In his youth he won a scholarship to Hymers College before being drafted into the RAF where he spent three and a half years. Malcolm then joined the family firm Premier Menswear (which celebrated its centenary in 1990), taking over from his father and becoming the third generation in the business.
When, on one frosty night five men tried to burgle the premises, the police managed to catch four of the intruders with Malcolm taking out the fifth with a well-timed rugby tackle.
Aside from business, Malcolm gave talks on numismatics and became an expert on marine artists, for years sponsoring and encouraging both contemporary artists and writers.
Malcolm was happily married to Patricia, and had two children. Sadly, Patricia was to pass away in 1979 and much later his son was also to predecease him.
It was through a love of art that Malcolm later met Wendy Loncaster who became his partner for 17 years. Together they researched and wrote two artist biographies: Walter Goodin – Above All the Sky in 2008 and Fred Elwell RA – A Life in Art in 2014.
Indeed, Malcolm’s flat at St Mary’s Manor in Beverley was almost opposite The Bar House where Elwell lived and painted.
Malcolm was intelligent but wore his abilities lightly and spoke with a natural courtesy, warmth and kindness. He was also publicly spirited, supporting charities the Castle Hill Cardiac Support Group and Castle Hill Burns Unit.
After seeing Turner’s watercolour Summer Mist, Lake Thun at the V&A bi-centennial exhibition, he recalled: “The hairs at the back of my neck tingled, as I saw how Turner had captured the fleeting vision. That, to me, is the wonder of art.”
