The publishing and media ethics world mourns the loss of Hugh Nowell, a respected senior figure at Grosvenor Books and a co-founder of the International Communications Forum, who has died at the age of 98.
A Life Dedicated to Faith and Publishing
Hugh Nowell spent the majority of his professional life as a central figure at Grosvenor Books, a publishing house with deep connections to the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement. He helped establish the firm in the early 1960s and remained there until his retirement in 1997, aged 70, serving as joint chief executive and later as managing director.
Under his leadership, Grosvenor Books published a diverse range of Christian and secular titles, including successful children's books and magazines. One of its most notable publications was Listen to the Children by Annejet Campbell, a book on family life that was translated into 11 different languages.
Early Influences and Formative Years
Born in Runcorn, Cheshire, Hugh was the son of John, who managed the family tannery business, and Margaret (née Vanes). His mother, born in India, had once worked as a private tutor for the children of the Maharaja of Bangalore.
His parents were profoundly influenced by the Oxford Group, also known as the Moral Re-Armament movement. This Christian foundation shaped Hugh's own path from an early age. He described having a significant spiritual conversation at just 13 years old, and his faith was further solidified during his time at Kingswood school, a Methodist institution evacuated to Uppingham during the Second World War.
While studying chemistry at Queen's College, Oxford from 1945 to 1949, he met daily with fellow student members of the Oxford Group. His dedication was such that in his second year, he cycled to Paris and hitchhiked to Switzerland to attend the opening of the group's international centre in Caux.
Building a Legacy in Media and Communications
Upon graduating, Hugh chose to work with the Oxford Group full-time instead of joining the family business. For the next 14 years, he volunteered for the MRA in various roles, supported financially by contributions from supporters.
In 1963, his path took a decisive turn when a colleague asked him to oversee the publishing and marketing of the MRA's literature. This request led directly to the launch of Grosvenor Books that same year.
Beyond his publishing work, Hugh Nowell co-founded the International Communications Forum in 1971 with his friend Bill Porter. This media ethics thinktank was established with the explicit aim of injecting moral values into the publishing industry, a mission that reflected his lifelong principles.
In his personal life, Hugh married Carolyn Crary, a fellow MRA volunteer from California whom he met at the Caux centre, in 1957. She passed away in 2022. He is survived by their two sons, John and Kent.
