Simon Richard Houfe of Ampthill, author, editor, historian, and lifelong chronicler of Bedfordshire’s people and places, has been remembered with deep affection following his death.
Born on 13 September, 1942, Simon was the son of Eric Houfe, an architect, and Kathleen, the only daughter of Professor Sir Albert Richardson PRA.
His heritage placed him at the heart of Bedfordshire’s cultural and architectural history, a connection he nurtured throughout his life and career.
A devoted historian of Bedford and its surrounding villages, Simon became known for his meticulous research, vivid storytelling, and unwavering love for his county.
As one friend remarked, “Simon was a true son of Bedfordshire. He loved his county, and wrote and lectured on it throughout his life.
“He knew every village and town in Bedfordshire, and could describe virtually every remarkable person who had been associated with it.”
From the early 1960s onward, Simon contributed prolifically to internationally renowned Homes & Gardens, Antique Collector, Apollo, Bedfordshire Magazines, and Bedfordshire Times.
His early articles included “Legh Richmond: The Story of a Famous Rector of Turvey” (1963) and “Buckingham versus Bedford: The Kensington Duel” (1964).
His first article for Country Life appeared on 25 June 1970, focusing on Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. He continued writing widely through the 1970s and 1980s, including leading articles such as “Cross Currents at the R. A.” and “The Royal Academy Vienna Secession Exhibition” (1971).
Simon’s published books include, Old Bedfordshire: A Collection of 145 Old Photographs (1975); The Dalziel Family: Engravers & Illustrators (1978); The Dictionary of British Book Illustrators & Caricaturists 1800-1914 (1978); Through Visitors’ Eyes: A Bedfordshire Anthology (1990); Bedfordshire (1995); and Sir Albert Richardson – The Professor, his 1980 biography of his grandfather.
Simon’s passion for Victorian illustration was not an academic pursuit acquired later in life; it was rooted in childhood wonder.
He explained how the idea for his dictionary of illustrators began: “As a collector of illustration for many years, I needed a reference work for myself.”
He traced this impulse back to the books that filled his childhood home, Punch volumes, anthologies, and the magical black-and-white lines of Phil May, Lewis Baumer, and G. L. Stampa.
These images captivated him as a boy, shaping the eye that would later become one of the most respected in his field.
Lifelong service to Bedfordshire
Simon’s generosity extended far beyond his writing.
In 1980, the Bedfordshire Archives received on deposit the Richardson & Gill, later Richardson & Houfe Architectural Archives, a collection of around 40,000 items, containing drawings, correspondence, exhibition and competition material and photograph albums, ensuring the preservation of a significant architectural heritage that reached far beyond Bedfordshire alone.
In October 2020, he was awarded Ampthill’s Community Roll of Honour, recognising his lifelong service to the county he adored.
Across all his works, 371 in total, Simon combined scholarship with affection. He preserved the stories, landscapes, and personalities of Bedfordshire for future generations.
Simon’s legacy endures in his writing, his lectures, the Avenue House documentary he initiated and in the countless people he inspired with his knowledge, humour and friendship.
by Douglas Downing
