‘He will be missed by everyone whose lives he touched’: Tributes to historian, author and researcher

Tributes have been paid to a Lynn historian and renowned author and researcher who was involved in many organisations within the town.Sadness has been expressed following the death of Dr Julian Litten who died at his Lynn home on October 19, aged 77 following a period of ill health.Dr Litten was one of the founders and chairman of the Friends of Hardwick Road Cemetery and was regarded as England’s foremost funerary historian (relating to a funeral or the commemoration of the dead), and was constantly involved in research and writing.

A tribute post on the Friends’ website says he was an “ardent supporter of local history involved in discovering the history of the town, the cemetery and its residents. He will be much missed by everyone whose lives he touched”.Tribute has also been paid by governors at the town’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital for his contribution to the Council of Governors which they said was “valued greatly” as was his role as a member of the Charitable Fund Committee – where he shared his considerable charity knowledge and guidance, ensuring monies donated to the QEHKL Charity were spent well for the benefit of patients and staff.Dr Litten was involved in the development of the hospital Trust’s award-winning dementia friendly garden and dedicated time raising awareness of the governors and Trust membership at a range of events, including regular ‘Meet Your Governor’ sessions and King’s Lynn Pride.

Dr Antonia Hardcastle, lead governor at the QEH, said: “The Council of Governors is saddened by the news of his passing. I will miss his intellectual challenge, humour and strong moral compass which has helped guide the whole council.” Dr Litten was a highly respected figure at the hospital and in the wider area, having made West Norfolk his home in 2007 with his partner of 46 years, the late Father Anthony Couchman.He was a published author and researcher, bringing his expertise in both architecture and charitable work to the QEH organisation and many others. Dr Litten published studies on Hardwick Road Cemetery and in June of this year he hit out in the Lynn News at vandals who had damaged the Cross of Sacrifice monument in the cemetery.

The Church Monuments Society says Dr Litten was on the curatorial staff of the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1966 and 1999, and visiting lecturer in Built Heritage Conservation at Canterbury Christ Church University College, Kent, between 1999 and 2004.He chaired the St Margaret’s with St Nicholas Ward Forum, contributed as a trustee of the Lynn Minster Trust, and played an instrumental role in heritage preservation projects throughout the region.Dr Litten also chaired committees entrusted with the task of caring for the maintenance of Norwich Cathedral and St Edmundsbury Cathedral in addition to sitting on similar committees at Ely Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. He was responsible for steering the completion of the renovation of Portsmouth Cathedral. A QEH spokesperson said he had an “unwavering commitment” to see a new hospital built and, in standing for election as a public governor in West Norfolk, he vowed: “We now need a new QEH, one which can take us forward into the 21st century thereby maintaining the standards of excellence we are used to and advancing the medical care to meet the needs of all of those in society.“If elected, I will do my utmost to see that a new hospital is constructed whilst at the same time supporting the staff who have to cope with the challenges placed upon them by the declining state of the existing structure.”Details of Dr Litten’s funeral arrangements have not yet been confirmed.