It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague Majid Fayaz, at the age of 46. Majid was a valued member of our LSE Security Team, known for his dedication, kindness, and unwavering commitment to keeping our workplace safe.
Beyond his role at work, Majid was a devoted husband and a loving father to his two young children. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time. As colleagues, we mourn his loss, but we also remember the kindness, dedication, and quiet strength that defined his time with us.
In honour of Majid’s memory, we encourage staff to share their condolences here and support his family. May he rest in peace, knowing he made a lasting impact on those around him.
It is with deep sadness that we share the news that our colleague Dr. Edward (Eddie) H. Hunt passed away earlier this month.
Eddie’s long association with Economic History at LSE began in the 1960s when he arrived for his undergraduate studies. He remained at the School and completed his PhD with the topic Regional Wage Variations in Britain, 1850-1914.
He briefly left in the late ‘60s to take up a position as Assistant Lecturer in Economic History at Queen’s University, Belfast, before returning to Houghton Street in 1969 where he stayed for rest of his career.
Described as being “among the most promising of economic historians of my generation” by Patrick O’Brien, Eddie participated in the life of the Department and the field of Economic History more generally, with relish being Assistant Editor (1971-75), then Book Review Editor (1982-86) of The Economic History Review, the journal published by the Economic History Society.
Along with his co-author Stephen Pam, Eddie published widely on agricultural history, most notably debunking the long-held theory that Essex farmers had needed rescuing by the incoming Scots. Their paper Essex Men Vindicated: output, incomes and investment in agriculture, 1850-73 (1993) has been downloaded from the LSE archive more than 1,200 times.
Eddie’s research, especially his studies of wages in the long-nineteenth century, remains a vital ingredient of discussions in economic history and his monograph British Labour History, 1815-1914 was ground-breaking in the way it covered the changing face of the life and labour of the British working class in the century before the First World War.
It is as the head of the MSc Programme, a position he inherited from Walter Stern in the mid-1970s, that Eddie will be remembered most fondly. Stern had nurtured the programme while it was still regarded as a vehicle for those who had read history (possibly economics) to obtain a broad understanding of the discipline but, under Eddie the number of Masters’ students grew, and different programmes were added to the portfolio of offerings. Most notably, the MSc Economic History (Research) designed to represent a shift to a four-year doctorate, with the MSc training year becoming a formal requirement for entry onto the MPhil/PhD programme.
Eddie was unfailingly kind and generous, with a wicked sense of humour, and a great raconteur. He enjoyed travelling (particularly to vineyards) and once gave a particularly nice bottle of Zinfandel to one of the administrators as a gift following a trip to California. When, a couple of days later, he asked what she had enjoyed it with, he was horrified to be told “Eastenders”. The following Christmas she was gifted a bottle of port as ‘punishment’!
Eddie passed away on Saturday 8 February and will be deeply missed by family, friends, and colleagues. The funeral will take place on Monday 10 March, and full details (including a link to the webcast for those who can’t be there in person) can be found here.
It is with profound sadness that we share the news that our colleague John Smith passed away in January whilst in hospital after a short illness.
John was
the Chef in the Garrick and was known to many LSE staff and students. He was
held in deep affection by all those who knew and worked with him. An incredibly
supportive manager to his team, his passing has left us heartbroken.
Larry
Kramer as LSE President has written privately to John’s family to express the
sympathy of our whole School community. Our deepest condolences to John’s wife,
Christel and daughter Skye.
John’s funeral is being held on Friday 21 February at 1pm at Medway Crematorium, Robin Hood Lane (upper), Chatham, Kent, ME5. 9QU.
John’s
family and friends will be gathering after the ceremony at La Villetta, 8
Pudding Lane, Maidstone ME14 1lN.
If you want to attend the service with John’s colleagues from LSE Catering, please contact Alice To in the catering office.
With thanks to Ian Spencer, Director of Residential Services for the tribute.
