Allen , family , of Finchley Cooper , family , of Finchley

The manor of Finchley was owned by the Bishop of London. However, 2 smaller sub-manors, Bibbesworth and Marches, were held separately. In 1622 they were purchased by Edward Allen, an alderman from London, who left the estate to his son Sir Thomas Allen. In 1674 Sir Thomas left the estates to his son Edward, entailing them to the male line. When Edward died childless in 1692 the estates went to Thomas, his nephew. Thomas's son Edward died in 1774 and broke the entail by leaving the manor to his brother Thomas, who had the surname Greenhalgh until 1774. He died in 1780 and left the estate to his son, also Thomas, who died childless in 1830.

The estates were disputed between Edward Cooper under the will of Edward Allen who died in 1774; and descendants of Edward Allen who died in 1692 under the will of Thomas Allen who died in 1780. Cooper's title passed to his son Edward Philip Cooper who bought out the other claimants and settled the Finchley estates on his daughters, who both died in 1888. The estate passed to their cousin Albert Henry Arden, who was succeeded by his son Edward Cooper Arden.

Source of information: 'Finchley: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6: Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey with Highgate (1980), pp. 55-59 (available online).