James Allan (Queensland politician)

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James Allan
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Brisbane South
In office
2 October 1909 – 27 April 1912
Preceded byJohn Huxham
Succeeded byThomas Bouchard
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Kurilpa
In office
27 April 1912 – 22 May 1915
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byWilliam Hartley
Personal details
Born
James Allan

(1856-12-20)20 December 1856
Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died26 January 1938(1938-01-26) (aged 81)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
NationalityScottish Australian
Political partyMinisterialist
Other political
affiliations		Queensland Liberal
SpouseEliza Balloch Stark (m.1885 d.1942)
Alma materAndersonian University
OccupationDraper

James Allan (20 December 1856 – 26 January 1938) was a draper and a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Early life and business career[edit]

Allan was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland,[1] to parents Robert Allan and his wife Mary (née Hodge). Receiving his final education at Andersonian University,[1] Allan started his working life as an apprentice draper to Daley & Co. in Glasgow before arriving in Australia in 1879. Here he worked as an assistant for D. L. Brown & Co. and in 1882, along with Robert Stark formed Allan & Stark, drapers.[2]

Allan & Stark Store at Queen Street, Brisbane ca. 1919

The business started out at South Brisbane, but by 1895 business had so greatly increased that they moved to Queen Street, in the centre of Brisbane. In 1911 Allan & Stark was formed into a private company with many of its employees having acquired an interest in it. In 1919 it became a public company and later incorporated the Civil Service Stores and also Stuparts Ltd, who were based in Maryborough.[2] Their former Queen Street premises survives and is heritage-listed as the Allan and Stark Building.

Political career[edit]

Allan was an alderman in the South Brisbane Municipal Council between 1892 and 1895.[2] Representing the Ministerialists, he won the seat of Brisbane South at the 1909 state election.[3] In 1912, he switched to the new electorate of Kurilpa[4] but lost his seat to Labour's William Hartley in 1915.[5]

During his time in parliament, Premier William Kidston was known to seek Allan's advice on financial policy.[2]

Personal life[edit]

Allan was involved with several philanthropic organisations. He was actively involved with the YMCA and served a term as president of the organisation. In 1917 he was appointed honorary chief commissioner, treasurer, and chairman of the London executive committee of the YMCA army and navy work abroad. He served in World War I in England ad France from 1917 until after the Armistice. He was also a member of the Town Planning Association and a foundation member of Rotary in Queensland.[2]

He also took a keen interest in literature, authoring "A holiday ramble in new Zealand" and in 1915, he edited "Letters from a young Queenslander" and "Mesopotamia and India", the latter two being written by his son, Robert Marshall Allan about his experiences during World War I.[6] Robert Allan went on to be a professor of obstetrics at the University of Melbourne.[2]

On 4 June 1885, Allan married Eliza Balloch Stark at South Brisbane[7] and together had two sons and two daughters.[1] Allan died in Brisbane on Australia Day, 1938 and was privately interred.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "MR. JAMES ALLAN DEAD". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 27 January 1938. p. 14. Retrieved 31 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Contested Elections". Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909–1954). Qld. 4 October 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 31 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "KUBILPA". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld. 29 April 1912. p. 7. Retrieved 31 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "SUMMARY OF THE VOTING". The Brisbane Courier. 25 May 1915. p. 6. Retrieved 31 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Mesopotamia and India: a continuation of “Letters from a Young Queenslander” — State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Family Notices". The Brisbane Courier. 6 June 1885. p. 1. Retrieved 31 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Brisbane South
1909–1912 		Succeeded by
New seat Member for Kurilpa
1912–1915 		Succeeded by
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