Richard Hughes (1959)

 Tribute: Richard Hughes

Richard was born on the 15^th April 1938 in Cardiff, Wales.  His parents were Walter Cyril Hughes and Emily May Palfrey.  Walter was a journalist and had served on the Western Front in the Great War as an Artillery officer with the Royal Garrison Artillery.  Richard's grandfather was Thomas John Hughes (“Adfyfr”) a 19^th Century political reformist and Welsh  journalist who has entries in both the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and the Welsh Dictionary of National Biography.

Richard attended the Royal Grammar School, Henley and then from 1953  the Cardiff High School for Boys which under the enlightened headmastership of Mr G. C Diamond had a strong academic reputation . Richard played rugby and cricket for the school and in 1956 was elected Head Boy.

In 1957 Richard embarked on 2 years National Service as a 2^nd Lieutenant with the 1^st Battalion, The Welch Regiment.  He was posted to Cyprus for the E.O.K.A Emergency and then in late 1958 on to Bengazhi, Libya. 

Following National Service Richard went up to Queens to read law.  He excelled, becoming a college exhibitioner, a prizeman, a Foundation scholar and achieved a First class degree.   He met his wife Marie Rieb, a South African, in Cambridge Public Library on the 5^th February 1963 after ice skating on a frozen River Cam.  His  chat up line was “do you fancy some tea” – it didn't  fail.

Whilst at Queens Richard took an active part in the general life of the College being  a  committee member of the ‘D Society’ (chaired by the late Reverend Henry St J Hart), and played rugby union for the College before picking up a broken thumb on the playing field.  In his last year he resided with Sir Frank Engledow, Emeritus Professor of Agriculture, who would regularly wake him up early on Spring mornings to view the garden’s  first winter aconites,snowdrops, crocuses, primroses, daffodils and tulips  and then make suitable recompense by treating Richard to delicious home made jams and cakes for breakfast.

After completing his postgraduate degree at Cambridge Richard was offered an international law lectureship post at Sheffield University by Sir Derek Bowett.  However he decided  to move and live in South Africa, settling first in Port Elizabeth and then in Cape Town.  Richard became a legal adviser to the Royal Insurance and Mutual Life Assurance Groups.  He also worked as a freelance literary reviewer and opinion columnist, writing many pieces for the Cape Times, Cape Argus and Natal Mercury newspapers.

In July 1966 Richard and Marie returned to England to live in Guildford and then Oulton Broad.   In 1971 they moved to ‘Apple Acre’, Norton Subcourse, Norfolk.  Richard  became the  Senior Partner in a general practice (‘Sprake & Hughes’) based in Bungay, Suffolk and Harleston, Norfolk.  Under his leadership the firm thrived and attained a reputation for exceptional legal advice and service, especially in family and property law.  Offers were made to merge or join with larger law firms  like Eversheds, Mills & Reeve, Linklaters  but all of  these were politely declined.

Richard retired in December 1991, enjoying time travelling, reading, gardening and visiting the family’s flat in Wanstead, London.  Being a prodigious reader he built up an impressive private library with books on poetry, literature, history, the classics and travel.

Richard was seen by all who knew him as a generous, caring, charming, compassionate, jovial and intellectually brilliant man – with a lively and refreshing sense of humour.

Over a long life he had many fond and happy memories of his days at Queens and of the good  life long friends he made at College. 

Richard’s years at Queens   held a special place in his heart and he viewed himself as a lucky man to have chosen such a very good place to be.

Obituary provided by David Hughes, son of Richard Hughes.

11^th November 2024