Tributes paid to University of York academic and student who died of cancer

Mourners gathered at York Crematorium on Thursday 13th February to celebrate the life of University of York student and lecturer Alix Beaumont who sadly passed away from cancer last month.

Beaumont was a lecturer for the University’s Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media department where his students praised him for his love and passion for the subject. Dr Kristyn Gorton, deputy head of the department told York Press: “Students remember how passionately he spoke about the subjects he loved and look back on the seminars with great fondness.”

At the time of his death, Beaumont was also studying a PhD at the University, researching Greek Mythology in Contemporary Literature. Dr Kristyn Gorton further added: “His PhD supervisors are devastated to have lost such an irreplaceable student and colleague. They count themselves lucky to have crossed paths with such an extraordinary intellect and kind-hearted person.”

Beaumont began his academic career at the University of Birmingham, studying Ancient History but later transferred to the University of Central London after being diagnosed with diabetes, allowing for him to be close to his family home in Essex.

After receiving a first class honours in his degree at UCL, he then went on to study an MA in Ancient History which he was awarded a distinction with.

He then became a student of the University of York, taking an MA in Media Studies before beginning his PhD which he very sadly didn’t get to finish.

The youngest Beaumont brother Chris, 31, who has lost both Alix and their brother Nick to leukemia in 1995, spoke at the wake held for Alix at York Racecourse.

Chris said: “Apart from being a wonderful, loving and protective brother, he had a brilliant mind with immense knowledge. He spoke with such a passion for his subjects even when we were very young. In spite of what he was going through with his illness, he remained himself. He was always who he was, to the end.”