Information about the Rev. George Frederick Hough's family in Cambridge.

St Bene't's Church, Cambridge.

Inscription Hough headstone

Sacred to the Memory of
FRANCESSA MARGARET who died November 22nd 1852 aged 4 years.
And ELIZA SOPHIA who died June 27th.1862 aged 15 years
children of JAMES & ELIZA SOPHIA HOUGH
"Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
Also of ELIZA SOPHIA wife of JAMES HOUGH who died June 13th 1893, aged 66 years
Also of JAMES HAYWARD eldest son of JAMES & ELIZA SOPHIA HOUGH d Sept 29 1893 aged 43 years.
Also of JAMES HOUGH who died December 28th 1900, aged 82 years.

James Hough (19 January 1818  – 28 December 1900)
James was the son of James and Elizabeth Hough. He was born in Chennai (formerly Madras) in Tamil Nadu, India.  His father was a chaplain in India, and had been educated at Queens College, Cambridge. Elizabeth died in India in 1824 when James was 6 years old, and the family appears to have returned to England.
In 1841 aged 23 years old he was working as a surgeon in Surrey.  He married Eliza Sophia Hayward in Cambridge in 1846. and worked as a surgeon in the town for over fifty years.. He and Eliza  raised their family at 59 Trumpington Street (1851), 19 Trumpington Street (1861) and  later 74 Trumpington Street (1881/1891).    He retired from the practice in c.1896  when Dr. Lloyd Jones took over from him.  He then moved to Grange Road, where he died aged 82 years old.
The Cambridge Independent Press ran an obituary where they noted he 'was a man of deep piety and early interested himself in philanthropic and missionary work.  He was the treasurer of the Cambridge Female Refuge Society and had held that post for more than forty years'.  Furthermore 'The Cottage Home for Little Orphan Girls also found in him an ardent supporter. He took a keen interest in all organisations having for their object the well being of young men, and for over 20 years was President of the Church of England Young Men's society'.  He was a Conservative and led the party in Cambridge for sixteen years – James also sat as a magistrate from 1885 onwards.
He had been ill for a few week before he died – firstly suffering from a cold which he recovered from, but then at the start of December 'his health then failed, and Dr. Lloyd Jones was called in.  He gradually sank, and died from senile decay. During the last few days of his illness his son, Mr. Charles Hough who is also in medical practice at Derby was with him'.
Eliza Sophia Hough (née Hayward) (1827 – 13 June 1893)
Eliza was born in Cambridge and was the daughter of  lawyer William Woodcock Hayward and his wife  Eliza.  She  married James Hough in 1846 and together they raised at least  eight children: Eliza Sophia (1847-1862), Francessa Sophia (1848-1852), James Hayward (1849-1893), Rev George Frederick Hough (1853-1934), Charles Henry (1855 – 1933), Anne Louisa (1858-1919), Rev William Woodcock (1859-1934) and Emily Sophia (1869-1928).  Of the four boys,  two became priests (George and William) and two became doctors (James and Charles).
She died in 1893 at Fern House, Trumpington Street, Cambridge aged 66 years.  The Cambridge Chronicle announced that  'Mrs. Hough had been ill about ten days, but the end came somwhat suddenly'. It reported that she was a 'lady well-known and much respected in Cambridge' and had dedicated her life to many philanthropic works including the Female Refuge and the C.M.S, but her chief work was connected with the Cottage Home for Orphan Girls at Brooklands.  She died leaving effects valued at £5,918 17s  and 9d.
Francessa Margaret Hough (1848 – 22 November 1852)
Francessa was the second child of James and Eliza Hough. She was baptised on 8th October 1848.  She is recorded at 59 Trumpington Street in 1851, but died the following year aged 4 years old.
Eliza Sophia Hough (13 June 1847 – 27 June 1862)
Eliza was the eldest child of James and Eliza Hough.  She was baptised on 1st August 1847.  She grew up on Trumpington Street, but died in 1862 aged 15 years old.
James Hayward Hough (24 April 1850 – 29 September 1893) 
James was the eldest son of James and Eliza Hough.  He was baptised at St Benedictss Cambridge on 16 June 1850.  He attended Marlborough School and then Corpus Christi Cambridge, which he started in September 1868. He obtained his BA in 1872 and MA in 1883. He qualified as a doctor at St Mary's Hospital and Edinburgh Hospital.  He was acting surgeon with the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment in 1887. James then worked with his father at Fern House, Trumpington Street, as a surgeon.
James did not marry and was a prominent member of the Conservative party within the town. He was President of the Junior Conservative Club and was later Leader of the Conservative Party.  He died at home aged 43 years old after what neswpapers called a 'long and painful illness, which he bore with great fortitude until the time of his death'.   The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal printed an obituary where they called him a 'promising member of his profession, to which he was devotedly attached'.  He gave a series of 'ambulance lectures' to railway servants and the police which were aid to be 'highly popular' and enabled them to gain a qualification at the end of the course. 'Deceased as a warm hearted friend, a most genial host, and one ever ready to do a good turn to friend or foe'.
He died just six months after his mother Eliza, leaving effects valued at £45.