Tony Coxon (1938 - 2012)
The Guardian 24 April 2012
The sociologist Tony Coxon led the development of the highly influential British Household Panel Survey.
(Photograph: Philip Hawkins)
The sociologist Tony Coxon led the development of the highly influential British Household Panel Survey.
(Photograph: Philip Hawkins)
Curriculum vitae (from Tony's own comprehensive site)
Obituaries:
Institute of Economic and Social Research (Essex) 14 February 2012
The Guardian (by Phil Hawkins: reproduced below) 24 April 2012
Obituaries:
Institute of Economic and Social Research (Essex) 14 February 2012
The Guardian (by Phil Hawkins: reproduced below) 24 April 2012
My husband, Tony Coxon, who has died of a brain tumour aged 73, was emeritus
professor of sociological research methods at the University of Wales. Following
lectureships at Leeds and Edinburgh universities, Tony was appointed professor
at the then University College Cardiff at only 35. He enjoyed a distinguished
and diverse career, which included research into religion, occupations, social
networks and male sexuality. He was the principal investigator of Project SIGMA,
a major longitudinal study of gay men and HIV/Aids which informed government and
World Health Organisation policies at the height of the epidemic.
An acknowledged international expert in multidimensional scaling (a technique
for visualisation of relationships in a set of data) and the use of diaries, and
the "method of sorting" for data collection, in 1989 Tony was appointed the
first director of the ESRC Research Centre, now the Institute for Social and
Economic Research, at the University of Essex, where he led the development of
the highly influential British Household Panel Survey.
Tony was born in Sale, Cheshire, and educated at the King's school,
Canterbury, and Cheadle Hulme school, Stockport. He was still in his teens when
he decided he had a vocation to the priesthood. Initially he trained at the
College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, from where he was
supported as an undergraduate at Leeds University studying sociology and
philosophy. However he did not return to Mirfield and after graduation at Leeds
continued his studies to complete his doctorate.
Although he left the church completely for a time, his deep commitment to
Christian socialism remained with him for the rest of his life. It was reflected
in his membership of the Third Order of
Anglican Franciscans; his pacifism (he was a conscientious objector during
national service); and his membership of CND, the Committee of 100 and the
Independent Labour Party.
At Leeds, Tony married Morfydd Williams and they had three children. But he
struggled with his sexuality and eventually came out as a gay man in 1978.
Although they both worked hard to keep their marriage intact, it did not
survive. In 2005, Tony and I registered our civil partnership on Islay, the
first such in Argyll and Bute, and celebrated it the following year with a
blessing and eucharist.
Predeceased by Morfydd and by his brother Tim, Tony is survived by me, his
children Kirstie, Huw and Alasdair, and by his sister Máire.
professor of sociological research methods at the University of Wales. Following
lectureships at Leeds and Edinburgh universities, Tony was appointed professor
at the then University College Cardiff at only 35. He enjoyed a distinguished
and diverse career, which included research into religion, occupations, social
networks and male sexuality. He was the principal investigator of Project SIGMA,
a major longitudinal study of gay men and HIV/Aids which informed government and
World Health Organisation policies at the height of the epidemic.
An acknowledged international expert in multidimensional scaling (a technique
for visualisation of relationships in a set of data) and the use of diaries, and
the "method of sorting" for data collection, in 1989 Tony was appointed the
first director of the ESRC Research Centre, now the Institute for Social and
Economic Research, at the University of Essex, where he led the development of
the highly influential British Household Panel Survey.
Tony was born in Sale, Cheshire, and educated at the King's school,
Canterbury, and Cheadle Hulme school, Stockport. He was still in his teens when
he decided he had a vocation to the priesthood. Initially he trained at the
College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, from where he was
supported as an undergraduate at Leeds University studying sociology and
philosophy. However he did not return to Mirfield and after graduation at Leeds
continued his studies to complete his doctorate.
Although he left the church completely for a time, his deep commitment to
Christian socialism remained with him for the rest of his life. It was reflected
in his membership of the Third Order of
Anglican Franciscans; his pacifism (he was a conscientious objector during
national service); and his membership of CND, the Committee of 100 and the
Independent Labour Party.
At Leeds, Tony married Morfydd Williams and they had three children. But he
struggled with his sexuality and eventually came out as a gay man in 1978.
Although they both worked hard to keep their marriage intact, it did not
survive. In 2005, Tony and I registered our civil partnership on Islay, the
first such in Argyll and Bute, and celebrated it the following year with a
blessing and eucharist.
Predeceased by Morfydd and by his brother Tim, Tony is survived by me, his
children Kirstie, Huw and Alasdair, and by his sister Máire.