Joseph Francis Allen

 (1869-1933)

Joseph Francis Allen came to Australia with his parents in 1879, aged nine. After a brief stay in Melbourne they moved to Parramatta, New South Wales, where Joseph completed his education. He first studied architecture with young Sydney architect Gordon McKinnon, then civil engineering under Rhodes & Co.

In 1896 Joseph came to Fremantle, Western Australia where, for two years, he worked as an assistant engineer for the State Government on the development of Fremantle Harbour under C Y O’Connor. In 1898 he went into private architectural practice with Claude Nicholas but designed most of the buildings he’s best known for, alone. Among them are East Fremantle’s Town Hall, the Fremantle Trades Hall, and the Strelitz Brothers’ buildings in Mouat Street, Fremantle (1897), and on Murray Street through to Hay, Perth (1908) and the Westralian, the first steel ship built in Western Australia. 

1900 A FREMANTLE WEDDING.The East  Church was, last week, the scene of an interesting wedding, when the Rev. Douglas B. Smith joined together in the holy bonds of matrimony Mr. Joseph F. Allen, architect, Mouatt-street, Fremantle, and Miss Jean Symington Buntine, second daughter of Mr. John Buntine of Coburg, Melbourne..The bridegroom was supported by his brothers, Mr. R. Allen and Mr. P. Allen… (reference)

They lived at Harvose (named for his Cornish heritage), No 1 Surbiton Road, East Fremantle from 1917-1933.  Jean died in 1913. They had one daughter, Janet who continued living in the house until 1934.

1901 Joseph ran for local council of East Fremantle and, bar one year, remained on council for the rest of his life. He served twice as mayor, from 1909 and 1931.

1910 KING EDWARD HOSPITAL- The Mayoress of East Fremantle is calling a meeting of ladies to be held in the East Fremantle Council Chambers on Wednesday afternoon, to consider means of helping the above movement, and it is hoped that a large number will be able to attend. (reference)

1911 The Mayor of East Fremantle (Mr. J. F.Allen), who acted as honorary architect to the memorial committee, gave some interesting details regarding the movement which had resulted in the erection of the O'Connor memorial. (reference)

After an unsuccessful attempt in 1912, Allen was elected in 1914 to the Western Australian Legislative Council as a Liberal member for West Province. After he was defeated in 1920 his political influence was to be exclusively outside parliament.  Early in 1921 Allen became chairman of the West Australian divisional council of the Australian National Federation. This included three constituent bodies—the Liberal League, the National Federation and the National Labor Party; the first two amalgamated to form the National League with Allen as founding president. He retained the position after the league absorbed other groups in December 1924 to form the United Party. The Liberal League was the precursor of the present National Party. (reference)

In 1928 he became chairman of the Rottnest Island Board of which he was a foundation member in 1917, and in 1931 he was elected Mayor of East Fremantle for the second time. 

He also held office in the Fremantle Municipal Tramways (Property owners’ representative) and Electric Lighting Board, Fremantle Chamber of Commerce (president in 1921-25 and 1933), the Royal Institute of Architects and the local Rotary club. He was also a patron of the Fremantle Rowing Club, the East Fremantle Bowling Club, and the Fremantle Hospital Board. 

Throughout his life in Western Australia he was active in Presbyterian and Masonic affairs.  

1929 The East Fremantle Bowling Club held the official opening of its season on Wednesday evening last, when there was a large attendance of members...the Mayor (Mr. J. F. Allen, who, after wishing the club success in the forthcoming season, rolled the first ball. His daughter, Miss Janet Allen, was asked to hoist the pennant won last year... (reference)

1933 Victor George French, a waterside worker, of King-street, East Fremantle, said that about 12.45 a.m. on May 23 he was returning home from prawning at the traffic bridge, Fremantle. He and a companion were in a dinghy and approaching the foot of East-street they saw a dark object in the water about 30 yards from the shore. They thought it was a dog and pulled over to investigate and found it was a human body floating face downward. They towed the body ashore and notified the police... (reference)

‘The body of Mr. Joseph Allen, Mayor of East Fremantle, architect and prominent citizen of the Port, was found earlier today floating in the Swan River at the foot of East Street. The news of Mr. Allen’s death caused profound regret at Fremantle....Fully clothed, even to an overcoat, Mr. Allen’s body was found floating face downwards 50 yards from the shore about 1 a.m...” (reference) 

At 1 am on 23 May 1933 Joseph (64), then mayor of East Fremantle, was found floating in the Swan River. His death was mysterious, timed precisely at midnight by the stopping of his wristwatch, but at inquest the coroner found no suspicious circumstances and a post- mortem examination found that he most likely died from a heart attack. 

The Members of the Board and staff of the Rottnest Board of Control, and visitors to Rottnest Island generally, are respectfully informed that the remains of the late Mr. Joseph Francis Allen, J.P., late Chairman and Foundation Member of the Board, will be interred in the Presbyterian portion of the Fremantle Cemetery. The Funeral will leave his late residence, ‘Harvose’, Surbiton-road East Fremantle. (reference)

Research principally taken from Shannon Lovelady and her essay: https://www.demolishedicons.com/the-architects#/joseph-allen-francis/