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William Allen AB Row

Susan Thompson

Brummie babby
I was reading about Ab Row and a stone mason named William Allen was mentioned, I have been searching the Allen family tree, finding out that William Allen 4th times grand father, was Ab Row where he lived or worked, does anyone know anything about the Allen family, were they stone masons before William? I have so many questions to ask hope its allowed
 
Difficult to know if his family before him were stone masons because of him only appearing on the 1841 census and no birthplace, so he could be from anywhere in England.

At least 6 of his sons appear to have followed the same profession though, being variously listed as stone masons or stone carvers.
 
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And there's a possbility for the eldest son, Wiilliam, as well. There's one listed on the 1841 census as a stonemason but he disappears after that.
 
Thank you mws master brummie, you are a big help, I have found one of William Allen sons William he died in 1842 and was my 3 × grandfather. Could I please ask for your help would you happen to know the names of the other sons. I'm not from Birmingham area so don't know anything about it but would William Allen be living or just working in AB Row?
 
The other sons were John 1812, Thomas 1818, Charles 1822, George 1828, Enoch 1829, Dan 1832.

Daughters Ann Maria 1815, Susanna 1819, Esther 1821, Caroline 1826, Sarah 1826ish.

There are Birmingam baptisms for all except Charles (Kidderminster) and Sarah.

He would have definitely been living in AB Row in 1841, if he had a workshop there as well I don't know. Maybe another member will know more. A lot of Birmingham people had their own workshops at home but I'm not sure that stonemasons fit in to that category.

Here is a link to an 1839 map of Birmngham. AB Row is not listed but it is to the right of the map about halfway down, on the opposite side of the road to Prospect Row, running between the unmarked road below the P of Prospect to Howe St.

 
also susan i do have a few photos of AB ROW...if you would like me to post them just say..someone will correct me if i am wrong but i think i read somewhere that AB stands for aston boundry...

lyn
 
In the early directories addresses are often given in this way, meaning AB Row, off Prospect Row. Willaim Allen is not listed as a mason in the 1841 or 1845 directroies (which , at this time would refer to one or two years earlier) . This is might mean that he was then working for someone else elsewhere, although some very small businesses were not listed.
 
In the 1833 Trade Directory he is listed as:
View attachment 146234
I have no idea what the 2 addresses mean.

Not as clear on the 1839 maps as it is on later maps but Prospect Row and AB Row seem to converge before becoming Coleshill St, so that the north of the road seems to be Prospect Row and the south side of the road AB Row. So I'm wondering if they put both to make it clear.

From the 1841 census it appears that William Allen's residence might be at that end of AB Row.
 
Hi everyone thanks to you all, I had hit a brick wall but now I'm feeling a little more hopeful, the lady who has pictures of AB Row I would love to see them, but first is it alright to put my address on here?
 
hi susan i will post the photos i have later on...as regards posting your private details on open forum we do not advise it...if you wish to exchange email addresses..tel numbers etc with other members it is by far safer to do so via our private message system..click on envelope top right of the page

lyn
 
Dear Member,I am also researching ALLEN 's in Birmingham and read names with interest.
Albert ALLEN circ 1895 Robert ALLEN, plus CORIN,WILLIAMS,WOOLF, are my other connected family.Any link would be appreciated.Kind regards, Rod.
 
My mothers maiden name was Allen. A distant relative did a part family tree up to my gg grandfather William who was born 1805, and was a Brass Caster.
His son’s including my ggrandfather , and one daughter born between 1833 to 1848. My great grandfather born 1848 John Thomas was a Pearl Worker.
I do know my Mum was brought up in Hockley, but for some reason always thought my Grandfather heritage was Irish in the past.
 
Hello Diane,checked my William Allen but have different date of birth one 1797 another 1817 & 1848 brass caster sounds typical of area.Any other links? Thanks for help.
 
Like I said Rodney it was a distant relative who was researching his side of the family, and his grandmother was my aunt born 1895 .
William had another son William date of birth 1836 who was a steel polisher, Robert 1833, Cabinet maker, Daniel 1839 Brush Maker.
Joseph 1845 no occupation listed Only girl 1841.
I have no dates of deaths or if they married except for my great grandfather who died 1916.
Apparently looking at the bit of family tree I have all must have been born in Birmingham.
In fact the family tree of William Allen wife my gg grandmother goes up to when her parents married 1785 and there parents married both around 1755 all of Birmingham.
Looking a fresh at this it’s apparent I have Birmingham blood running through my veins for centuries
 
Checked some of the information you sent,not able at this stage to make a link.Hope to look on ancestry web later ,and let you know any details might be of interest.Cheers Rod.
 
Hello Diane,checked my William Allen but have different date of birth one 1797 another 1817 & 1848 brass caster sounds typical of area.Any other links? Thanks for help.
Hi Rod,

I have detailed information on Robert Parkin Allen (1852-1898) (his father was William Allen) who married Mary Ann Corin (1856-1939) and their ancestors who I have been researching for about 40 years. Previous names in that line are also Parkin from Nottinghamshire and Masefield from Birmingham. Here are links to wikitree for Allen and Corin.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Allen-1230


I hope this helps

Roger Hancock
 
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