Allen was born in Sheffield, and studied at Sheffield School of Art. He is a new entry to the CAI, and found only through a picture search of auction catalogues to find subjects of identifiable Cornish content.  Further research will follow and is invited from anyone able to provide information about Allen's visits to Cornwall.

Correspondent (2012) writes: 'Harry Allen was a great friend of my grandfather the St Ives artist W A GUNN. They met in Sheffield in the twenties I think - certainly before my grandparents moved to St Ives. He and my g'father primarily painted together on trips to Ireland and Derbyshire. His paintings in Cornwall will almost definitely have been produced during visits to their home in St Ives.'