Anthony Allen 1685-1754

Anthony ALLEN 1685-1754

One of Allen's bookplates (British Museum Franks Collection 354)

Biographical Note

Born and baptized at Much Hadham, Hertfordshire fourth surviving son of William Allen (d. 1698), of Much Hadham, and his wife, Bridget James

Barrister and antiquary, by his will of 22 October 1753 he left to Arthur Onslow his unpublished work on the churches in Surrey and his account of the Middle Temple. Allen's junior clerk, Thomas Sibthorpe, was bequeathed £120 to transcribe Allen's catalogues of scholars educated at Eton College and at King's College, Cambridge. Two copies were to be made of the resultant five folio volumes, laid out according to Allen's plans, one to be presented to Arthur Onslow and the other to King's. Sibthorpe was bequeathed Allen's manuscript material on 'the degeneracy of words' (an English dictionary of obsolete words and those which have changed their meaning or assumed a proverbial usage), his law dictionary, and his law reports.

Books

Used two engraved bookplates:

Franks 354: Allen, Antonius. Armr. Coll. Regal. Cantab. Soc. 1710.

Franks 355: Allen, Ant. Mar. in Cancellaria, Mag. Britanniae. (The last plate reworked.) 1728.

Sources

• Handley, Stuart. "Allen, Anthony (1685–1754), barrister and antiquary.” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.