Derek Fortrose Allen (29 May 1910 – 13 June 1975) was Secretary of the

British Academy The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the sa ...

from 1969 to 1973 and Treasurer of that organisation from 1973 until his death. Born in Epsom, Surrey, Allen joined the

British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

staff in 1935 as an Assistant Keeper in the Coin Room. Relatively inexperienced in numismatics at first, he soon had to deal with the classification of the Edward I and II coins in the Boyton hoard of 4000 coins, followed by the classification of the Clarke-Thornhill bequest of 12,000 coins. He became acknowledged as the leading authority on Ancient British coins and as one of the leading authorities on contemporaneous Continental issues. His project on defining the coinage of Henry II was interrupted by the Second World War and was eventually completed in 1947. Allen joined the

British Numismatic Society The British Numismatic Society exists to promote the study and understanding of British numismatics. The Society was founded in 1903, focusing on all forms of coinage, tokens, banknotes and medals relating to the British Isles and former parts ...

in 1935 and served as its Secretary from 1938 to 1941 and was Editor of volumes XXII and XXIII of the Journal. He was elected as president from 1959 to 1963, was awarded the Sanford Saltus medal in 1953 and elected an Honorary Member in 1971. He was afterwards President of the

Royal Numismatic Society The Royal Numismatic Society (RNS) is a learned society and charity based in London, United Kingdom which promotes research into all branches of numismatics. Its patron was Queen Elizabeth II. Membership Foremost collectors and researchers, bo ...

from 1966 to 1970 and awarded that Society's medal in 1966. He was elected a Fellow of the

in 1963 and finished his career as Secretary, then Treasurer, of the Academy. After his death in 1975, his widow Winifred Allen established with the Academy in 1976 a prize in his memory - the

Derek Allen Prize The Derek Allen Prize is awarded by the British Academy. It was founded in 1976 to honour Derek Allen, FBA, who was secretary (1969–73) and treasurer (1973–75) of the British Academy. It was established by his widow and sons to recognise outst ...

- to be awarded annually to recognise outstanding published work in Musicology, Celtic Studies and

Numismatics Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and related objects. Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also inclu ...

. In the 1930s, he dubbed in Italian the actor

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...

and Paolo Canali dubbed

Oliver Hardy Oliver Norvell Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was an American comic actor and one half of Laurel and Hardy, the double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted from 1926 to 1957. He appeared with his ...

. A list of his publications can be found in the ''Numismatic Chronicle'' 16, 136 (1976), pp. 259–71.

References

"ALLEN, Derek Fortrose"
''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 30 May 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Derek Fortrose 1910 births 1975 deaths People from Sutton, London British numismatists Companions of the Order of the Bath Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London Fellows of the British Academy Presidents of the Royal Numismatic Society