Biography
Toynbee was the son of Harry Valpy Toynbee, grandson of Joseph Toynbee, and nephew of the economic historian Arnold Toynbee (1852–1883), with whom he is sometimes confused. His sister was noted archaeologist and art historian Jocelyn Toynbee.
Born in London on 14 April 1889, Arnold J. Toynbee was educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford.
He began his teaching career as a fellow of Balliol College in 1912, and thereafter held positions at King's College London (as Professor of Modern Greek and Byzantine History), the London School of Economics and the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) in Chatham House.
Toynbee was Director of Studies at the RIIA between 1929 and 1956. It paid £1200 a year, and in return he edited its annual Survey of International Affairs from 1920-46.
His first marriage was to Rosalind Murray (1890–1967), daughter of Gilbert Murray, in 1913; they had three sons, of whom Philip Toynbee was the second. They divorced in 1946; Toynbee then married his research assistant, Veronica M. Boulter, in the same year.
He died on 22 October, 1975, age 86.
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