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Vale Allen Wright

haiqu

Patron Meritorious
Tonight I received an email from Switzerland informing me that my old friend Allen Wright has passed on. Since anyone who was around Scientology in ANZO in the 70's will know him, this message is meant to inform his many friends.

Allen originally hailed from New Zealand. He was an Olympic level cyclist, a world class audio designer and a dedicated Scientologist. He was on the Mission Into Time voyage with LRH and acted as ship's photographer, amongst other duties. Some of the well known photographs of LRH used by the church even today were taken by him.

Allen ran his own business, Allen Wright Electronics in Sydney where he modified and repaired hi-fi and instrument amplifiers, and manufactured his own range of equipment under the Audiolab brand. At night on SydF staff he also ran the Communications Course.

In 1982 he formed a new company VacuumState Electronics specializing exclusively in valve amplifiers. This business has produced audio products regarded within esoteric high-end audio circles as amongst the best available, and he has consistently won awards and accolades from his peers in this rarified realm.

Sensing that he could no longer agree with church management in the early 1980s, Allen trained with Bill Robertson to C/S level for Ron's Org, and delivered services up to the OT levels and Excalibur to various people within Australia before reestablishing his electronics business in Germany in the mid 1990s. At one stage he also manufactured his own meters for this purpose.

Allen also had an interest in Gold exploration and used his abilities to successfully research potential goldfields as a consultant. In the past few years he moved the audio business once more to Schaffhausen, Switzerland and expanded to 3 additional staff.

I regarded Allen as a friend and mentor, and as someone to whom I could communicate anything. His passing will leave a gap that cannot be filled.

Allen is survived by two daughters, and I have contacted his ex-wife Erin via Facebook to inform her of the news.

Go well, my friend.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
 

RogerB

Crusader
Thanks for passing this info on, Haiqu.

Allen is a great, very decent Being. Your write-up did him justice.

RogerB
 

haiqu

Patron Meritorious
Was Allen the father of Erin Wright's daughter Virginia Stewart?

Erin Stewart is Allen's ex-wife. They had two daughters, Virginia is one of them. He was always eager to hear news of how they were going in life.

Edit: I guess this also means I just outed myself to OSA by mailing Erin. Oh well. Anyone with half a brain could figure it out anyhow.
 
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Jachs

Gold Meritorious Patron
Tonight I received an email from Switzerland informing me that my old friend Allen Wright has passed on. Since anyone who was around Scientology in ANZO in the 70's will know him, this message is meant to inform his many friends.

Allen originally hailed from New Zealand. He was an Olympic level cyclist, a world class audio designer and a dedicated Scientologist. He was on the Mission Into Time voyage with LRH and acted as ship's photographer, amongst other duties. Some of the well known photographs of LRH used by the church even today were taken by him.

Allen ran his own business, Allen Wright Electronics in Sydney where he modified and repaired hi-fi and instrument amplifiers, and manufactured his own range of equipment under the Audiolab brand. At night on SydF staff he also ran the Communications Course.

In 1982 he formed a new company VacuumState Electronics specializing exclusively in valve amplifiers. This business has produced audio products regarded within esoteric high-end audio circles as amongst the best available, and he has consistently won awards and accolades from his peers in this rarified realm.

Sensing that he could no longer agree with church management in the early 1980s, Allen trained with Bill Robertson to C/S level for Ron's Org, and delivered services up to the OT levels and Excalibur to various people within Australia before reestablishing his electronics business in Germany in the mid 1990s. At one stage he also manufactured his own meters for this purpose.

Allen also had an interest in Gold exploration and used his abilities to successfully research potential goldfields as a consultant. In the past few years he moved the audio business once more to Schaffhausen, Switzerland and expanded to 3 additional staff.

I regarded Allen as a friend and mentor, and as someone to whom I could communicate anything. His passing will leave a gap that cannot be filled.

Allen is survived by two daughters, and I have contacted his ex-wife Erin via Facebook to inform her of the news.

Go well, my friend.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Sorry to hear Allen has passed , it may be considered off topic, but do you know what area in sydney his showroom was in?

was it chatswood?
 

haiqu

Patron Meritorious
Sorry to hear Allen has passed , it may be considered off topic, but do you know what area in sydney his showroom was in?

was it chatswood?

Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. He also had a manufacuring facility in Drummoyne at one stage.
 

AnonyMary

Formerly Fooled - Finally Free
Thank you, haiqu. You can delete th at part of the content of your posts and I can delete what I reposted of yours that is related. Just go back to the original posts with content that reveals what you didn't want to reveal after signing in, then click edit at the bottom right and wipe out with the back or delete keys whatever you want. :)
 

Panda Termint

Cabal Of One
I'm saddened to hear of Allen's passing. He was a great guy and will be missed.
Several of us here knew him well in the early days of Sydney.
I hadn't seen Allen for many years but managed to reconnect with him thanks to ESMB.
We corresponded occassionally and exchanged ideas. He was very smart and helpful.
I doubt that Allen will be "resting peacefully" he wasn't that kind of guy.
Do well, friend.
 

haiqu

Patron Meritorious
Thank you, haiqu. You can delete that part of the content of your posts and I can delete what I reposted of yours that is related. Just go back to the original posts with content that reveals what you didn't want to reveal after signing in, then click edit at the bottom right and wipe out with the back or delete keys whatever you want. :)

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.

- Omar Khayyám


There's nothing to delete, AnonyMary.
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
My friend has moved :bigcry:

Damn!

I had the pleasure of Allen' company for a day in Melbourne a few years ago when he was visiting Oz on business.

I worked with Allen in the early 80s in Syd F org - he was Course Sup and I was Course Admin. He saw things I didn't and moved away from the cult a few years after, and then his daughters disconnected from him because of that.

Al was charming, witty and very sharp mentally - a joy to be around. I was shocked at how he'd physically aged when I first saw him again in Melbourne but there was no doubting that mentally he was still as sharp as ever, and a beautiful being to boot.

He missed his daughters but lived his life with integrity and enjoyment despite the horrors of disconnection. He was a far more dedicated scientologist than anyone else I know, despite leaving the "official" "Church."

I'm sorry he's left but I'm so glad he's been - I'll miss you mate.

But I'm sure you'll do well at your next adventure too.
 

the-ghostwhowalks

Patron with Honors
This is sad news ...

I had only recently chatted and exchanged PM 's with Allen - I knew him in Sydney and was delighted to find him here on this board - He knew LRH personally and was a wonderful guy - I used to drop by his Hi - Fi place in Wentworth Ave ..
It was a fun , friendly place - I wanted to visit him in Switzerland ... This is very much a loss for the better side of Scientology and Scientologists - He was a great person and will be missed - as I type , I can't accept that he is gone ... Allan, you will be back , and the future is beautiful ...
:rose:
 

mysterysandwich

Patron with Honors
My tribute to Allen Wright

Thanks for the memories, Allen.
I first met Allen in 1972 shortly after my arrival in Sydney. I had only just discovered Scio at that time, had signed up to do the “Training Package” (Student Hat, Dianetics Course and Class 0-IV) and needed a place to stay. Allen had a spare room in his flat in Bondi Junction only a few blocks from the org and it was there I lived until the org moved the following year to Lee St in the city.

And quite the flat it was. This was back before the motorway arrived, when Bondi Junction was a busy entity onto itself for the most part, in constant flux. The org was on the lower side of the Junction at the end of Oxford St where it split into Old South Head Road and Bondi Road, right across from the Whale Car Wash.

My route between the org and our flat each day took me right along the busiest part of Oxford street, right through Bondi Junction itself-past the Whale, the jewelers, the fruit and veggie shop, Grace Brothers(across from the old cinema), and the RSL club and pub, then left a block to Spring St, right on Spring St about half a block, right into the drive, up a long set of stairs and through a door and there you were in the kitchen.

We had the floor above the butcher shop, a quite long but very narrow space with the kitchen, living room and 2 small bedrooms and bathroom. With a small water heater on the wall. The butcher shop entrance opened onto Oxford St below so there was never any conflict with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

Though in a convenient location, the flat did have its drawbacks. My window opened onto the air conditioning unit of the shop next door and in the summer heat with my window always open there was a constant noise to contend with, though it surprised me how quickly I got used to it. I had one wardrobe for furniture and that was it. I slept unconcernedly on the carpeted floor with just a sleeping bag.

Allen was an electronics afficionado so we had a great sound system of his own design. I got my sister in Canada to ship down my old records from Canada and turned Allen onto the likes of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen.
We even had a television set. I always remember the station signing off at night with the same song. “I left my heart in (?)Sydney” sung to the tune of “I left my heart in San Francisco”. Really.

Allen made great toasted cheese sandwiches on the grill.

At night when you came in the back door into the kitchen, it became a game to turn on the light and quickly count as many cockroaches you could, all scurrying away to hide in the cracks and holes. Counted 29 one time. And they are BIG in Oz. But I never saw a single one in my room. Only in the kitchen. And when the light was on they never showed their heads anyway.
Allen had a girlfriend at the time (um…not going to say who for reasons you are soon to know). She would never forgive me. But the story is too good to omit:whistling:

You know that old joke where the guy is asked what his buddies got him for Christmas and he says “a sweater” and then they say “well you don’t look too happy about it” and he says “yeah, I guess. It’s just that last year they got me a screamer.”

Well this girl was a screamer the likes of which I have yet to see/hear again either before or after. Our rooms were adjoining and of course our windows would be wide open but even the constant rattle and hum of the air conditioning unit right outside made no difference. Nuff said.:p

Though it was midwinter in July, the weather was pleasant for the most part. I could never get over how great it was to be able to go to the beach in WINTER! And we would. Not to swim, of course, but to go for a run in the morning or to barbecue on the weekend.

Allen had a dark gold Renault and we would zip on down in the morning to run the length of Bondi Beach and back. (I had grown up on the prairies in Canada and hadn’t even seen the coast until I was 12- or the open ocean either until embarking on a ship for the South Pacific just 6 months prior to my arrival in Australia.) So the ocean beach was still a real novelty to me that I never tired of. Allen pointed out bluebottle jellyfish so I wouldn’t step on them, and introduced me to the “singing sands” of Bondi. The sand literally squeaks in places there when you kick at it while walking.

The best part was there was generally no one about there in the mornings during winter. I don’t know why. The sun was up and actually warm even thought the breeze might be cool. It certainly was not a challenge to deal with the weather at all. We would often have the entire beach to ourselves. And though I hadn’t yet seen the famous beaches of California, when I finally did I found them to be a great disappointment. The golden sands of the beaches of Sydney put them all to shame.

You COULD go into the water at that time of year, but we usually limited ourselves to wading or running through the surf splash. But it was so invigorating. It was Allen who made this experience possible. We needed the car. The beach was just a bit too far to walk to and back in the mornings and expect to arrive on course on time.

Some Sunday nights we would go down to the south end of Bondi near the rocks and make a bonfire. I still have pictures of that.
Allen would teach me karate kicks and holds. He was good but I remember him expressing surprise at how he could never wrestle me down.
In the summer, of course, things were quite different. The beaches would get crowded and there would be this wonderful heat throughout the day….for months! I loved the heat! I swear I never got tired of it. And the summer was just so long!

You could start swimming in November and it would still be comfortable in April. I didn’t miss the snow one bit.
It was an easy jog to the org. I could even sprint home and back for lunch. There would be a street vendor on the corner with a few boxes of fruit, always happy to sell me a bunch of bananas. Often I would see truckers unloading aluminum beer kegs by hand off their truck parked on the street in front of the pub and then lowering the kegs by rope down to the basement through a street-level window. I can still hear the sounds of the metal hitting pavement.

The guys at the fruit and veggie shop were always great ones for a laugh. And it took no time at all to stop in and get what you needed, fresh, on the spot, while making your way home for tea.
Later that summer they opened a specialty pie shop on the street (Simple Simon’s?) and I had my intro to the ubiquitous meat pie.

There was always new development taking place. Little coffee shops would open up and you could sit and have a cup in a little patio just like in Europe. In fact the owners were usually European, recently arrived in Australia.
The org itself was a cosy place, a residential, 2 storey dwelling. The staff were friendly, and it was a lot of fun really. At first.

I was sad when the move was made to downtown. It was a heck of a lot further to go, I had to move, and trips to the beach were no more. And the mood changed.

But prior to that, it was a great adventure. My first year in Australia.
Allen’s ex is Erin Stewart (though she was not Stewart yet at the time that I was there. Just Erin Wright. Her maiden name was O’Donnell and Noel is her brother.

They all hailed from New Zealand in the Hamilton area and, incidentally, the O’Donnell family played a major role in the problems scio had in New Zealand. Noel and Erin’s family strongly opposed their involvement and at one point (I believe Noel was in Australia and had returned to NZ in an attempt to “handle” his relatives) he was abducted-literally forced off the street and into a car- in an aborted attempt to deprogram him. Apparently it was quite the harrowing experience and took place over a number of days.

The upshot of this was an inquiry/court case and was only resolved when Scio promised to cancel “Fair Game” after which the government agreed to allow scio to continue practicing in that country. We know now of course that scio had no intention of cancelling the policy, only to cancel use of the TERM “Fair Game” and not the practice. Thus with that sleight-of-hand they managed to put one over on the NZ government.

This made it difficult for Noel and Erin to receive further services, of course, and Noel at least had to be content with being stuck in the middle of the OT levels for years afterwards. I think he was just an OT1 when he and his wife Sue returned to Sydney from Saint Hill in early ’73.

I have to add here that in my opinion both Sue and Noel were major reasons why the tech flourished in Sydney for some years afterwards. They were both such excellent tech terminals and both were dealt severe injustices later on. But that’s another story entirely.

But Allen and Erin were not together at the time I knew him.

Allen had some interesting stories to tell.. I remember him saying that one night while Erin was pregnant, a horrific commotion arose in their kitchen even though “no one” was there. Allen maintained it was his kid(s)-to-be fighting over who would get the body!

Allen was astute. He knew more of what was really going on in the org than he let on. Or if he did let on he only alluded to what he knew.
But he was not on staff during the time I knew him. That came later, after I was gone.

After the purge in the early 80’s he was making meters (his own improved design) one of which I ordered from him. He was with someone (girlfriend?) who was offering grades and ARC SW outside of the church, quite successfully I am told. And I seem to recall he had some affiliation with Rowland Barkley (another very interesting guy).

But apart from that and a few exchanges on ESMB much more recently, we did not really ever associate again. I never did see him again either though I was close to doing so once when I visited Rowland in Slovenia. (I had been living in Denmark and learned that Allen was in Switzerland).

And so now he has passed on and I will never get that chance.
That’s the sad part.

I miss him and the fun we had.

I am writing this both as a tribute to him and to express my appreciation at having met him. He was a wonderful guy.

They say that every time an elder dies it is like the burning of a library.

I hope that one day his children will find and read this and know that people shared good times with him and learned from him and remember great times with him. And know that he was/is a wonderful being. My story is one they would otherwise never hear.

Mystery S.

Tonight I received an email from Switzerland informing me that my old friend Allen Wright has passed on. Since anyone who was around Scientology in ANZO in the 70's will know him, this message is meant to inform his many friends.

Allen originally hailed from New Zealand. He was an Olympic level cyclist, a world class audio designer and a dedicated Scientologist. He was on the Mission Into Time voyage with LRH and acted as ship's photographer, amongst other duties. Some of the well known photographs of LRH used by the church even today were taken by him.

Allen ran his own business, Allen Wright Electronics in Sydney where he modified and repaired hi-fi and instrument amplifiers, and manufactured his own range of equipment under the Audiolab brand. At night on SydF staff he also ran the Communications Course.

In 1982 he formed a new company VacuumState Electronics specializing exclusively in valve amplifiers. This business has produced audio products regarded within esoteric high-end audio circles as amongst the best available, and he has consistently won awards and accolades from his peers in this rarified realm.

Sensing that he could no longer agree with church management in the early 1980s, Allen trained with Bill Robertson to C/S level for Ron's Org, and delivered services up to the OT levels and Excalibur to various people within Australia before reestablishing his electronics business in Germany in the mid 1990s. At one stage he also manufactured his own meters for this purpose.

Allen also had an interest in Gold exploration and used his abilities to successfully research potential goldfields as a consultant. In the past few years he moved the audio business once more to Schaffhausen, Switzerland and expanded to 3 additional staff.

I regarded Allen as a friend and mentor, and as someone to whom I could communicate anything. His passing will leave a gap that cannot be filled.

Allen is survived by two daughters, and I have contacted his ex-wife Erin via Facebook to inform her of the news.

Go well, my friend.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
 
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