Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 27 February 1922
Mrs Allaby’s Story
No Knowledge of Husband’s Double Life.
Our Mexborough representative was granted an interview by Mrs. Allaby, the widow of the Rev. A, E. Allaby. He writes:— I found Mrs. Allaby and three other members of the family, a daughter Stella, and two sons, Theodore who identified his father’s body at Nottingham, and Arnold, the new assistant master of Malvern School, at Denaby Curacy, which has been their home since Mr. Allaby accepted the curacy under the Rev. M. Greaves, a former Vicar of Denaby in 1917.
Mrs. Allaby, in spite of much suffering, received me very courteously, and answered quietly, assisted by her children, a number of questions I put to her. It was very evident that the events of the last few days had been a great strain, not only for the mother but for her children.
“We must live it down. That is the only thing to do now. It is a great pity he ever left home. We remained here because his appointments were only of a temporary character, and he used to visit us at intervals. He was home only a few months ago, and we thought he might come back at any time from Mansfield.”
The son expressed his belief that his father had come within the woman’s power, and had been made to act as he did under threat of exposure.
With reference to her husband’s stage ambitions Mrs. Allaby said she had no knowledge of the affair at all.
She also knew nothing of her husband’s life that was revealed at the inquest.