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I would appreciate some assistance. I'm looking for any information about Sidney William Allen who in the 1880's lived in Tunbridge Wells. He was a jeweller and a partner in the firm of Payne & Allen who had a shop on the High Street. He is stated on the website of Payne Jewellers that he was the brother in law of Thomas Edward Payne who in 1884 took Mr Allen as a partner in the business. When Thomas Payne passed away in 1886  widow Helen took over as he senior partner but in 1889 she dissolved the partnership with Mr Allen. The Courier of August 9,1899 states in part that" Mr SidneyAllen, late of the firm of Payne & Allen is shortly going to leave Tunbridge Wells and we are given to understand that he had purchasd a large jeweller business".
 
I looked at the family of Thomas Edward Payne for any of his sisters that might have married a Mr Allen but could not find one.

Mr Allen is stated to have been a freemason, a member of the Holmesdale Lodge in Tunbridge Wells but I could not locate a freemason record to confirm this.

In 1888 Mr Allen saved the lives of two boys from drowing in the breakwaters of Hastings, Sussex. They were the sons of Mr Edward Ashley. As a result Mr Allen was awarded a bronze RHS medal and given an engraved watch by a fellow mason(George Farrer) who was also a jeweller and had a shop on the High St.

Any family information for Mr Allen or other events in his life are of interest to me.

Hello

FHM was not the son or adopted son of John Chapman- he was John's cousin born 1882.

The 1911 census recorded that John and his wife had five children but only his 3 daughters were still alive. FHM lived well past 1911 so never part of the family.

With what you gave me from your much appreciated research and my filling in a few blanks I now have all the information I require on this topic. Thank you very much for your work and great results.

 I am interested in any information you can add to what I know about John Chapman and his family.

The Courier of January 24,1930 reported that John Chapman of Langton Green died on Satuirday at his residence 'Widbury' in his 83rd year. He was from a well-known Yorkshire family. For the past 9 years he lived in Langton Green. His widow, two daughters and for grandchildren survive him. Family mourners at his funeral in Speldhurst incuded Mrs John Chapman, the misses E.M. and M.C. Chapman, Mr Mobrey Chapman and Major F.H.M. Chapman. The staff of 'Widbury' also attended.

John Chapman came to Langton Green in 1921 and moved into a new house called Widbury. I have family photos showing this house and a woman dated 1921 to 1924. Kelly directory lists " Mrs Chapman, Widbury, Langton Green.

Local newspapers for 1922 and 1925 provide announcements by Mrs Chapman of Widbury for domestic staff. The advert of 1925 says in part "3 in the family, comfortable modern home"

The Courier of September 29,1947 gave a notice of the executors of "the late E.M. Chapman of Widbury, Stonewall Park Rd, Langton Green. (I'm not sure if this pertains to John's wife or the daughter E.M. Chapman referred to in the 1930 death notice for John Chapman)

I did find a few records for Major F.H.M. Chapman who attended the 1930 funeral. He served in ww1 and WW 2 with the Royal Army Medical Corps and in 1914 was awarded the VC. His medals were sold at auction in 2005. I was not able to find out how he was related to John Chapman (1848-1930) though.

Any help would be appreciated.

 Would Penny Luker who has the Captain Matthew Webb album  with images of the Luker swimmers and others in it that you send me images from please contact me by private message with your email address. A fellow researcher who specialises in the history of swimmers would like to contact you.