We are saddened to report the death of Graham Kent from motor neurone disease at the age of 71.
Born in Westminster, London, Graham studied law at Magdalen College, Oxford. Following time as a lecturer, and then senior lecturer, in law at Liverpool Polytechnic (now John Moores University), he embarked on a career in the civil service, first joining the Department of Health and Social Security (now the Department for Work and Pensions), and then joining the Department of Health, where he worked until his retirement in 2015.
A great supporter of the Ancient Monuments Society/Historic Buildings & Places, Graham’s broad historical knowledge and great enthusiasm for history and built heritage equipped him well as a regular contributor and as the Book Reviews editor (from 2014) of our Transactions, now the Journal of Historic Buildings & Places, a role from which he stepped down in 2022 with the onset of his devastating illness. He was very well travelled, with a particular interest in Indian history, which saw him journey extensively in the subcontinent.
Graham was exceptionally good company, a discriminating judge of good food and wine who will be greatly missed by all his friends and colleagues, not least the Editor of the Journal who very much enjoyed their editorial meetings in The Euston Flyer, followed by a meal in one of the authentic Indian restaurants in Drummond Street, bonding over their shared enthusiasms for cricket, Europe and the re-emergence of the Labour party, differing only on the subject of brutalism which held no charms for Graham, but he was a generous man capable of forgiveness of such lapses of judgement.
We are grateful for all the work and contributions Graham made to our organisation over the years and on behalf of our Trustees and team, we offer our condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed.
