ALLEN, John Leander (1863-1926) was a locally prominent architect and builder in the town of Amherst, Nova Scotia. Born at Lockeport in Shelburne County on 14 November 1863 he was the son of Lewis B. Allen, a well-known house builder in Amherst; it may have been from his father that he obtained his skill in drawing plans for buildings. In Amherst the younger Allen maintained an office at his residence on Spring Street and in addition to designing works under his own name he also served as local supervising architect on several Amherst landmarks including the Empress Theatre (designed by R.E. Frechet), the Highland View Hospital (designed by C.B. Chappell), and the Maritime Block (designed by H.E. Gates). Allen planned many of the large private residences in Amherst including those for J.R. Douglas, A.A. Barker and George Douglas, as well as his own house on Spring Street (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 3 Jan. 1905) and undertook the reconstruction of the ANGLICAN CHURCH, OXFORD, N.S. (c. 1910) as well as assisting with the remodelling of the interior of GOVERNMENT HOUSE, Barrington Street, Halifax, N.S. (c. 1923-24). In Sackville, N.B. he designed the residence of Mr. Reid (now the Marshlands Inn), and the UNITED CHURCH PARISH HALL. He died in Amherst on 20 September 1926 (obituary in the Amherst News, 21 Sept. 1926, 4; biography in M. Rosinski, Architects of Nova Scotia: A Biographical Dictionary, 1994, 186; inf. Mrs. R.S. Cumming; Peter Latta; Garry Shutlak, Halifax)
AMHERST
LAWRENCE STREET, residence for Charles R. Smith, 1901 (Amherst Daily News, 5 March 1901, 2, detailed descrip.)
SPRING STREET, at Croft Street, residence for W.B. Murdoch, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
CHRISTIE BROTHERS & CO., Albion Street, two factories, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
VICTORIA STREET, residence for Josiah B. Lusby, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
RUPERT STREET, residence for Charles McLeod, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
RUPER STREET, extensive remodelling of residence for H.W. Rogers, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
SPRING STREET, residence for Frank C. McDonald, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
U.N.O. SHOE POLISH CO., a large 3 storey factory and warehouse, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
LANSDOWNE AVENUE, a double house for Dr. R. Mitchell, 1903 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 1 Jan. 1904, 18)
SPRING STREET, residence for J. Leander Allen, 1904 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 3 Jan. 1905)
VAIL BLOCK, LePlanche Street, for M.B. Vail, 1905 (Morning Chronicle [Halifax], 31 Jan. 1905, 3, descrip.)
BARKER'S DEPARTMENT STORE, Victoria Street, a large 3 storey commercial block, 1906 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 28 July 1906, 4, descrip.)
R.D. FULLER & CO., Victor Street at Church Street, extensive remodelling of commercial block, 1906 (Amherst Daily News, 4 Aug. 1906, 1)
VICTORIA PARK, Band Stand, 1910 (Amherst Daily News, 12 Jan. 1910, 1)
DOUGLAS & CO., Victoria Street, commercial block, 1911 (Amherst Daily News, 8 July 1911, 3; and 6 Feb. 1912, 3)
VICTORIA STREET EAST, residence for George Douglas, 1914 (dwgs. at Cumberland County Museum, Amherst)
ELSEWHERE
SACKVILLE, N.B., major addition and extensive alterations to mansion for Henry C. Read, Bridge Street, opposite Squire Street, 1905-08, and later converted into the Marshlands Inn in 1935; still standing in 2022 (list of works in obituary article; Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places, Designation Statement 13 Dec. 2004)
SACKVILLE, N.B., commercial block for John Murray Jr. & Co., 1906 (Daily News [Amherst], 11 June 1906, 3)
DORCHESTER, N.B., power station for the Dorchester Electric Light Co., 1907 (Daily News (Amherst), 19 Oct. 1907, 4)
OXFORD, N.S., All Souls Anglican Church, James Street, opposite Jackson Street, c. 1910 (list of works in obituary article)
RIVER HEBERT, N.B., Masonic Hall, 1911 (Amherst Daily News, 4 May 1911, 2)
SACKVILLE, N.B., a new Parish Hall for the Methodist Church, c. 1920; demol. 2015 (list of works in obituary article)