Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles and Ann Allen of Barwell, Leicestershire, and the husband of Mary Ann. The 1901 census records, Charles Allen, Head of the family and a Shoe Clicker, born 1849 in Walworth, London, and his wife Ann, a Shoe Machinist, born 1853 in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire. The children were James, a Shoe Clicker, born 1881 in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, Fanny a Shoe Machinist, born 1885 in Leicester and William, born 1890 in Leicester. The family were residing at 21, Queen Street, Barwell, Leicestershire. The 1911 census records, William Allen, Head of the family and married 2 years, a Clicker, and his wife Mary Ann, a Sewing Machinist, born 1885 in Barwell, Leicestershire. The family were residing at 3, Brockey Lane, Barwell, Leicestershire.