RESPECTED Lyme Regis councillor Spencer Hogg has passed away, aged 65.

Described by his colleagues as a likeable intellectual, Coun Hogg began studying history at Oxford University aged just 17.

After gaining a masters and doctoral degree, he moved to Lyme Regis to live with his mother, Yvonne, in 1964.

Coun Hogg met his first wife Trudy Richards, of Lyme Regis, while living in the town and they married in 1970.

Coun and Mrs Hogg had a daughter, Lottie, who is now 36.

The family went back to live in Oxford before moving to Brighton where Coun Hogg became head of history at Roedean Girls School.

The couple later divorced and Coun Hogg met art teacher Lesley in 1976 and they married a year later.

Lyme Regis then became their base when Coun Hogg took up a post at Dover College.

The couple had a son, George, in 1978, and daughter Alex in 1980.

In 1986 the family moved to a village outside Dover when Coun Hogg was struck with meningitis, aged 41, causing him temporary paralysis and speech loss. Coun Hogg was forced to give up teaching in 1990 and the family moved permanently to Lyme.

Following a Labour party meeting in the town, Coun Hogg agreed to represent the party and became a member of Lyme Regis Town Council in November 1996.

Coun Hogg was a town councillor for 13 years and a well-respected chairman of the authority’s planning committee for the past four years.

His health deteriorated over the past year so he made sure he did all the things he wanted to do, including meeting for the first time his 17-year-old granddaughter Jasmine, who had been living in Japan with his daughter Lottie. Lottie also gave him his first grandson, Linden, aged two.

Lesley Hogg described him as a ‘great character’ who taught her a lot about life and gave her many laughs.

Paying tribute to Coun Hogg, Lyme Regis Mayor Michaela Ellis said: “He was a well-respected council member.”

Councillor David Cozens said: “He was obviously a very intelligent and sincere man. I liked him very much.”