Thomas ALLEN was a millwright who had been employed at the King's Mill, Rotherhithe, England. This was a tidal mill on the Thames River. Governor PHILLIP had requested on numerous occasion for the British government to send out to the fledgling colony, milling equipment and a miller to operate it. Thomas ALLEN was the result. He was sent out to the colony to work in his profession and arrived on the Royal Admiral in October 1792. On arrival he was sent to Parramatta to work on a mill which is in the course of construction there. This mill appears to have never eventuated.
In January 1793 another millwright, James THORPE, arrived from England and was sent to work under ALLEN at Parramatta. According to Olga TATRAI, ALLEN was employed at a salary of 52 pounds per annum, but THORPE was to be paid 102 pounds per annum. THORPE did not live up to expectation and there is some doubt that he ever had the skills he claimed. By 1797 Parramatta still had no windmill.
ALLEN was still listed as a miller at Parramatta in 1798 although no longer employed by the Government and he died in October 1799, aged 46. He was buried at St. John's Cemetery, Parramatta.