Sidney William Allen jeweller of tunbridge wells

[Smokey807]

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.

[chempat]

Have you found him (Sidney) on any censuses?

Just for ref.
Marriages September quarter 1876   
Thomas Edward Payne  St Giles   
Helen Elizabeth Stephenson  St Giles   

[chempat]

Here in 1893
Sydney William Allen
Initiation Date:   8 May 1893
First Payment Year on Register: 1893
Profession: Jeweller
Lodge:   Derwent Lodge  Lodge Location:   Hastings  Lodge Number:   40   Folio Number:   70

[Smokey807]

Thank you for your replies. Good find regarding Freemason record. While searching for a tunbridge wells jeweller by the name of George Farrer who presented the freemasons engraved watch of Mr Allen I found Mr Farrer in the Holmedale Lodge records as well as an entry for Sidney William Allan initiated in that lodge December 15,1886 which gave his age as 26 making him born in 1860. I hope that clue helps..

I see that his foremane for the Hastings freemasons record was given as "Sydney" rather than "Sidney" in other records so that no doubt poses some problems in tracing him.

No I did not find Sidney William Allen or Sidney W. Allen in any census records. Perhaps he appears at times as Sydney rather than Sidney.

[Milliepede]

Is there a birth registration for Sidney to start from his very beginnings?

Maybe this one

Mar 1861 Headington Union

Allen - Sydney William

Mothers maiden name - Steane

[Milliepede]

Possible 1861 Oxford

William Allen 37 Baptist minister born Kent
Sarah E 27 born Oxford
Arthur W 6 born Scotland
Sydney W 2 months born Oxford

[Milliepede]

In 1881 Sydney is a boarder age 20 jewellers assistant living 37 High St Tunbridge Wells

[chempat]

Could this be his son?
From United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921
Sydney Allen   Initiation Age: 32  (born about 1889)
Initiation Date:   11 Jan 1921  First Payment Year on Register: 1921
Profession: Jeweller    Lodge: Panmure Lodge

[Christine53]

1891 census in Hastings St Michael

Sydney W Allen 30 jeweller b Oxford
Margaret Allen 32 wife b Banbury

RG12; Piece: 764; Folio: 19; Page: 31

Sydney W Allen m Margaret Payne 1 1886 Wallingford, Berks 2c 487