Obituary: Professor James Richard Hough

As a Professor of Economics of Education Prof Jim Hough, a Winchester resident, wrote a number of books and spent many happy years teaching others in universities notably Loughborough where he spent 25 years.

Jim undertook over 100 international missions to some of the most impoverished countries in the world including Bangladesh, Nigeria and Ethiopia. The focus of his missions was usually to help to improve education particularly for primary school children. Sometimes he would evaluate other aid programmes for example a programme in Chile which resulted in the first ever week where no child died from serious heart defects. He got a lot of satisfaction from working in partnership with local staff and generously passing on his skills and knowledge, and his passion for his work was always evident to anyone he spoke to.

As a child Jim lived through the Blitz in London and used to recall sleeping at night in a bomb shelter with his Father just managing to fit part way in. Jim, his brother Paul and their Mother were temporarily evacuated to Cornwall.

Jim left school at 15 to start work, but always wanted to continue his studies and had a passion for learning throughout his life. He joined Lloyds of London where he worked for 12 years. He did his A levels at night school whilst working full time. At Lloyds he joined the foreign affairs department and was noticed by the Heads of department as very bright and able, and was chosen to send to the office in Paris and study French at the Sorbonne University, which at that time was exceptional. He would often say afterwards that this year changed his life.

This led to him leaving Lloyds to go to Keele University in 1965 to study Economics, where he met his wife Jane.

He continued to do evening classes throughout his life, including local U3A groups, learning a number of different languages. He played chess to a very high standard, recently teaching local school children, and playing chess matches for the Winchester chess club as well as with his good friend every week. He volunteered with the Red Cross in Winchester and Eastleigh throughout his retirement.

He loved his family. His brother Paul, his wife Jane, his three children Steven, Richard and Catherine, and he had a very special bond with all his five grandchildren Archie, Annie, James, Lizzie Lou and Ethan who have written beautiful cards about what he meant to them. We will always be grateful for how reliable, punctual, consistent, determined, intelligent, and loving he was.

Whilst we will miss him so much, it is a relief to know that he is at peace and the end was swift and he did not suffer long. In his final hours he was able to receive the last rites and know that he was surrounded by his families love. He has truly left his mark upon the world and a legacy of his love, kindness and strength.

Funeral service on Friday April 21 at 10.30am at St Peter's Church, Jewry Street, Winchester. Instead of flowers please donations to www.justgiving.com/janehough2017 Contributed