Samuel Allen was an accomplished carpenter and had pride in his work. He made the family dining table from three types of local wood from the Manubi forest:
solid ‘iron wood’ table top with
yellowwood beveled edges, and
teak (‘Manubi mahogany’)  legs
that were hand-turned on a lathe with help from his son, Ted (Barty).
Samuel always felt that his son would ‘botch’ his carpentry. He would withhold his woodworking tools from Ted but allowed his granddaughter, Peggy, to play with them when she was a child.
Likewise, Ted (Barty), did not trust the carpentry skills of his son, Noel, but would allow his grandson, David, to play with them!

Samuel Allen and granddaughter Peggy (6 months) in 1914

Peggy Allen as a child

(Marguerite Sophia (Peggy) Smailes, nee Allen)

Ted Allen with hand saw used to produce timber from trees felled at Manubi Forest

Stanley No 48, “tongue and groove” planer from the Manubi carpentry shop and likely used by used by Samuel, Ted and Noel and Philip Allen in the production of many doors, tables, etc for local customers around Manubi

Noel Allen with early circular saw bench at Manubi

Noel and Phillip Allen at Manubi saw bench

Phillip Allen at sawbench with one of the ‘welch dressers’ produced at Manubi by the Allens

Noel and Phillip Allen in ‘retirement’, still at it!

(Stutterheim farm)

Noel Allen and assistant, Apple, in Stutterheim Farm timber production

 

Samuel Allen (born 13 October, 1846) was the grandson of his namesake, Samuel Allen, 1820 settler.

His wife, Sophia, was born in Tottenham, England, on 14 November 1843.

Sophia, Samuel’s wife, died on 22 October, 1903 and is buried, not in Manubi Cemetery (-32.440091,28.612497), but across the road in the yard of the Forest Department homestead. We are grateful to the powers that be who have preserved the grave on Government property - unlike those in the main cemetery across the road.

 

Darren and Michelle Allen and children, Kayla, Ethan and Jessie Allen at Sophia Allen's grave in May 2017. Six generations of Allen are spanned in this picture.

 

The headstone reads:

 

 In loving memory of

Sophia Augusta Allen

died Manubie

October 22nd 1903

aged 59 years 11 months and 11 days

Only goodnight

beloved

not farewell

 

 Samuel Allen, himself, is buried in an unmarked grave in the yard of the Allen family home. Samuel died 23 January 1934
 

In the actual cemetery, however, is a  site surrounded by a picket fence with corner posts that are turned on a lathe in a similar way to the table legs. This fence must have also been made of hard wood similar to the teak of the table, because more than a century later, they are still solid. It could quite possibly also be the handiwork Samuel Allen. The fence could not, however, withstand the large blue gum tree that fell across this and a number of other graves in a line.

 

David and Shirley Allen with sons, Sheldon and Darren Allen and grandchildren, Kayla and Ethan Allen in Manubi Cemetery, August 2012.

 

 

Part of the well preserved (teak?) picket fence around a grave in Manubi Cemetery. It is possible the grave of William Allen (Sen.), Samuel's father, or that of his brother William Allen who died in 1918 and, according to his death notice, was buried at Manubi.