Hourani was born in Manchester, England, the son of Soumaya Rassi and Fadlo Hourani,[REF] immigrants from Marjeyoun in what is now South Lebanon (see Lebanese diaspora).
Fadlo Hourani tried to enroll Albert into a preparatory school in Manchester but it did not accept him as it did not take 'foreigners'; Fadlo instead opened an alternative school in which Albert studied until the age of fourteen [REF].