Oswald Allen

ALLEN, Oswald. b. Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland (now Cumbria), 1816; d. 2 October 1878. He was educated locally, but suffered for much of his life from a disease of the spine. For a brief period he lived in Glasgow, where he worked on the Stock Exchange. His spinal complaint led to his return to Kirkby Lonsdale, where he became the manager of the local branch of the Lancaster Banking Company. He published Hymns of the Christian Life (1861), from which come two hymns that have been used subsequently: ‘Come, Holy Spirit, come, and Jesu's love declare’*, and the much better known ‘To-day Thy mercy calls us’* (originally ‘...calls me’). He was the great-nephew of the Inghamite James Allen*...

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