Joseph Allen, DD (1770–20 March 1845) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

clergyman. He was the son of

William Allen William Allen may refer to: Politicians United States *William Allen (congressman) (1827–1881), United States Representative from Ohio *William Allen (governor) (1803–1879), U.S. Representative, Senator, and 31st Governor of Ohio *William ...

and his wife Nelly Livesey. William Allen (d. 1792) was a partner in Manchester's first Bank, Byrom, Allen, Sedgwick and Place (founded 1771) but was made bankrupt in 1788 on the failure of the Bank. This was despite inheriting £20,000 from his father, John Allen, of Davyhulme Hall, Eccles.The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol 21, p.668William EA Axon (Ed) ''The annals of Manchester: a chronological record from the earliest times to the end of 1885'' Allen was educated at the Free Grammar School, Manchester and at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

(admitted 1788, scholar and prizeman, graduated

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

(7th wrangler) 1792,

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

1795, D.D. 1829), where he gained a fellowship in 1793. He was ordained

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...

in 1799 and

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

in 1800. He was private secretary to the 2nd Earl Spencer and tutor to his son, the 3rd Earl Spencer, when Viscount Althorp. He was appointed a prebendary of Westminster Abbey on 4 October 1806 which appointment he held until 1836, vicar of Battersea in 1808 (Battersea was in the gift of Lord Spencer) and vicar of St Bride's, Fleet Street in 1829. The fact that Allen held more than one living at the same time was not uncommon in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He was

Bishop of Bristol A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

from 1834 to 1836, when he was translated to become Bishop of Ely. He died in that office in 1845. There is a memorial to him in the South Choir Aisle of Ely Cathedral. It was during Allen's episcopate (in 1837) that the Counties of Huntingdon and Bedford, and the Archdeaconry of Sudbury were added to the Diocese. By his wife Margaret Ashley (whom he married on 19 May 1807 at Frodsham, Cheshire), Dr Allen had three sons and a daughter: * George John Allen (1810–1883), of

, barrister and Master of

Dulwich College Dulwich College is a 2–19 Independent school (United Kingdom), independent, Day school, day and boarding school for Single-sex education, boys in Dulwich, London, England. As a Public school (United Kingdom), public school, it began as the Col ...

* William Joseph Allen (1812–1888), Bengal Civil Service (1829–1865) * Robert Allen (1816–1846), of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, died in Darmstadt on 11 March 1846 * Ellen Allen (died 1860), died in Bayswater on 15 December 1860 Memorial to Bishop Joseph Allen in Ely Cathedral

Memorial to Bishop Joseph Allen in Ely Cathedral

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Joseph Bishops of Bristol Bishops of Ely 19th-century Church of England bishops Canons of Westminster 1770 births 1845 deaths People educated at Manchester Grammar School Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge