Description: The taxi belonged to Willian Allen, one of the Allen family who had a number of vehicles as part of their haulage and passenger transport firm.
William Allen was the third son of Joseph Allen, founder of the haulage, taxi and funeral service firm started in Matlock towards the end of the 19th Century. It is probable that William Allen was the first of the family to drive a car, for, in his note-book-cum-diary he records that on 20th June 1912 he went to Belsize factory at Birmingham and came back to Matlock on the 28th June. He returned to Belsize again on 1st July and presumably learned all the mechanics of the Belsize car and how to drive and maintain it. On the 9th July he brought the first Allen's taxi back to Matlock.
Joseph Allen's eldest son, also Joseph but always known as Joe, had been set up in business in Belper and the notebook/diary of William Allen shows that he operated the taxi from both Matlock and Belper:
July 14th - First paid job (from Belper) Allestree and Ashbourne back by Hulland Ward. Mr. Agnew £1 - 4s - 0d.
July 15th - Micklover from Derby (from Belper) £1 - 0s - 0d.
July 15th - Stainsby Hall with A. Dicken (from Matlock) 15s - 0d.