A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Allen, John (a)
ALLEN. (Vice-Admiral, of the Blue, 1846. f-p., 17; h-p., 43.)
John Allen (a) entered the Navy, 12 Feb. 1787, on board the Sybil, Capt.Rich. Bickerton, on the West India station; and from 1790 until Oct. 1793, served in the Boyne 98, Capt. Geo Bowyer, and Impregnable and Assistance, flag-ships at Plymouth and Newfoundland of Sir Rich. Bickerton and Sir Rich. King. Removing then to the Penelope 32, he assisted, in company with the Iphigenia 32, at the capture, off St. Domingo, 25 Nov. foUowing, of the French 36-gun frigate L’Inconstante, after a close action of half an hour, in which the Penelope had one man killed and seven, including himself, wounded.[1] Mr. Allen, who obtained a Lieutenancy, on 10 Dec. in the same year, in the Convert 36, Capt. John Lawford, was unfortunately wrecked, in the West Indies, 8 March, 1794; after which event he became successively attached to the Iris 32, Capt. Wm. Hargood, on the North America and Africa stations, and London 98, flagship in the Channel of Sir John Colpoys. Assuming the rank of Commander, 6 Dec. 1796, he next, between Feb. 1798 and Nov. 1799, served in the Childers, Alecto, and Echo sloops, in the latter of which, on the Jamaica station, he captured, 3 July, 1799, L’Amazon, French letter of marque, of 10 guns and 60 men. He was posted 29 April, 1802, but did not again go afloat until 17 Jan. 1810, when he joined the Franchise 36. After visiting Newfoundland, he proceeded to the Mediterranean, and was there transferred, 1 Aug. 1811, to the Rodney 74. He returned to England in April, 1812, as Captain of the Perlen 38, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Chas. Boyles. During the last two years of the war, Capt. Allen officiated as Agent for Prisoners of War at Newfoundland. This was his last employment. His promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral took place 17 Aug. 1840; and to that he now holds 9 Nov. 1846.
The Vice-Admiral is in the receipt of a pension for wounds of 250l. He is married and has issue.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1794, p. 189.