Arnold Mallinson – a Previous President
Arnold Mallinson (1896–1985) was the author Quinquagesimo
Anno (1974) and The Leaning Tower (1982). The second
book was reissued in 1986 in a new, enlarged edition, and with a new title – Under
the Blue Hood.
Arnold
Mallinson was born in Lancashire in 1896. He went to school in Blackpool,
served in the Navy in the First World War, and then attended the universities
of Durham and Oxford. He was ordained in 1924, and after beginning his ministry
in Blackpool, soon returned to Oxford, where from 1933 to 1976 he was Vicar of
St Frideswide’s, Osney (with, from 1950, St Margaret’s, Binsey), and where he
now lives in retirement in the latest of a series of Glenburn Houses. ‘Like all
truly interesting men, the Vicar of St Frideswide’s has the rare gift of
detecting and imparting what is interesting in others. And what a richness of
experience he conveys!’ (Oxford Diocesan Magazine).
Revd Mallinson was our Society’s president, but sadly he passed
away before I joined. Some of our current members remember him well as a great
encourager of collectors, with a house more like a museum than a vicarage and
many a story to tell. Recently I looked at the Spinks’ sale catalogue which
covers his collection and was sold in 1984. There are just over 170 lots and
the sale raised just under £330,000.00.
It is an eclectic collection ranging from Ancient times to
medieval. I was interested that his collection reduced in size so he could
acquire rarities. And what rarities he got! A tetradrachm of Naxos with Dionysus,
extremely fine with a long pedigree. An oxford Pound coin 1644 described as “probably
the finest thing in English coins.” A gold triple unite which surprisingly only
went for £1700.00. A pavilion d’or found in the roof of a French cottage and
bought from a Parisian jeweller. I think my favourite is a 1659 Commonwealth
halfcrown, the only known specimen, a gift from Sir Cuthbert Cartwright Grundy
whose family had acquired it in the Seventeenth Century. Sold for £4,200.00.
His books are very entertaining for coin collectors
everywhere and can still be found on Amazon or Ebay quite reasonably. I wish I had
met him. The auction included an Elizabeth I crown with the comment, “The
former owner grieved when he had to part with this. So do I.” At least someone
else is enjoying it now.
