Artist, muralist, designer and teacher, born in Acton, west London, known to friends as Kay, who prior to 1938 exhibited as Saywell Allen. She was notable for her views of London, where she lived in Bloomsbury for many years. Educated initially at home because of illness, after Bromley County School for Girls, 1920–4, she studied at the Royal College of Art painting school, 1924–8, then taught in London and the Midlands until 1936, when she set up a studio in the City of London. The late 1930s included studies at the Slade School of Fine Art, 1936–7, painting murals at her old school and elsewhere and more teaching, from 1938 at Henrietta Barnett School. During World War II Allen was seconded by the City one day weekly to record war industries.