Thomas Allen

Who was Thomas Allen?

Sir Thomas Allen DL, JP was an English politician, royalist and lawyer.

He was the only son of Edward Allen and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Bennett. He was educated at Gray's Inn and then at St John's College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1622 and a Master of Arts in 1626. Allen became governor of Barnet in 1634 and was knighted in 1639. During the English Civil War, he was first Commissioner for Assessment, then of Array. He was served as Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer for London and Middlesex in 1660, and was appointed Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace of the latter county a year later. In 1661, Allen entered the English House of Commons, sitting for Middlesex until 1679.

In 1627, he married Mary, youngest daughter of Sir John Weld, and had by her seven daughters and six sons. Allen died in 1681 and was buried in Finchley.