Alfred Ernest Allnatt

Alfred Edward Allnatt (19 February 1889 – 14 August 1969), known professionally as Major A. E. Allnatt, was an English businessman and art collector. He took over his father's supply business and developed it into Allnatt London Properties and other well-known businesses in England.

Biography

Allnatt purchased Peter Paul Rubens' 1634 painting Adoration of the Magi for a record £275,000 in 1959 from the estate of the Duke of Westminster. Allnatt gave the painting to King's College in November 1961, and the painting was placed on permanent display in 1968 in the east end of the Chapel. The painting was estimated to be worth $2,400,000 in 1974, when it was damaged by vandals who scratched "IRA" in letters across the front.

Allnatt also enjoyed horse racing. A horse named Ujiji owned by Allnatt finished third in the English Derby in June 1942 and first in the Gold Cup in 1943 at Newmarket, England. Alfred Allnatt also owned the Allnatt Diamond, which he purchased in the 1950s. .

In 1962, Allnatt established the Chase Charity, which in 2004 merged to became Lankelly Chase.

Sandbrook was purchased by John and Mary Allnatt, whose herd of Blonde d'Aquitaine cattle was among the top prize winners at agricultural shows throughout Britain and Ireland, including the Royal Dublin Society Spring Show, the Royal Welsh Show, and the Royal Ulster Show. In the 1960s, Mrs. Allnatt purchased Rathmore Park for her son from her first marriage, Brendan Foody; but after he had decided not to return to live in Ireland, Rathmore was sold. He inherited Sandbrook following his mother's death in September 1987.

Allnatt died at his residence Doughty House in Richmond Hill, Surrey and his ashes were buried in the churchyard at Turville, Buckinghamshire.

He and Melvin Leroy Merritt of Portland, Oregon, United States researched and published a genealogy book of the Allnatt history, The Families of Allnutt & Allnatt, in 1962.