House was born in 1919 and educated at Bradford Grammar School before studying geography at Jesus College, Oxford under the tuition of J. N. L. Baker. After service during the Second World War with the Intelligence Corps (leaving in 1946 with the rank of Major), he taught geography at King's College, Newcastle (then part of the University of Durham, but later Newcastle University) for 28 years; he was head of department from 1964 to 1974.
House was born in 1919 and educated at Bradford Grammar School before studying geography at Jesus College, Oxford under the guidance of J. N. L. Baker. After serving during the Second World War with the Intelligence Corps (leaving in 1946 as a Major), he taught geography at King's College, Newcastle (then part of the University of Durham, but later Newcastle University) for 28 years; he was head of department from 1964 to 1974.