Person:Horace Allen (2)

Horace Allen was born in 1887 as Horace Moss at Aley Green in the part of the parish of Caddington which was then in Hertfordshire. He was the son of a straw hat sewer named Emily Moss. When Horace was two years old his mother married a hat blocker named Frederick Allen, and Horace's subsequent baptism at the Aley Green Methodist Chapel is as Horace Allen and in each census from 1891 to 1911 he was described as son of Frederick Allen.

Horace appears in the 1891 census living with his parents and siblings at Aley Green. In the mid 1890s the family moved down the hill to the neighbouring village of Markyate, where they lived at Hicks Lane. The 1911 census has them living at 21 Hicks Road in Markyate and Horace working as a farm labourer in the village.

In the First World War, Horace (who was apparently known as Joey), joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. After training at Ampthill he was sent to France. He was killed in action at the Somme on 14th February 1917, aged 29.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Horace MOSS, September Quarter 1887, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 435

2. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1275; Folio 134; Page 7, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   Frederick Allen, head, married, male, 27 [1863/4], Straw Hat Blocker, employed, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Emily Allen, wife, married, female, 29 [1861/2], Bonnet Sewer, employed, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Lizzie Allen, daughter, female, 7 [1883/4], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Horace Allen, son, male, 3 [1887/8], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Flora Allen, daughter, female, 11mo [1890], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

3. ↑ Bedfordshire Community Archives, accessed 18 Mar 2014.

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives.

4. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 1327; Folio 62; Page 9, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Hick's Lane, Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   Frederick Allen, head, married, male, 36 [1864/5], Straw Hat Blocker, worker, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Emma Allen, wife, married, female, 38 [1862/3], Straw Hat Sewer, worker, at home, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Lizzie Allen, daughter, single, female, 18 [1882/3], Straw Hat Sewer, worker, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Horace Allen, son, male, 14 [1886/7], b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Florence Allen, daughter, female, 11 [1889/90], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Charles Allen, son, male, 9 [1891/2], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Nellie Allen, daughter, female, 6 [1894/5], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Annie Allen, daughter, female, 3 [1897/8], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Eva Allen, daughter, 6 months [1900], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Ivy Allen, daughter, 6 months [1900], b. Markyate, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 7765; Schedule 123, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 21 Hicks Road, Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Five rooms occupied
   Fredrick Allen, head, male, 48 [1862/3], married, Blocker Straw trade, Straw Hat, worker in Luton, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Emily Allen, wife, female, 49 [1861/2], married 21 years, 9 children born, 8 still living, Straw Hat machinist, worker at Home, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Horace Allen, son, male, 23 [1887/8], single, Farm labourer, worker in Markyate, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Charlie Allen, son, male, 19 [1891/2], single, Blocker Straw trade, worker in Luton, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Nellie Allen, daughter, female, 16 [1894/5], single, Straw Hat machinist, worker at home, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Annie Allen, daughter, female, 13 [1897/8], School, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Eva Allen, daughter, female, 10 [1900/1], School, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Ivy Allen, daughter, female, 10 [1900/1], School, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire

6. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

   Private Horace Moss Allen
   Service Number 23166
   Died 14 Feb 1917
   Aged 30
   4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
   Son of Frederick and Emily Allen, of 17 Hicks Road, Markyate, Dunstable
   Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

7. ↑ Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 8, 1 Mar 1917.

   MARKYATE.
   KILLED IN ACTION.-Official news was received yesterday (Wednesday) morning that Pte. Horace Allen was killed in action on the 14th inst. He received his training at Ampthill, joining the Duke of Bedford's Battalion. "Joey," as he was known to all his associates, was of a very happy and optimistic temperament, and a general favourite with his comrades. He worked as a labourer for Mr. G. Powdrill, of Luton, before enlisting. His younger brother is with the R.F.A., 59th Division. Pte. Mead, youngest son of Mr. J. Mead, is reported wounded on the 10th inst. He crossed the water with Pte. Allen, and also received his training with him.