William E Allenby

By Morag T Fyfe

William Everette Allenby, a 56 year old artist, died from typhus fever and was buried in common ground in compartment Iota in May 1847. His forenames suggest he belonged to a Lincolnshire family of Allenbys but he has not been positively identified. His widow Susan and three children can be found in the 1851 census living at 16 Havannah Street, off High Street. Susan was supporting herself and her children by working as a straw bonnet maker. Her occupation and address suggest the family were in poor circumstances and makes one wonder what kind of ‘artist’ William Everette had been; he has not been found in internet searches. There are faint traces of the children in the following censuses until Ann, the elder daughter, is found in the 1891 and 1901 censuses settled at Findlay Street. She died in Stobhill Hospital in 1923 and her death certificate confirms her father as William Everitt (sic) Allenby.

Joseph Hume, MP by William Allenby

The facts about William Everette Allenby recorded above have now been supplemented by further information provided by Sean Paton. It turns out Allenby was a minor portrait artist and sillhouettist who worked in London in the 1820s and 1830s. By the late 1830s competition from early photography was beginning to affect his business. According to his adverts Allenby left London and focussed his efforts in the provinces and later Ireland. In the early 1840s he returned from Ireland and made his way to Scotland where adverts have tracked his travels to Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and finally Glasgow where he died. He was married at least twice though there is a lack of documentary proof for the second marriage and he fathered at least five children.