Gerald Burton Allen (1885–1956) was a British scholar and a Church of England priest and bishop.
As a TCF, he was based at Rugeley camp[3] and, when he transferred into the RAF, he was posted to an Aerial Gunnery School at Turnberry in Ayrshire[4] In 1920 he returned to Oxford as Senior Proctor (1920–21) and Principal of St Edmund Hall (1920–28; Honorary Fellow 1942), assuming office at the age of just thirty-five.
[9] Because of his scholarly qualifications, he was seriously considered for several diocesan bishoprics in England, including Guildford in 1934,[10] Portsmouth in 1941 and Gloucester in 1945.
[11] The reasons why he was unsuccessful are summarised by the Prime Minister's secretary, Anthony Bevir, in his advice to Winston Churchill, the key figure in the appointments process, regarding Portsmouth.
"...Bishop of Dorchester (Puffles Allen), though intelligent, is not a dignified figure...there is a stepmother who would do better justice to Barchester than to Portsmouth..."[12] It appears that Allen's cherubic appearance and his tactless stepmother damaged his chances of more senior appointments A man with the widest sympathies and the most excellent personal relations,[13] he resigned in 1952 and died in retirement at Cheltenham four years later.