Bill Allen

Published on 29/05/2024

ALLEN Bill Captain William James Allen, Bill 21/11/1928 14/05/2024: 95 years Bill joined the Merchant Navy as an apprentice, serving initially on RRS Discovery stationed on the Thames. However, due to the shortage of officers he was fast tracked to 3rd Mate with the Clan line. He did not exploit the opportunity offered by the War office to change to the Royal Navy.After the Clan Line he signed with the British Tanker Company and sailed the Atlantic Convoys. After the War Bill gained his Masters "ticket" and sailed across the globe, although he realised that "life at sea" wasn't conducive to his family life. After he married Anne in June 1956, he was in search of a second career. There was a brief opportunity with the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Capenhurst , but unfortunately with the absence of a School Certificate (having been evacuated to North Wales, Bill did not learn Welsh) this wasn't to be, so he enrolled as a Public Health Inspector at Liverpool School of Health. On qualification, Bill had a number of appointments including Meat Inspector and Rat Catcher with the Liverpool Corporation, then to Boston as a Public Health Inspector. When the position of Chief Port Health Inspector came up in the Port of Milford, he grabbed the opportunity and was appointed in 1962. Over the years he developed the Port Health from a "one man band " to a staff of 10 with a dedicated Ambulance Launch, retiring in 1993. Unfortunately, the plans he and Anne had made for their retirement never came to fruition when he lost Anne a year later to pancreatic cancer. Bill had many friends in Pembrokeshire and was an active member of the Welsh Livery Guild, later the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales. In 2010 he decided that the hills in Milford Haven were too much and moved to stay with his eldest daughter Kim in Cudham, Kent, where he spent many a day undertaking rope work on HQS Wellington, then the floating Livery Hall of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, of which he was a Liveryman and thus a Freeman of the City of London. He enjoyed livery events with both livery companies, especially the curry lunches on the Wellington, and the formal celebrations of new Masters. He was always recognisable as he insisted on wearing his kilt and brandishing his Sgian-dubh to "protect" the "loving cup" drinker in the ceremony. In 2018 becoming frailer he headed up to Bridge of Earn, Perth to his youngest daughter, Jôe who later became his carer. On 14th of May 2024 Bill's final watch was over and his 8th bell chimed. He has joined his beloved Anne again. He was blessed with 3 daughters, one son and 13 grandchildren. The funeral for family and close friends will take place at St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Perth, Scotland and later at the Perth Crematorium. Donations in lieu of flowers to The Wellington Trust https://www.thewellingtontrust.org.

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