Viewers of Antiques Roadshow viewers will have noticed family responses after most appraisals. After the “Gosh” and “I never expected that” the inquirer often looks around at their offspring and siblings and says “I will never sell it. It’s going to my son/ daughter /grandchild.” Often they don’t even know the history or age of the item and the appraisal team fills them in.
Recently I saw an antique piece related to our Allan family history. We knew the story behind it, had a timeline and it’s been owned by a long line of family members. To date it has been passed down several times and each owner reflects part of Australia’s rich history.
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| Originally the desk was found to be in Inverell |
I tracked it down with some help from Myrton (Bill) Allan’s wife, Margaret from Inverell to the North Coast and it just so happened some other relatives lived close enough by to want to take a peak. After making contact we were invited to see this special relic.
Two 3x great granddaughters of David and a 3x great grand niece of Sophia’s together with 3x great grandson and 4x great granddaughter gathered together over 200 years after the Allan’s arrived in Australia to see the piece and exchange Allan memories.
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| Consists of two parts with desk, two small and two large drawers |
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| The desk has brass trims, features, handles and refurbished desktop. |
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| The top opens to reveal compartments |
The
piece concerned belonged to David Allan who first came to Australia with his
wife Sophia and family, as Deputy Commissary
General in 1809. Its age is circa 1800 making it early 19th Century George
III (Georgian). It was in fact a sea chest
used during his voyage to the colony in 1809 possibly made from mahogany or elm
with brass trims.It's the size of a chest of drawers.
It may well have accompanied him from his home in Edinburgh to a Commissary posting in Heligoland before that.
Close inspection reveals it as an army issue combination desk and sea trunk. It’s in two parts with handles for carrying and moving around. The bottom portion has useful under storage drawers for clothing. There are two smaller drawers and a two larger ones. The top section folds out to be a desk. It has compartments for stationary items and in fact still houses some items owned by later owners. It’s desktop been refurbished with green felt.
The Sydney Gazette 19/6/1913 announces the arrival of the new Deputy Commissary General.
The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 19 Jun 1813:
"His Royal Highness The Prince Regent, in the Name and on Behalf of His Majesty, having been graciously pleased to appoint David Allan, Esq. to be Deputy Commissary General to the Forces in the Territory of New South Wales and its Dependencies, placing the whole of the Commissariat Department, Civil and Military, in the said Territory and its Dependencies, under his entire Direction and Control; the Deputy Commissary-General Allan having recently arrived in the Colony from England on board the Fortune Transport, His Excellency the Governor directs, that he shall assume the Charge of the Commissariat Department of this Territory, on Friday next, the 25th Instant; and that all Orders issued by him to the inferior Departments, shall from henceforth be obeyed and respected accordingly. The present Accounts of the Commissariat Department are to be made up to the 24th of the present Month inclusive, and delivered in to the Commissary General's Office by the respective Accountants without Delay. The Officers, Storekeepers, and other Persons at present on the Establishment of the Commissariat Department of this Territory, will continue in their several different Charges, and in the Execution of their respective Duties, until further Orders, considering themselves however, under the immediate Command of the Commissary General."
David Allan was the New South Wales Deputy Commissary General from 1808 to 1819. He returned to England with his family on the “Surrey” where he prepared to travel to Barbados. He did not travel there due to the death of his wife Sophia in 1821 but later via Edinburgh returned to Sydney on the “Prince Regent” in 1829 with a second wife Elizabeth nee Rennie and son Maxwell where he remained until his death in 1852.
It is believed therefore to have not only traveled to Australia once but twice. Despite its age and use this beautiful heirloom is in remarkable condition considering its having been subjected to months of rough and tumble in ship’s cabins. It is compact enough to not look out of place in a modern Australian home where it is currently housed on the north coast of NSW. In fact, it forms part of a family history corner where it is displayed with family artifacts of former owners and houses memorabilia and photos relating to Percy Allan and his WWI sons.
The succession of ownership has been from:
David Allan (died 1852)
Maxwell
Allan (died 1879) - Principle Under Secretary of the Colonial Secretary's Dept
Percy Allan (died 1930), Chief Engineer for Public Works in New South Wales, who designed and built the Pyrmont and Glebe Island Bridges, plus oversaw 583 more.
Herbert Trangmar Allan (died 1967) who after serving in the army in World War I and working in mines in New Guinea with his brother Keith died childless and the desk returned to Inverell with his brother Keith’s family.
Keith Trangmar Allan (d 1964) farmer and grazier
Myrton (Bill )Allan (d 2013)Grazier in Inverell
David Allan present owner
There’s a clear succession plan for this desk. Like the Antiques Roadshow it is earmarked for son, James Allan sometime in the distant future.
If it had eyes and ears it would be able to tell us of David’s letters back to England and business negotiated during the port stopovers and travel to the colony plus the wheeling and dealings of the Commissary in Sydney town. His job was to supply the young colony with the stores and basic necessities pivotal to the growth of the economy in the Macquarie era. Eventually Macquarie thought Allan “indulged in considerable private and clandestine commercial speculations.” Allan was replaced and returned to England. He was ultimately cleared and placed on half pay for life.
In its current location it lives in a corner of 3x great grandson David Allan’s home as a “mini museum piece” tastefully surrounded by travel artifacts from New Guinea where the great great grandson Allan brothers Keith and Herbert lived for time between the wars. Keith’s medals are also displayed nearby. The desk itself houses surveying memorabilia of Percy Allan’s and photos of his three sons taken before they proceeded to serve in World War I.
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| Some of the memorabilia |
The
desk was featured in the front cover of the Australian Woman’s Weekly in 1965.
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| The desk featured in The Australian Women's Weekly 27/10/1965 |
It’s a treasured family item. It was an amazing get together that warm spring afternoon in Yamba of several generations of Sophia and David Allan’s descendants and related family. We honoured the famous family, swapped family tree information and vowed to continue the family research.
And I don’t half think it’s ignited just a little bit more interest in the history of David and Sophia amongst the next generation.
Below is the complete list (and links) of Blog stories relevant to the Allan family to date.
| Six degrees of Separation - It’s a small world for David Allan and Sophia Johnston |
Sophia Johnston 1777-1821 Pioneer of Sydney and mother of 12
| Eustace Alfred Allan 1892-1917 Killed in Action |
| Myrton Trangmar Allan 1892 -1916 KIA and brother Keith Trangmar Allan 1896-1964 |
| Honorary Colonel Herbert Trangmar Allan MC OBE (M) |
To find more about Sophia's Scottish roots Search Johnston Family History on the blog.
Great work again Robyn. Informative and Interesting! BS.
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