Hough, Reverend George (1787 - 1867)

Born: England (Gloucester)

Colonial Chaplain of Cape Town from 1817.

Career Highlights

Hough was born 25 August 1787, the son of John James Hough, bookseller, stationer and freeman in the city of Gloucester. Ordained Priest by the Bishop of Oxford in 1812, Hough was Curate of St. Peter’s in the diocese of Oxford in 1812-1813, before moving to the Cape Colony in 1813. Originally appointed Colonial Chaplain of Simon’s Town, he was relocated to Cape Town in 1817 and served as Colonial Chaplain there until leaving the colony in 1846. Among his many offices and appointments, Hough was President of the Church of England Prayer Book and Tract Society (afterwards Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge), founded in 1824. He was also involved in the establishment of the South African College and sat as a Government representative on the College Council from 1834-1839. He was a committee member of the South African Infirmary Fund and the Philanthropic Society for aiding deserving slaves and slave children to purchase their freedom. On returning to England, Hough was Rector of Yelford, in the diocese of Oxford, until his death on 1 August 1867. Reginald Langham-Carter notes that “He was described in 1843 as ‘a respectable High-church clergyman’ but actually he was, by most reckonings, a middle man and, as is often the way with people of moderate views, he gave no satisfaction to the extremists, whether high or low. One of the latter conceded that ‘he reads the service with great distinction and dignity’ but added: ‘his preaching, however, is uncertain and often unsound”’.