Alfred Ernest Allnatt
Encyclopedia
Alfred E. Allnatt, known professionally as Major A.E. Allnatt, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

. He took over his father's supply business and developed it into Allnatt London Properties and other well known businesses in England.

The Adoration of the Magi

Alfred purchased Peter Paul Rubens' 1634 painting The Adoration of the Magi for a record ₤275,000 (US$660,000) in 1959 from the estate of the Duke of Westminster
Duke of Westminster
The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....

. He offered to give the painting as a gift to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....

 in 1961. The painting was subsequently transferred by Deed of Gift to King's College in November 1961. The painting was placed on permanent display in 1968 in the east end of the Chapel
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel is the chapel to King's College of the University of Cambridge, and is one of the finest examples of late Gothic English architecture, while its early Renaissance rood screen separating the nave and chancel, erected in 1532-36 in a striking contrast of style, has been called...

 at King's College. The painting was estimated to be worth $2,400,000 in 1974, when it was damaged by vandals who scratched "IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...

" in 2 foot (0.6096 m) letters across the front.

Allnatt Diamond

Alfred Allnatt also owned the Allnatt Diamond
Allnatt Diamond
The Allnatt Diamond is a diamond measuring 101.29 carats with a cushion cut, rated in color as Fancy Vivid Yellow by the Gemological Institute of America. This diamond is named after one of its holders, Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, a soldier, sportsman, art patron and benefactor...

, which he purchased in the 1950s. At 101.29 carats (20.258 g), the Allnatt is the fourth-highest-priced yellow diamond ever sold at auction. The Allnatt Diamond is so strongly yellow that the GIA Gem Laboratory deemed it a Fancy Vivid yellow after examination in 2000. There are fewer than 12 diamonds known to exist in the world that weigh over 100 carats (20 g) with such strong colour. The Allnatt diamond was recut to intensify its colour after being sold at auction in 1996. The original Allnatt Diamond weighed 102.07 carats (20.414 g) and was graded a Fancy Intense yellow by the GIA Gem Laboratory but after recutting to its present 101.29 carats (20.258 g), it was classified as Fancy Vivid yellow.

Ujiji

Allnatt also enjoyed horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. A horse named Ujiji owned by Allnatt finished third in the English Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 in June 1942 and first in the Gold Cup
Gold Cup
Gold Cup may refer to:In art and archaeology:* Royal Gold Cup, 14th century French cup in the British Museum* Rillaton Gold Cup, late Neolithic, from Rillaton Barrow in England* Ringlemere Cup, Bronze Age from EnglandIn horse racing:...

 in 1943 at Newmarket, England.

Death

Allnatt died at his residence Doughty House
Doughty House
Doughty House was a country house on Richmond Hill in Surrey, England. It was the residence of the Cook Baronets. It was bought in 1849 by the first baronet. A was added in 1885 for the family art collection...

 in Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, London
Richmond Hill in Richmond, London is a hill that rises gently on its northern side from the ancient Thames meadowlands around the site of Richmond Palace up to and slightly beyond the Richmond Gate entrance to Richmond Park, the former royal hunting grounds enclosed by Charles I...

, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

 and his ashes were buried in the churchyard at Turville
Turville
Turville is a village and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about five miles west of High Wycombe and five miles north of Henley-on-Thames....

, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....

.

Alfred Allnatt of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Melvin Leroy Merritt of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

researched and published genealogy book of Allnatt history The Families of Allnutt & Allnatt in 1962 in England.

Residence in Ireland

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. The farm manager there is Joe Whelan.

Before his death. John Allnatt. a wealthy financier, paid a quarter of a million pounds for Rubens' painting of the Madonna and Child to prevent the masterpiece leaving Britain, and he presented it to King's College. Cambridge.
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