My friend and colleague Steve Ludlam, who has died from pancreatic cancer aged 66, was a respected academic in the fields of British politics and Cuban studies. After 10 years of research in British politics, he switched his focus to Latin American politics and to the study of Cuba in particular. Steve was born in Portsmouth, one of four children, to Stan Ludlam, an accountant with an insurance company, and his wife, Eda (nee Penney). However, in 1982 he returned to university as a mature student, to study politics and economic and social history at the University of Sheffield. He is survived by his wife, Julia (nee Robinson), whom he married in 1976, and two sons, Joe and Thomas.

Source: The Guardian November 26, 2017 15:45 UTC