Ralph Allen is remembered today for his contribution to building a national post service, his role in the development of the city of Bath, his building of Prior Park overlooking that city, his philanthropy, and his friendship with the writers Alexander Pope and Henry Fielding.
Ralph Allen’s early life is obscure, but it is thought he was the son of a Cornish innkeeper. He was baptized on 24 July 1693 at Saint Columb Major and seems to have achieved an understanding of the postal service from his grandmother, who kept the post office on the new post-road from London to Truro via Bath, Exeter and Launceston. At the time, Saint Columb Major was a place of much greater significance than today, featuring in Ogilby’s 1675 map as a major town around its stone bridge across the River Menalhyl.
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Citation: Clark, Robert. "Ralph Allen". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 June 2014 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=87, accessed 23 November 2024.]
