Charles Peter Allen
Encyclopedia
Charles Peter Allen MP
(2 December 1861 – 18 September 1930) was an English
Liberal
politician who represented Stroud
from 1900-1914. His professional career was as a solicitor
and newspaper journalist. He served his country during World War I, as a major in the Gloucestershire Regiment, and as a sportsman played international rugby
for Wales
.
, Lancashire to Peter Allen, the manager of the Manchester Guardian and part owner of the Manchester Evening News
. In 1865 the family moved to Beaumaris on the Isle of Angelsey in Wales
, when they rented a property. The family purchased a house in the town in 1873. Allen was educated at Rugby School
, before matriculating to Oxford University. On leaving university he was articled to a firm of Manchester solicitors, and qualified as a barrister, though by 1887 he had changed careers and became a journalist for the Manchester Guardian. He was assigned as a foreign correspondenet and was sent to Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey. While in Constantinople
he met Evelina Barker and the two were married in the city in 1890, before returning to live in Beaumaris. They had five children, four daughters and a son.
In 1900 he became Member of Parliament for Stroud, and he and his family moved to the area. While a MP, Allen was made a Privy Council
lor. He retained his position as MP until 1914, when he resigned his post to join the British war effort during World War I. Allen had been a member of the Territorial Volunteers of the 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment prior to the outbreak of war, and at the age of 53 he became a full-time soldier. Posted to France as a captain, he became a Town Mayor, dealing with troop movements. At the end of his military career, Allen had reached the rank of major. In 1922 he ran again for the Parliamentary seat of Stroud, but was beaten. He died at his London home in 1930.
, though he had also represented Rugby School as a youth. Allen played in three Varsity Matches
against Cambridge University
, winning three sporting 'Blues' from 1881 to 1883. In 1884, Allen was selected to play for Wales in the opening match of the Home Nations Championship
against his birth country, England. Under the captaincy of Charlie Newman
, Wales lost by a goal to a goal and two tries, though it was Allen who scored the only Welsh try
, the first points the Welsh team had ever scored against the English. Allen was reselected for the next game of the tournament, in a home game to Scotland. Wales lost the game, and Allen was replaced for the final game by Cardiff's
William Norton
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(2 December 1861 – 18 September 1930) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who represented Stroud
Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)
Stroud is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1900-1914. His professional career was as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and newspaper journalist. He served his country during World War I, as a major in the Gloucestershire Regiment, and as a sportsman played international rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
.
Personal history
Charles Peter Allen was born in 1861 in PrestwichPrestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, Lancashire to Peter Allen, the manager of the Manchester Guardian and part owner of the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
. In 1865 the family moved to Beaumaris on the Isle of Angelsey in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, when they rented a property. The family purchased a house in the town in 1873. Allen was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, before matriculating to Oxford University. On leaving university he was articled to a firm of Manchester solicitors, and qualified as a barrister, though by 1887 he had changed careers and became a journalist for the Manchester Guardian. He was assigned as a foreign correspondenet and was sent to Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey. While in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
he met Evelina Barker and the two were married in the city in 1890, before returning to live in Beaumaris. They had five children, four daughters and a son.
In 1900 he became Member of Parliament for Stroud, and he and his family moved to the area. While a MP, Allen was made a Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
lor. He retained his position as MP until 1914, when he resigned his post to join the British war effort during World War I. Allen had been a member of the Territorial Volunteers of the 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment prior to the outbreak of war, and at the age of 53 he became a full-time soldier. Posted to France as a captain, he became a Town Mayor, dealing with troop movements. At the end of his military career, Allen had reached the rank of major. In 1922 he ran again for the Parliamentary seat of Stroud, but was beaten. He died at his London home in 1930.
Rugby career
Allen first came to note as a rugby player when he was selected for Oxford University RFCOxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
, though he had also represented Rugby School as a youth. Allen played in three Varsity Matches
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
against Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
, winning three sporting 'Blues' from 1881 to 1883. In 1884, Allen was selected to play for Wales in the opening match of the Home Nations Championship
1884 Home Nations Championship
The 1884 Home Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 12 April 1884...
against his birth country, England. Under the captaincy of Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newport squad he captained the team in the 1882/83 season.-Personal life:Newman was born Newport in 1857 to...
, Wales lost by a goal to a goal and two tries, though it was Allen who scored the only Welsh try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, the first points the Welsh team had ever scored against the English. Allen was reselected for the next game of the tournament, in a home game to Scotland. Wales lost the game, and Allen was replaced for the final game by Cardiff's
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
William Norton
William Norton (rugby player)
William Barron Norton was a Welsh international rugby union three-quarter who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales. He was awarded six caps for Wales.- Rugby career :...
.