Allen (Shellharbour)

DESCRIPTION

NameAllen (Shellharbour)DescriptionJohn Walter (Walter) Allen was born c.1827 at Dover Kent England to Richard and Ann Allen. He arrived in Australia on the 'Gilmore' 1855 as an assisted immigrant, with his wife Priscilla and three children.

On the death of his first wife, he married Charlotte Dunster.

He established a general store and residence in Addison Street Shellharbour, from 1868. In 1871, Walter purchased the land from Thomas Alexander Reddall (part Section 9B Lot 6).

Walter sold ironmongery, drapery and haberdashery, and conducted his Post Office in 1871, from a front room of his residence at Addison Street. A Telegraph Office was added in 1900 (shown as Post & Telegraph Office Litho January 1900).

A report from the Illawarra Steam Navigation Book 1912 describes Messrs Allen Bros ‘are always ready to assist visitors planning excursions in the district’, and from the report appears the store met the tourists’ requirements for fishing tackle, bathing and boating outfits.

Clothing and other goods were ordered by catalogue through Allen’s Post Office and arrived by boat, or later by rail. Duties of the postmaster included a weekly trip on horseback to deliver mail to the “neighbouring hamlet” of Albion Park. When the residents of Shellharbour resolved to build a new public school, Walter Allen was a member of the Shellharbour Public School Board.

Walter Allen conducted the store and Post Office until his death in 1876. His widow, Mrs. Charlotte Allen (nee: Dunster) carried on as storekeeper and post mistress until her death in 1882, and members of the family continued the business for generations, as Allen Bros.

When Walter Allen died from typhoid in 1876, he was the first person to be buried in the Anglican Cemetery, Tongarra Road Albion Park, in the burial grounds of the All Saint’s Anglican Church consecrated and opened December 8, 1875.

Since auction of the estate of the late Mrs. Allen 1891 of Allen Bros store, various owners have occupied the building and residence over later years. (ref. lithograph July 27, 1891-D.L.Dymock).

External LinkCoroner's Inquest James Campbell 1865Death Walter Allen 1876Shellharbour A Pleasant Resort 1891Complimentary Picnic & Presentation to JD Allen Esq Shellharbour 1895Welcome Lieut Keith W Allen 1919Obituary Mr Edward Allen 72 Years 1936Wedding Gwendoline Allen 1929Obituary Miss C Allen 80 Years 1946Obituary Joseph Dunster Allen 1946Walter Allen Jnr Death 1878

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Allen's Post Office & Store, Shellharbour, c.1880.

CONNECTIONS

CollectionFamiliesFamilyDunsterBarrsLocalityShellharbour VillagePersonAllen, EdwardAllen, Joseph DunsterAllen, Keith WickhamAllen, John WalterClarke, GeorgePlaceKaramiaWindradene

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Allen (Shellharbour)