Robert M. Allan
Encyclopedia
Robert M. Allan was a member of the City Council in Los Angeles, California, from 1921 to 1927.
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Born on September 12, 1880, in St. John, New Brunswick, Allan was the son of Martin Smith Allan and Shara Neptune. He was educated in the public schools of St. John until he was 18, when he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and finished his schooling there. He did "electrical experimental work" in Boston and moved to California in 1903, where he joined the Electrical Workers Union
and worked with the Woodill-Hulse Electric Company and then with the Auto Vehicle Company. He began working in insurance and finance in 1905, then became president of the Guarantee Finance & Securities Company and vice-president of Insurance Plan Mutual Building and Loan. He later formed Allan MacMaster Company, of which he was senior partner.
Allan was married to Helen M. Urenn of Taylorville
in 1907; they had two children, Robert M. Jr. and Lois. A Methodist and a Republican, Taylor was a member of the Jonathan
, City, Breakfast, Casa Del Mar
, Lakeside, El Caballero and San Pedro Golf clubs. His hobbies were golf and fishing.
After leaving the City Council, Allan returned to his private business interests.
Allan was elected to the City Council in 1921 when the city used an at-large voting
system and was reelected in 1923 under the same system. After the adoption of a new city charter in 1925, in which district voting
was established, he was chosen as the first councilman from the city's 2nd District, which at that time covered Hollywood south of Franklin Avenue
or Hollywood Boulevard
and north of Santa Monica Boulevard, and including the Los Feliz district. He was reelected in 1925 but lost to Arthur Alber
in 1927. It was said that Allan's loss that year was partly due to the voters' making a "clean sweep at the City Hall" of the council members allied with political boss Kent Kane Parrot
.
in 1933, and he there joined the city's retirement system
. Some controversy was aroused in September 1941, long after he had left the board, when he applied for a pension. He had been hired as a meat inspector on August 4, 1940, but he was discharged by the Board of Health Commissioners fifteen days later because, the board said in a resolution, it appeared that he had been employed "primarily, if not solely, for the purpose of enabling him to be in the employ of the city at a time when he should file an application for a pension." It was said he would collect "$61.39 per month for life" after having paid in just $686 to the fund. The city attorney
was asked if Allan's claim were valid. No response was publicly revealed.
Biography
Born on September 12, 1880, in St. John, New Brunswick, Allan was the son of Martin Smith Allan and Shara Neptune. He was educated in the public schools of St. John until he was 18, when he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and finished his schooling there. He did "electrical experimental work" in Boston and moved to California in 1903, where he joined the Electrical Workers Union
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a labor union which represents workers in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Panama and several Caribbean island nations; particularly electricians, or Inside Wiremen, in the construction industry and linemen and other...
and worked with the Woodill-Hulse Electric Company and then with the Auto Vehicle Company. He began working in insurance and finance in 1905, then became president of the Guarantee Finance & Securities Company and vice-president of Insurance Plan Mutual Building and Loan. He later formed Allan MacMaster Company, of which he was senior partner.
Allan was married to Helen M. Urenn of Taylorville
Taylorville, California
Taylorville is a former settlement in Marin County, California. It was located on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad west-southwest of downtown Novato, at an elevation of 141 feet . Taylorville still appeared on maps as of 1914....
in 1907; they had two children, Robert M. Jr. and Lois. A Methodist and a Republican, Taylor was a member of the Jonathan
Jonathan Club
The Jonathan Club is a private social club in Los Angeles, California, U.S. It maintains two clubhouses, one in downtown Los Angeles at 545 South Figueroa Street and one on the beach in Santa Monica. The Los Angeles headquarters has dining and residential facilities, ballrooms, a health club, a...
, City, Breakfast, Casa Del Mar
Casa del Mar hotel
Casa del Mar hotel is an U.S. luxury hotel located on the beach and Santa Monica Bay, in Santa Monica, California.-History:Club Casa del Mar originally opened for business in 1926 as a beach club. The building, was designed in an Italian Renaissance Revival architectural style. It became a hotel...
, Lakeside, El Caballero and San Pedro Golf clubs. His hobbies were golf and fishing.
After leaving the City Council, Allan returned to his private business interests.
City Council
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returnsAllan was elected to the City Council in 1921 when the city used an at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting is a non-proportional voting system for electing several representatives from a single multimember electoral district using a series of check boxes and tallying votes similar to a plurality election...
system and was reelected in 1923 under the same system. After the adoption of a new city charter in 1925, in which district voting
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
was established, he was chosen as the first councilman from the city's 2nd District, which at that time covered Hollywood south of Franklin Avenue
Franklin Avenue (Los Angeles)
Franklin Avenue is a street in Los Angeles. It is the northernmost street in Hollywood, north of Hollywood Boulevard and south of the Hollywood Hills, and later Los Feliz Boulevard....
or Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
and north of Santa Monica Boulevard, and including the Los Feliz district. He was reelected in 1925 but lost to Arthur Alber
Arthur Alber
Arhur Alber was an attorney and a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1927 to 1929.-Biography:Alber was born September 16, 1892, in Birmingham, Alabama. His parents were Hermann Alber, a native of Germany, and Mary Wing of Cape Cod, Massachusetts...
in 1927. It was said that Allan's loss that year was partly due to the voters' making a "clean sweep at the City Hall" of the council members allied with political boss Kent Kane Parrot
Kent Kane Parrot
Kent Kane Parrot was an American political figure and attorney who was considered the "boss" of municipal politics in Los Angeles, California, in the 1920s.Kent Kane Parrot Kent Kane Parrot (c. 1882 - March 11, 1956) was an American political figure and attorney who was considered the "boss" of...
.
Later service
Allan was appointed to the city's Board of Public WorksPublic works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
in 1933, and he there joined the city's retirement system
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
. Some controversy was aroused in September 1941, long after he had left the board, when he applied for a pension. He had been hired as a meat inspector on August 4, 1940, but he was discharged by the Board of Health Commissioners fifteen days later because, the board said in a resolution, it appeared that he had been employed "primarily, if not solely, for the purpose of enabling him to be in the employ of the city at a time when he should file an application for a pension." It was said he would collect "$61.39 per month for life" after having paid in just $686 to the fund. The city attorney
City attorney
A city attorney can be an elected or appointed position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the city or municipality....
was asked if Allan's claim were valid. No response was publicly revealed.