Author: Hughes, Thomas
Biography:
HUGHES, Thomas (1757-1833: findmypast.com)
He was the second son of Elizabeth Hughes (maiden name not certain) and Rev. Thomas Hughes of Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales. Besides serving as a parish priest, his father was master of Ruthin School, which Thomas the younger first attended, followed by Manchester Grammar School and St. John’s College, Cambridge (matric. 1773, BA 1777, MA 1780). A fine classicist, he won the Chancellor’s Medal in 1770 and the Seatonian Prize for English poetry in 1780. He was ordained deacon in 1777 and priest in 1781; in 1807 he received a Lambeth DD. Between 1788 and 1803 he was involved with the Court as tutor to three of the sons of George III; he served as Clerk of the Closet to both George III and George IV. He held various livings and positions in the Church, the most significant being as prebendary of Westminster 1793-1807 and prebendary and then canon residentiary of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, 1807-33, and as rector of Uffington, Berkshire, from 1816. On 27 Jan. 1789 he married Mary Anne (or Ann) Watts (1770-1853) of Uffington, also the child of a clergyman, at St. Mary, Walcot, Somerset, by licence; they had one son, John Hughes (q.v.). The couple were friends and correspondents (Mrs. Hughes especially) with Southey and Scott (qq.v.); her Letters and Recollections related to Scott were published in 1904. Hughes died at their home on Amen-Corner, St. Paul’s, London, on 6 Jan. 1833 and was buried at Uffington, where there is a memorial. He does not appear to have published any other literary works. (findmypast.com 1 Jan. 2022; CCEd 1 Jan. 2022; ACAD; Salisbury and Winchester Journal 14 Jan. 1833) HJ