George Allen (1832-1907). Born at Newark on Trent and apprenticed as a carpenter in 1849 to his uncle's building business in Clerkenwell. Met Ruskin in 1854 when he joined the landscape drawing class at the Working Men's College in Red Lion Square, London (see Haslam, Looking, Drawing and Learning with John Ruskin at the Working Men's College). Became assistant drawing master and worked alongside Ruskin, Rossetti and Lowes Dickinson, later becoming Ruskin's full-time assistant. Trained as an engraver through Ruskin's patronage and in 1871, also under Ruskin's direction, formed the publishing house of George Allen in order to publish Ruskin's works following his break from Smith and Elder. In 1901 his sons William and Hugh and his daughter Grace, joined the company and it became George Allen and Sons. Allen died prior to the completion of The Works of John Ruskin: Library Edition: 39 Volumes (See Cook and Wedderburn) which was not completed until 1912. After two unsuccessful amalgamations, the company became George Allen & Unwin in 1914 (See Dawson, The People's Ruskin).