At the time of the ’41 Census, Oswald was living with his parents, Thomas and Ann, in what is now the Black Horse pub which, at the time, was split into several dwellings. The Allan family lived in number 62.
In ’41, Thomas was recorded as being a painter, but in the 1849 Directory he appears as a grocer and beer retailer. Oswald was baptised in St Martins church. Living with them was Llewellin Allan, aged 15, an apprentice. He was Oswald’s cousin.
Ten years later, Thomas was recorded as a painter and glazier master. The family were still in Nibley, and Oswald was a painter journeyman. Llewellin had moved to the St Michaels area of Bristol, and was living with his widowed mother. He had obviously done well in the world, as he was a master painter, employing 2 men and boys.
In 1855, Oswald, now a painter and glazier, married Dinah Fowler, in Charfield. Their first 2 children were born in Charfield, but then they moved to Bristol. In 1861 they were living in York Street, in central Bristol, one of this row, looking onto the New Cut.
By the next census, the family had moved to a shop on Perry Road. His cousin Llewellin, who also worked in the same trade was established round the corner on St Michaels Hill.
In a directory, he was listed as a Oil and Colourman, which meant that traded in chemical products, such as dyes and gums, in heating and edible oils, as well as colourants for in the paint manufacturing trade.
This is what it looks like today. I only found because I went in, wanting to buy an old chisel, when I saw the older picture on the wall. The assistant kindly took me into the back of the shop, and showed me this cupboard door
Which I can only think of as a sampler project for Oswald, or one of his assistants.
By 1881, Oswald had prospered enough to describe himself as a painter master, employing 5 men, 2 sons, and a boy.
At the age of 57, in the ’91 census, he had retired, and was living on North Road with his wife Dinah and son .
He lived here, on North Street, which runs parallel to the Gloucester Road in Bristol, near the Arches. there until he dies in 1913, aged 82.
After his death, the various properties he owned were sold.
Park Villas in Shirehampton
and a shop in Milk St, St Pauls, and a shop in Colston Street.
His estate came to £3420
In the Western Daily Press of 23rd September, 1938, this appeared.
I recall the times in the mid-eighties when the late Mr Oswald Allen formed a band of ringers and instructed them in bell ringing. He was a notable character in St Michaels. He came to Bristol as a young man and had unusual musical gifts. He played the organ a various churches in the Dursley district and was organist at St James the Less in Maudlin Street, but he could play almost any instrument. There was a band at the Wagon Works of which he was the leader, and could take any instrument out of a members hand and show him how this or that should be done. Mr Allen had 5 children, each of whom played one of the following instruments – organ, piano, , violin, flute, piccolo and cello and the family also performed with a set of handbells. Needless to say, the Allens family band was in great request at parties.
Family life has changed since then, young people do not find so much pleasure with their parents at home as they did then.
North Nibley One-Place-Study 