b'George Allen George Allens strong sense of civic duty and his dedicationmember of the Senate of the University of Sydney,to improving the lives of the less fortunate saw him becomea position he held until he died. one of the leading citizens of his day. George was a devoted member of the Methodist Church As the firm flourished, George committed himself moreand a long-serving secretary to both the Wesley Mission formally to civic and philanthropic causes. Advocatingand Australias first charity, The Benevolent Society. He that the poor, rather than convicts, should be employed onserved on numerous corporate boards and over the course public works, he was elected a councillor of Bourke Wardof his life was president of the Bank of New South Wales, in the first election for the Municipal Council of Sydney inchairman of the Australian Gas Light Company and vice-1842. He was then elected an alderman and presided overpresident of the New South Wales Savings Bank.the first meeting of the council. In 1844 he was appointed mayor of the City of Sydney and served until the council wasIn 1855, at the age of fifty- four, George retired from thedismissed in 1853, when it found itself unable to deliverfirm and requested his name be removed from the rollwater and sewerage services due to a lack of funds. He wasof solicitors as he had ceased to practise. He left the firmalso a member of the New South Wales Legislative Councilin the hands of his son Wigram but remained active from 1845 until his death in 1877.with his civic and business interests until 1873, when his deteriorating vision made him housebound. His passingOne cause close to Georges heart was access to qualityon 3 November1877 was met with great sadness in the education. He was aware of the advantages his owncommunity. The colonys newspapers praised highly the education had afforded him, and he worked hard to seeman who had made such a significant contribution tothese opportunities extended to the children of Sydney.the colonys progress. In 1825, at the age of twenty-f our, George helped found Sydney Public Free Grammar School. Later, he joined theThe Sydney Morning Herald said, It is not often we lose a government-f ormed Council of Education. He was succeededcitizen who has gained a more widespread esteem among on the council by his son Wigram, who shared his fathersall classes and all creeds in the community than Mr Allen. commitment to education. In 1859 George was made a I know of no public man whose record for unselfish public service can equal that of George Allen. Charles Bertie, Sydney Municipal Council librarian19'