["Tom Allen, Master" (Daily News), Perth, WA, Thursday 28 March 1912]
TOM ALLEN, MASTER. '
Everyone that went down to the sea in ships knew Tom Allen, master of the Koombana.
Their appreciation of his many good social qualities made them forget to tack the title "Captain" before the "Tom." Although he had been but a short time master of this Nor'West mail boat, he was as much an integral part of her as were her engines. Prospective passengers to and from the Nor'-West sometimes did not mention the name of their marine transport, and when they said "I am sailing by Tom Allen's boat," everybody knew what they meant. In those days of keen steamboat travel, there is something more demanded of a shipmaster than seamanship, judgment, and experience--he must have the tact, and good humour necessary to settle the manifold complaints that come from allegedly aggrieved passengers. And that is not all. The great Nor'-West coast is dotted with communities who exist in a village environment, but who imagine they possess the important citizenship of Londoners. By any mischance should a travelling vessel happen to miss unloading, say, a packet of tin tacks at one of these ports, there are frantic meetings of local councils and vigilance committees, and wires to Fremantle consequently hum with messages of indignation. And in through these shoals of parochialism the master of the Nor'-West passenger steamer has to steer a safe course. It speaks well for the personal qualities of Tom Allen that to-day he is generally recognised as the most popular master that has ever traded to the Nor'-West. Perhaps it was his breezy, happy manner of walking along the footpath of life that influences popular opinion in his favour.
Five-feet-ten in height, possessed of the embonpoint that comes to middle age (sometimes), florid of complexion and owning great breadth of shoulders, and with a round full face that was unruffled by the lines of care and worry, his very appearance gave him an unfair advantage should anyone have desired to compare him with other deep-sea skippers.
Captain Tom is a native of South Australia, and is about 48 years of age. He is a single man, and in his moments of holiday lives with his mother in the Port Adelaide district. His father was a well known South Australian pilot and made many to this State in the days gone by. An elder brother of Tom's was born about 40 years ago on the site of the present Orient Hotel in Fremantle, then known as the Emerald Isle. Captain Allen has been about a quarter of a century in the employ of the Adelaide Steamship Co. but in 1894 he left to join the Port Adelaide pilot service. Perhaps the call of the deep sea came once again to hgim for in 1905 or 1906 he rejoined the company. He was at once entrusted with the important mission of bringing out to Australia the new steamer Echunga, and some months afterwards he again set out for London: for the purpose of bringing the Junee to her trading areas. Captain Tom was then employed as master in several traders, and in August of last year he succeeded J. Rees as master of the now overdue Koombana. "I have known him since childhood," said one of his acquaintances to-day "and I could not call him anything else but Tom." And "Tom" he will always remain with those who knew him and respected him, whether the good ship Koombana comes sailing back to port again or whether she has succeeded in adding another black line on the monument of ocean mysteries.
notes:
Many inaccuracies here, but the remarks regarding Nor'-West parochialism are as fair as they are sharp!
