Henry Hobhouse obituary

Amateur scholar and journalist whose book Seeds of Change altered the way we understand modern history

Henry Hobhouse, known as Tom, made his mark with a groundbreaking book, Seeds of Change: Five Plants That Transformed Mankind (1985). An exploration of how western man's discovery, use and trade of sugar, tea, cotton, the potato and quinine transformed the world, it changed the way we understand modern history.

Hobhouse, who has died aged 91, was not a professional historian, botanist or writer, but in succession a sailor, a journalist, a West Country farmer, and county council chair. But his love of debate, insatiable search for facts and inquisitive nature defined all that he did.

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