Abstract artist, teacher and exhibition consultant, born in Worcester. He attended the School of Art there, 1955–7, after National Service in the Far East, then was at Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, 1957–60. Allen was an Italian Government Scholarship winner, 1960–1, a Commonwealth Scholar, in art and architecture, India, 1966–7, an artist-in-residence with a fellowship at University of Sussex, 1967, then gained a Major Award for Painting from Arts Council, 1973. Allen had begun teaching two days a week at Croydon College of Art, 1962–7, and many appointments to London and provincial colleges followed. From 1973 he was appointed exhibition consultant to the Polytechnic of Central London, also lecturing in visual arts subjects. Allen participated in numerous group shows in Britain and abroad from 1964.