Philip Allen, Baron Allen of Abbeydale
Encyclopedia
Philip Allen, Baron Allen of Abbeydale, GCB
(8 July 1912, Sheffield
– 27 November 2007, Windsor, Berkshire
, pneumonia
) was a British
civil servant.
in Sheffield and Queens' College, Cambridge
where he read Law. He came top of his year in the Civil Service administrative examinations in 1934.
in 1934 and served in the War Cabinet
1943-44, then as Deputy Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
1955-60. He became Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Home Office 1960-62, Second Secretary, HM Treasury
1963-66 and Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Home Office 1966-72.
As deputy chairman of the Prison Commission for England and Wales
from 1950-52, he advised against a reprieve for Timothy Evans
, hanged in 1950 for the murder of his baby daughter at 10 Rillington Place, London. He also thought that Evans was guilty of the murder of his wife, for which Evans had not been prosecuted. Evans was pardoned in 1966 and Evans' landlord, John Christie
, held responsible for strangling his own wife and five other women as well as Evans' wife and baby, to which he confessed. When the Home Office files were published, Allen expressed his deep regret at the advice he had given.
Together with the Permanent Secretary Sir Frank Newsam
, Allen had unsuccessfully urged a reprieve for Derek Bentley
, hanged aged 19 in 1953 for the murder of a policeman. Bentley, who was already under arrest at the time, had allegedly called to an armed accomplice, Christopher Craig: "Let him have it Chris!" when they were caught in a burglary. The remark, if made, was ambiguous, possibly urging surrender of Craig's gun, rather than inciting Craig to murder. In 1998, Bentley received a posthumous pardon. Craig was imprisoned, being under-age for execution, and was later released.
Allen was created a life peer
as Baron Allen of Abbeydale, of the City of Sheffield, in 1976. He sat in the House of Lords
as a crossbencher. From 1973 to 1978 he was a member of the Pearson commission
. He lived for many years in Englefield Green
, Surrey, was chairman of the council of Royal Holloway College
during its merger with Bedford College in 1985.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(8 July 1912, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
– 27 November 2007, Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant.
Education and early life
He was the son of Arthur Allen and Louie Tipper and educated at King Edward VII SchoolKing Edward VII School (Sheffield)
King Edward VII School is a secondary school and language college located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. KES, named after the reigning monarch, was formed in 1905 when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road...
in Sheffield and Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
where he read Law. He came top of his year in the Civil Service administrative examinations in 1934.
Career
Allen joined the Home OfficeHome Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
in 1934 and served in the War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
1943-44, then as Deputy Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government was a United Kingdom government department formed after the Second World War, covering the areas of housing and local government....
1955-60. He became Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Home Office 1960-62, Second Secretary, HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
1963-66 and Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Home Office 1966-72.
As deputy chairman of the Prison Commission for England and Wales
Prison Commission (England and Wales)
The Prison Commission was a public body of the Government of the United Kingdom established in 1877 and responsible for overseeing the operation of HM Prison Service...
from 1950-52, he advised against a reprieve for Timothy Evans
Timothy Evans
Timothy John Evans was a Welshman accused of murdering his wife and daughter at their residence in Notting Hill, London in November 1949. In January 1950 Evans was tried and convicted of the murder of his daughter, and he was sentenced to death by hanging...
, hanged in 1950 for the murder of his baby daughter at 10 Rillington Place, London. He also thought that Evans was guilty of the murder of his wife, for which Evans had not been prosecuted. Evans was pardoned in 1966 and Evans' landlord, John Christie
John Christie (murderer)
John Reginald Halliday Christie , born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was a notorious English serial killer active in the 1940s and '50s. He murdered at least eight females – including his wife Ethel – by strangling them in his flat at 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill, London...
, held responsible for strangling his own wife and five other women as well as Evans' wife and baby, to which he confessed. When the Home Office files were published, Allen expressed his deep regret at the advice he had given.
Together with the Permanent Secretary Sir Frank Newsam
Frank Newsam
Sir Frank Aubrey Newsam GCB KBE CVO MC was a British civil servant notable for serving as Permanent Under-Secretary of State to the Home Office from 1948 to 1957, although he had been a central figure for many years previously...
, Allen had unsuccessfully urged a reprieve for Derek Bentley
Derek Bentley
Derek William Bentley was a British teenager hanged for the murder of a police officer, committed in the course of a burglary attempt. The murder of the police officer was committed by a friend and accomplice of Bentley's, Christopher Craig, then aged 16. Bentley was convicted as a party to the...
, hanged aged 19 in 1953 for the murder of a policeman. Bentley, who was already under arrest at the time, had allegedly called to an armed accomplice, Christopher Craig: "Let him have it Chris!" when they were caught in a burglary. The remark, if made, was ambiguous, possibly urging surrender of Craig's gun, rather than inciting Craig to murder. In 1998, Bentley received a posthumous pardon. Craig was imprisoned, being under-age for execution, and was later released.
Allen was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Allen of Abbeydale, of the City of Sheffield, in 1976. He sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a crossbencher. From 1973 to 1978 he was a member of the Pearson commission
Pearson Commission
The Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury, better known as the Pearson commission was a United Kingdom royal commission, established in 1973 under the chairmanship of Lord Pearson...
. He lived for many years in Englefield Green
Englefield Green
Englefield Green is a large village in northern Surrey, England. It is home to Royal Holloway, University of London, the south eastern corner of Windsor Great Park and close to the towns of Egham, Windsor, Staines and Virginia Water...
, Surrey, was chairman of the council of Royal Holloway College
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
during its merger with Bedford College in 1985.