b'Entering the lawWhen Governor Lachlan Macquarie met Mary CollicottMagistrates was convened aboard the naval ship HMS Sirius. following her arrival in Sydney, he was impressed by thisThe colonys first free-settler solicitors, William Moore and interesting and respectable woman and sympathetic toFrederick Garling, arrived in Sydney in 1815, by which time a the position in which she and her family found themselves.Supreme Court of Civil Judicature and Governors Court had He appointed Mary matron of the Female Orphan Schoolbeen established.in Parramatta, the first welfare institution established in New South Wales. To keep the family together ThomasThough George was initially appointed to work with Moore, Collicott, though still a convict, was assigned to his wifethis arrangement was short-lived. Disagreements between Marys household. The eldest son, John Collicott, wasMoore and Governor Macquarie led to the suspension of granted land while fifteen- year-old George Allen and hisMoores privileges as a government solicitor and George seventeen- year-old brother, Richard, were promised abecame articled to Garling instead. Fortunately, Georges similar grant when they turned twenty-one. Of greaterstepfather could pay the 100 due to Garling for the five consequence for George, Governor Macquarie arranged years of legal training required for George to qualify as a for him to receive legal training with William Moore, one solicitor. The details of the arrangement were set out in of the colonys two government solicitors. No assistancearticles of clerkship signed by Frederick Garling, Thomas was bestowed upon Georges sister Richarda and his Collicott and George Allen on 21 July 1817. step-sisters Mary and Eliza Collicott, who presumably were expected to find husbands to support them.Garling treated George well during his articles, but it was a lonely time for the young clerk. His family had moved In 1787 an Act was passed in the British Parliament toaway from Sydney and he had few friends among the free establish the Court of Criminal Judicature in the new colony.settlers. George found himself drawn to the Methodist The court needed to be up and running when the convictsChurch, which was to be a profound influence on his life. arrived. The first trial in New South Wales was held onHe became dedicated to improving life in the colony, 11February 1788, only two weeks after the First Fleet sailedparticularly for those less fortunate. into Sydney Harbour and, a week later, the first Bench of In July 1822 George Allen became the first personto complete legal training in the colony of New South Wales.6'