Hugh Harrington Smith

27^th February 1937 – 6^th May 2021

Hugh was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at the Royal Masonic School for Boys, having lost his father at aged eight.

He did his National Service as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment, before coming up to Queens' in 1957 to read History. While at Queens' he swam for the College Team and in his third year was Assistant Stage Manager for the College Dramatic Society. He graduated with a BA in History (2.1).

After leaving Cambridge, he worked as a sales rep, predominantly in the Lake District area. Becoming disenchanted with this after three years, he went to Manchester University to study for a Post Graduate Teachers Degree.

Following this, he went to Blundell’s School Tiverton, to teach History and some French and German. He was able to continue his love of swimming there and also took up Squash. During the long school holidays, he would work as a courier for a travel firm touring France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria where his language skills were honed.

He left Blundell’s to teach in Swindon as a Year Head at a newly forming comprehensive school. A few years on from there, he was appointed Deputy Head of a large Comprehensive school in Norwich. Three years later, aged 38, he was appointed Headmaster of Durrington High School Worthing, which was amalgamating the then Grammar schools and Secondary Modems into the modem Comprehensive school. Durrington became a 1200 pupil school.

Hugh retired from teaching in 1995. He then enjoyed travelling abroad extensively to such places as Iceland, South Africa, USA, Mexico ,Sri Lanka, Australia, Tibet, as well as Europe. He also sat as a magistrate on the Worthing Bench until aged 70 where he had to retire from the Judiciary.

From there he joined Probus, serving for some years as their social secretary, which involved arranging outings to places of interest in the wider area.

Hugh celebrated his 80th birthday with a Sky Dive at Salisbury from 15000 feet, which he said was absolutely thrilling. He donated money raised from this to Turning Tides, the Worthing charity for the homeless.

Hugh leaves a wife, a brother, two sons and two grandchildren.

Noreen P. Smith

6^th June 2021