We are sorry to advise the passing of Hugh Rice (Th 56) on 17th March 2025, aged 82, after a short illness. Hugh’s brother Robert (Th 60) writes:

‘Hugh came to Haileybury as a major scholar and left as Head Boy with A/S levels in Latin, Greek, Ancient History and Double Maths. Before that he was at Temple Grove School in East Sussex (sadly now defunct, then run by the remarkable Meston Batchelor). His funeral took place at a crematorium near his home in Avoine near Chinon in France on 26th March attended by his family and local friends. I was asked to do a reading and chose the passage from the last chapter of Pilgrim’s Progress which includes the words familiar to every Haileyburian “Then said he my sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage….” ‘

Hugh went from Haileybury as a Classics Scholar to Christ Church, Oxford and gained his BPhil in 1967. Aside from a year spent at the University of Connecticut, he spent his entire academic career at Christ Church in a variety of senior roles and published a book God and Goodness (Clarendon Press, 1999). Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, describes Hugh as ‘A fine philosopher …. with a vigorous intellect and a perceptive eye … a wonderful colleague, supportive and wise.’

There will be a thanksgiving service for Hugh at 2.00pm on 18^th October at Christ Church, Oxford, followed by Tea in Hall. Do please contact Robert Rice for confirmation of timing and further details robert@wadhurst.net

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David Hugh Rice (Th 56)

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