[5][6][7][8] On 27 April 1866, Allwright married Matilda Lyons at the Wesleyan Chapel at Lyttelton.

[11] In January 1868, he was one of eleven or twelve (sources differ) candidates for seven available positions on the municipal council, and with the second highest number of votes he was declared elected.

[14] On 24/25 October 1870, the Lyttelton Fire destroyed two blocks along Norwich Quay, raising two-thirds of the town.

[19][20] He was a proponent for the Lyttelton Borough Council to build civic offices and the foundation stone for the Lyttelton Borough Council Chambers was laid in January 1887, just after Allwright's final election as mayor; his name was thus inscribed in the foundation stone: "H. Allwright, Mayor, 1887"[21] In 1879, he successfully contested the Lyttelton electorate against the incumbent Hugh Murray-Aynsley.

[24] He died on 18 July 1892 at 277 Armagh Street, Christchurch Central City, after having been ill for several months, aged 55.