Hugh Pain: 'Everything is interesting'

“Everything is interesting”, Ian Jones recalled his friend saying. Kind in an unsentimental way, he was an exceptional person. “It was a privilege to have known him,” Jones said at a memorial service in Fleet Street, London.

Pain (Reuters 1977-2003), pictured, died of lung cancer in hospital near his home in Crete on 25 February aged 69. 

Books and literature were central to his life – he cherished an extensive collection of first editions. “He was wonderful company not only for the range and depth of his knowledge but for his sense of humour,” Jones said.

Readings were given by Geoffrey Cornford and Peter Griffiths. Other colleagues at the guild church of St Dunstan-in-the-West who celebrated Pain’s life and mourned his passing were Tony Austin, Richard Balmforth, Allan Barker, John Bartram, David Christian-Edwards, Peter Gregson, Robert Hart, Michael Hughes, Paul Iredale, Roger Jeal, Ian Jones, Geert Linnebank, Jeremy Lovell, Sean Maguire, Angus MacSwan, Barry May,​ Colin McIntyre, Bernard Melunsky, Ingrid Montbazet, Barry Moody, Brian Mooney, Donald Nordberg, Manfred Pagel, Tim Pearce, Bill Saltmarsh, Len Santorelli, Paul Smurthwaite, Philip Wardle and Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi. ■