James Allan

Background

Allan was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, to parents Robert Allan and his wife Mary (née Hodge).

Career

Receiving his final education at Andersonian University, Allan started his working life as an apprentice draper to Daley & Company in Glasgow before arriving in Australia in 1879. Here he worked as an assistant for Doctorate. L. Brown & Company and in 1882, along with Robert Stark formed Allan & Stark, drapers. The business started out at South Brisbane, but by 1895 business had so greatly increased that they moved to Queen Street, in the centre of Brisbane.

In 1911 Allan & Stark was formed into a private company with many of its employees having acquired an interest in lieutenant

In 1919 it became a public company and later incorporated the Civil Service Stores and also Stuparts Limited, who were based in Maryborough. Their former Queen Street premises survives and is heritage-listed as the Allan and Stark Building.

Allan was an alderman in the South Brisbane Municipal Council between 1892 and 1895. In 1912, he switched to the new electorate of Kurilpa but lost his seat to Labour"s William Hartley in 1915.

During his time in parliament, Premier William Kidston was known to seek Allan"s advice on financial policy.

Achievements

• Representing the Ministerialists, he won the seat of Brisbane South at the 1909 state election.