:
- Jane (1846-54)
- Sarah (1848)
- William (1849) – see below
- Mary (1851)
- Rose (1854) – see below
- Catherine (1855-1855)
- Benjamin (1856-1897) – see below
- Annie (1857-1935) – see below
- James (1860-1935)
- Jane (1861-1900)
William Allen (1849-1916)
William was born at Trent Lock and grew up in Cross St. He became a sheet maker at the Midland Railway Sheet Stores. In 1872 he married Elizabeth Hall from Breaston. For many years they lived in East End, before moving to ‘Charnwood Villa, 4 Hey Street around 1900. By 1904 William was a store-keeper at the Sheet Stores. Their children were:
- Benjamin (1874) – became a lacemaker and married Sarah Evan. They lived at 55 Victoria St.
- Jane (1877) – became manageress of a Co-Operative shop.
- William (1879) – became a lacemaker and married Martha Pearson. Lived next door to Benjamin at 57 Victoria St.
- Edwin (1887) – became a clerk for a wholesale tobacconist.
Rose Allen (1854-)
Rose was a servant in Breaston in 1871 (age 18). In 1876 she married Thomas Wright, a boot-maker. They lived at 47 Plant Lane and had 2 daughters:
- Elizabeth (1877) married railway clerk Harry Wilcox. They lived in Plant Lane – at 23 and then 47.
- Annie (1879) married Ernest Smith, a brewery clerk, and moved to Birmingham.
Benjamin Allen (1856-1897)
Benjamin started work in the sheet stores but then became a butcher. In 1875 he married Hannah Woolley and in 1881 they were living in Hey St. In 1882 Benjamin was given the honour of opening the toll gates on Harrington Bridge for the last time. A few years they followed his sister Annie to Canada with their 3 children. They lived in Toronto and had 5 more children. Benjamin worked in stables, then as a nightwatchman.
Annie Allen (1857-1935)
In 1871 Annie (age 13) was a servant for the Bates family in Back St. In 1877 she married Alfred Kingscott (brother of Arthur Kingscott) who was working as a railway locomotive fireman. Ten years later they moved to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where Arthur took up his original trade of sail and tent making.
James Allen (1860-1935)
James became a butcher. In 1883 he married Elizabeth Mary Ayres and moved to Church St. About 5 years late they moved to Shardlow, and he became a farmer.
Jane Allen (1860-1900)
Jane married Joseph Morris, a railway clerk. They lived on Back Street and had 2 children. Their son, George Allen Morris became a musician and moved to Boise, Idaho with his family. After Jane died aged 39, Joseph lived at ‘Fernbank’ in Sawley.