HUGHES, HUGH ROBERT (1827-1911),), of Kinmel and Dinorben genealogist

Born 6 June 1827, son of Hugh Robert Hughes of Bache Hall, Cheshire, by his second wife, Anne, daughter of Thomas Lance of Wavertree Hall, Lancashire

His grandfather, the Rev. EDWARD HUGHES, M.A. (1738 - 1815), was the first of the family to settle at Kinmel, an ancient seat of the Holland family (7), acquiring the estate through purchase at the end of the 18th century. He was the son of HUGH HUGHES of Lleiniog, Anglesey (1705/6 - 1773/4), who entered the service of Dr. Edward Wynne of Bodewryd as secretary and agent, and in the course of his career acquired sufficient means and standing to settle his three sons in positions of advantage. Thus Edward, the eldest, was married to Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Robert Lewis of Llysdulas, chancellor of Bangor, and in right of his wife came into possession of the moiety of the western part of Parys mountain, Amlwch, and of the rich deposits of copper which were discovered there during the latter half of the 18th century. As principal proprietor of the Parys Mine, from which he drew considerable profits, Edward Hughes was succeeded by his son WILLIAM LEWIS HUGHES (1767 - 1852), M.P. for Wallingford, Berks., 1802-26 and 1830-31, who in 1831 was created baron Dinorben. The next heir to the estate was the latter's son, William Lewis Hughes II (1821 - 1852), 2nd baron Dinorben; but as he died unmarried, eight months after his father on 6 October 1852, Kinmel and Dinorben came to his cousin, Hugh Robert Hughes the younger, under the entail created by their grandfather.

Hughes served as high sheriff of Anglesey in 1855, and of Flintshire in 1871, was placed on the commission of the peace for both counties, held the rank of colonel in the Denbighshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and in 1871 was appointed lord lieutenant of Flintshire. He unsuccessfully contested the Flintshire seat in 1861, but public life was not his metier, and his chief claim to recognition rests on his undoubted competence as an authority on Welsh heraldry and genealogy. He was particularly interested in the history of the ancient families of North Wales, as is shown by his frequent and valuable contributions to Bye-Gones and his correspondence with fellow enthusiasts.

He married, 1853, Florentia Emily Liddell, second daughter of Henry Thomas, 2nd lord Ravensworth, by whom he had issue Hugh Seymour Bulkeley Lewis Hughes, the heir to the estate, one other son, and five daughters. He died 29 April 1911.

See also Michael Hughes.

Author

• Emyr Gwynne Jones, (1911 - 1972)

Sources

• J. E. Griffith, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families (1914), 332-3
• Bye-Gones, relating to Wales and the Border Counties, 3 May 1911
• The Times, 1 May 1911
• Thomas Nicholas, Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales (London 1872), vol.I, 409-10
• Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1833) under Amlwch
• A. H. Dodd, The Industrial Revolution in North Wales (Cardiff 1933), 161, 316
• U.C.N.W., Penrhos Manuscripts and Bangor Manuscripts at University College North Wales Library, Bangor 552, 5913
• NLW Archives: NLW MS 1501-1631

Further Reading

• Wikipedia article: Baron Dinorben
• Wikipedia article: William Hughes, 1st Baron Dinorben

Images

• Mary Anne Knight, Lady Dinorben

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733205

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/