Harold Egbert Allan
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15 March 1895
Portland, Colony of Jamaica, British Empire
Sir Harold Allan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In office 1935 – 1953 (his death) | |
| Member of Parliament | |
| Monarchs | |
| Succeeded by | Ken Jones |
| Constituency | Portland Eastern |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Harold Egbert Allan 15 March 1895 Portland, Colony of Jamaica, British Empire |
| Died | 18 February 1953 Kingston, Colony of Jamaica, British Empire |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Edris Allan |
Sir Harold Egbert Allan OBE PC JP (15 March 1895 – 18 February 1953) was a Jamaican politician, legislator and statesman.[1]
Allan grew up in Portland Parish. He was educated at Mico College, and after graduating became assistant master at Calabar Elementary School, then headmaster at Titchfield Upper School. In 1919, he founded the Capitol Theatre which was the first place to show motion pictures in the parish.[1]
Political career
Allan was elected a member of the Portland Parochial Board in 1928 and a justice of the peace in 1930.[2] He was then elected to the legislative seat of Portland Eastern in 1935. Following unemployment riots in 1938, he visited the United Kingdom to discuss the financial problems in Jamaica with the British government. The following year, he helped establish the Land Settlement system and Unemployment Relief and Rehabilitation Centre in Kingston's west end.[1] He was a key figure in establishing the Jamaican constitution in 1944.[3]
Though he was politically independent, he worked closely with Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) government leader Sir Alexander Bustamante, and was appointed Minister for Finance and General Purposes in 1945. Two years later, he was appointed representative for Jamaica at the Trade Conference in London.[1]