Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Harold Hughes
Designation: Architect
Born: 1887
Died: 9 November 1949
Bio Notes: Thomas Harold Hughes was born in 1887, the son of Thomas Hughes, a Staffordshire potter and his wife, Catherine Ann Walton (or Watton?). He was educated at Alleyne's Grammar School Uttoxeter and articled to Jones & Hilton of Burslem from 1904 to 1908. In the latter year he gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Art under Professor Arthur Beresford Pite, in whose office he assisted. There he became King's Prizeman, National Competition Prizeman, RIBA Silver Medallist (essays), City of London Guilds Institute Medallist, and Royal College of Art Travelling Scholar. He passed the qualifying exam in 1910 and was admitted ARIBA on 27 March 1911, his proposers being Pite, Alfred Bowman Yeates and Arthur Clyne of Aberdeen.

Prior to formal admission Hughes had obtained a place in the office of George & Yeates in 1910, but in the same year, on Pite's recommendation, he was recruited by Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen to initiate a school of architecture, and it was there he met his future wife Edith Mary Wardlaw Burnet, who was one of his first students. In the ensuing years he spent some time travelling in France and elsewhere.

During the First World War Hughes was a captain first in the Artists Rifles and then in the Royal Engineers where he was largely responsible for the manuals on Map Reading and Field Sketching.

On demobilisation Hughes married Edith Burnet. They hoped to be allowed to join Sir John Burnet's London office but Tait demurred at Hughes being given a partnership and Montague Place did not then have a separate lavatory for female staff. Hughes was offered a partnership in the Glasgow office instead, his time there being chiefly spent on war memorials. Incompatibility with Burnet's more senior Glasgow partner, Norman Aitken Dick, who referred to him as 'that College of Art b****r' for all the staff to hear, caused him to work alone in an upstairs office. Matters became much worse when the Glasgow practice ran into serious financial difficulties as a result of the unauthorised withdrawal of clients' fund due to contractors by the chief clerk, Duncan, who had absconded. To preserve the good name of the firm, the police were not called and the partners had to make good the loss. In the event most of the money was provided by Dick when he repurchased his partnership in 1920. This event resulted in Hughes resigning his partnership to teach at the Glasgow School of Architecture where he succeeded James Black Fulton as Professor and Director when the latter died in April 1922, an event which was followed by a dispute with Professor Charles Gourlay over their respective roles: the Governors had to provide Gourlay with a specification of his duties which established Hughes's jurisdiction over him.

Hughes quickly established himself as an architectural historian with a series of articles on Scottish architects of the past in the RIAS Quarterly and as a planner with a major book, 'Towns and Town Planning', written with E A Lamborn and published in 1923. After Gourlay died in 1926, Hughes took over Gourlay's responsibilities at the Royal College when the title of the combined chairs became simply architecture (building construction being omitted): a BSc Degree course had been instituted in 1924. These changes were at least partly related to differences with the Governors at Glasgow School of Art and John Keppie in particular.

In the 1930s Hughes built up a considerable practice in university work in Glasgow, London and Oxford, which was the cause of further problems with the Governors at Glasgow School of Art as he was too often absent. Nevertheless he superseded Dick as architect to Glasgow University and from 1938 he worked in partnership with David Stark Reid Waugh, who also taught at the Glasgow School. When the Second World War broke out Hughes sent out fee accounts for work extending back several years and was asked to submit further accounts for work which had to be abandoned. The payments were taxed at wartime surtax rates and in common with several other architects at that time Hughes found he had worked for something like three years for virtually nothing. This contributed to a serious breakdown in health in 1941 which forced him to retire as Director of the School of Architecture in 1942, his Glasgow University work being taken over by Alexander Wright, although Waugh was to continue the practice after the war and later became Head of Architecture at Glasgow School of Art.

Edith Burnet Hughes's practice remained independent of him and after the Second World War they led semi-separate lives, Edith being based in Edinburgh and Hughes mainly in London, but it was in Edinburgh at 30 Royal Circus, the home of his wife, that Hughes died on 9 November 1949 of cerebral thrombosis. He was cremated at Warriston. The Hughes had three daughters. The marriage was said not to be an altogether happy one, but Edith retained a profound respect for him, and even more for his work. Professor William James Smith remembered him as 'a colourful, somewhat elusive personality … he was a good companion and generous host with a nimble wit and a keen sense of humour'.

Opinion on Hughes's teaching tended to be sharply divided. Archibald Doak, Margaret Brodie and others found him an outstanding teacher but to Ninian Johnston the standard of teaching at the School was terrible, partly due to Hughes's frequent absences from the School on Oxford business. In 1935 Hughes gave a keynote address to the RIBA conference in Glasgow entitled 'The Modern Movement - A False Start', in which he questioned both the propriety and practicality of imitating concrete forms in brick and render and the practice of copying the latest tricks from the magazines. It was criticised by one of his students, and by Raymond McGrath in the RIBA Journal as 'reactionary' and 'mediaeval' but it did all too accurately identify the weathering weaknesses of much 1930s building. Although by temperament a classicist his Chemistry Building at the University of Glasgow, brilliantly fitted into a difficult left-over site, was one of the finest and most original modernist buildings of the late 1930s.


Publications:

'Map Reading & Panorama Sketching' (1916)
'Map Work' (London: Oxford University Press, 1918) - joint author with V Seymour Bryant
'Towns & Town Planning' (London: Clarendon Press, 1923) - joint author with E A Lamborn

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1046, Beaconsfield Place, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1911 *  
Item 2 of 108, Polmuir Road, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1914 *  
Item 3 of 10Abbey House, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, EnglandPrivate1918 *  
Item 4 of 1027, Ashton Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1924 *1925 
Item 5 of 10185, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1927c. 1930 
Item 6 of 10121, Douglas Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1929After 1938With a break of possibly up to six years at 204 Goerge Street
Item 7 of 10Gray's Inn Square, London, EnglandPrivate1930(?) *c. 1934(?) 
Item 8 of 10Cardrona, Dunblane, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivatec. 1930 The home of E M B Hughes
Item 9 of 10204, George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1934(?)1940(?) 
Item 10 of 1030, Royal Circus, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 19461949 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4Jones & Hilton19041908Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Ernest George & Yeates19101911Assistant 
Item 3 of 4John Burnet, Son & Partners19191920 or 1921Partner 
Item 4 of 4T Harold Hughes & D S R Waugh19381942Partner 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 9Alfred Ian Duncan MacdonaldFebruary 1927After 1930Assistant 
Item 2 of 9George BartholomewJanuary 1928 Assistant(?) 
Item 3 of 9Alasdair Cameron Sutherland19291932ApprenticeSummer months only
Item 4 of 9David Stark Reid WaughAfter 19291938Assistant 
Item 5 of 9Colin Macaulay Middleton19321933Assistant 
Item 6 of 9John CampbellAugust 1933August 1933AssistantAssisting on competition design
Item 7 of 9Joseph McKay19341937Assistant 
Item 8 of 9Alexander Strangc. 1937c. 1939Assistant 
Item 9 of 9Elizabeth Bell Ramsay (nee McLaren) 19391940Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6(Sir) John James Burnet15 February 1926for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6Arthur Clyne27 March 1911for Associateship
Item 3 of 6Alexander Marshall Mackenzie15 February 1926for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6George Andrew Paterson15 February 1926for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6Arthur Beresford Pite27 March 1911for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Alfred Bowman Yeates27 March 1911for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 95William AdamLate 1931for Associateship
Item 2 of 95John Alexander Ogg Allan24 June 1912for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 95George Arthur9 March 1936for Associateship
Item 4 of 95Kathleen Hutton Arthur (Mrs Kathleen Hutton Tebbitt)5 March 1934for Associateship
Item 5 of 95Ian BaillieLate 1930for Associateship
Item 6 of 95George BartholomewLate 1929for Associateship
Item 7 of 95James BellLate 1932for Associateship
Item 8 of 95William Raymond Boyd BertramLate 1928 or early 1929for Associateship
Item 9 of 95Thomas Johnston Beveridge1931for Licentiateship
Item 10 of 95Thomas Johnston Beveridge6 March 1939for Fellowship
Item 11 of 95Margaret Brash BrodieLate 1930for Associateship
Item 12 of 95Thomas BrownEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 13 of 95John Alexander Browning5 March 1934for Associateship
Item 14 of 95William Theodore Percival Bryce26 November 1926For Associateship
Item 15 of 95William Theodore Percival Bryce1931 or 1932for Fellowship
Item 16 of 95James BunyanLate 1929 or early 1930for Associateship
Item 17 of 95James Brown CairnsLate 1931 or early 1932for Associateship
Item 18 of 95Alexander Buchanan Campbell6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 19 of 95John Campbell14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 20 of 95(Miss) Grace Dawson Clark (nee Mitchell)1 May 1940For Associateship
Item 21 of 95James Macneil Cowie12 December 1939for Associateship
Item 22 of 95Douglas Lindsay Crawford4 June 1928For Associateship
Item 23 of 95John Eadie Waddel DallachyLate 1928for Associateship
Item 24 of 95Robert Walter Elder20 June 1927for Associateship
Item 25 of 95William John FairweatherLate 1932for Associateship
Item 26 of 95Margaret Jean Sutherland (Love) Gardner10 January 1938for Associateship
Item 27 of 95John James Bayne GibbLate 1929 or early 1930for Associateship
Item 28 of 95Alexander Graham (junior)8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 29 of 95Thomas Oswald White Gratton30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 30 of 95Frederick William Griffiths6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 31 of 95Archibald Oliphant HamiltonEarly 1929For Associateship
Item 32 of 95George Douglas Hamilton3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 33 of 95Horace James Dick Hamilton4 March 1941for Associateship
Item 34 of 95Ernest Ronald Harrison5 December 1938for Associateship
Item 35 of 95Catherine Mary Helen Henderson (or Mrs Lambert)9 January 1939for Associateship
Item 36 of 95John George Drysdale Henderson9 January 1939for Associateship
Item 37 of 95John Grenfell Hird (or Hurd)9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 38 of 95James Houston3 April 1939for Fellowship
Item 39 of 95George Irving Hunter5 December 1938For Associateship
Item 40 of 95Helen Lily Jackson (Mrs Ninian Johnston)21 June 1937for Associateship
Item 41 of 95Agnes Freeland Johnston (or Agnes Freeland Gratton)6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 42 of 95Ninian Rutherford Jamieson Johnston3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 43 of 95James Kernohan8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 44 of 95Elizabeth Stevenson King (Elizabeth Stevenson Ghuman)Early 1932for Associateship
Item 45 of 95John Thomson KingLate 1928for Associateship
Item 46 of 95James Smith Kirkwood5 December 1938for Associateship
Item 47 of 95Robert Govan Lindsay30 November 1931for Associateship
Item 48 of 95Alfred Ian Duncan MacdonaldLate 1930for Associateship
Item 49 of 95James MaitlandEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 50 of 95Hugh Stewart Mark19 June 1939for Associateship
Item 51 of 95John McClure6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 52 of 95William McCreaLate 1928For Associateship
Item 53 of 95Margaret McEwanLate 1928for Associateship
Item 54 of 95Joseph McKay* 
Item 55 of 95Patrick McNeil5 December 1927For Associateship
Item 56 of 95James Tyre McNeill1932for Licentiateship
Item 57 of 95Frederick William Meston16 February 1943for Licentiateship
Item 58 of 95Alexander MillerEarly 1933for Associateship
Item 59 of 95James MillerEarly 1933for Associateship
Item 60 of 95Thomas MitchellLate 1929for Associateship
Item 61 of 95Geoffrey James MonroEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 62 of 95(Miss) Margaret Florence Muirhead8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 63 of 95Richard Mervyn Noad (or simply Mervyn Noad)Late 1930for Associateship
Item 64 of 95David Stuart PatersonLate 1931for Associateship
Item 65 of 95Lennox Dundas PatersonLate 1931For Associateship
Item 66 of 95Lennox Dundas Paterson6 February 1939for Fellowship
Item 67 of 95Adam Paton8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 68 of 95Charles Findlater ReidEarly 1931for Licentiateship
Item 69 of 95George William Robertson4 June 1928for Associateship
Item 70 of 95Alexander Arthur Robin4 December 1933for Associateship
Item 71 of 95James Robin6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 72 of 95John Donaldson Samuel30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 73 of 95Stella Marcia Scott (or Stella Marcia Rushton)6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 74 of 95George Shaw ShandEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 75 of 95Marion Mitchell Shaw (Mrs Marion Young)Late 1930for Associateship
Item 76 of 95Alexander Jamieson Smith6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 77 of 95David Reekie SmithEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 78 of 95James Smith (junior)Late 1932for Associateship
Item 79 of 95(Professor) William James SmithLate 1930for Fellowship
Item 80 of 95Diarmad Ronald Steele3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 81 of 95John StewartLate 1930for Licentiateship
Item 82 of 95Alasdair Cameron Sutherland3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 83 of 95Francis Orr Templeton5 December 1927for Associateship
Item 84 of 95Ernest Frederick Tew19 June 1939for Associateship
Item 85 of 95Alexander William Thornton4 December 1933for Associateship
Item 86 of 95Peter Tinto6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 87 of 95Adam Elliot Watson14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 88 of 95James Watson1 June 1933for Licentiateship
Item 89 of 95John WattEarly 1929for Associateship
Item 90 of 95William Grant Weir4 June 1928for Associateship
Item 91 of 95James Miller WhalleyEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 92 of 95James West Cleland WingateLate 1931for Associateship
Item 93 of 95Annie Crawford Woodrow (or Annie Crawford Woodrow Barclay)10 January 1938for Associateship
Item 94 of 95James Wright6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 95 of 95Ronald McPherson Watson Young9 March 1936for Associateship

Buildings and Designs

This architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 48 University of Glasgow, Botany Building  GlasgowScotlandAddition - date unknown
Item 2 of 48 University of Glasgow, Senate Room  GlasgowScotlandAlterations to lecture room - date unknown
Item 3 of 481920Alhambra Theatre  GlasgowScotlandFurther work
Item 4 of 481920Arbroath Parish ChurchArbroath AngusScotlandWar memorial
Item 5 of 481920Dumbarton War MemorialDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 6 of 481920Government Buildings  OttawaCanadaDesigned when working with Burnet
Item 7 of 481920University of Glasgow, Engineering Building  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 8 of 481920Wellington UF Church, War Memorial  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 481920Western Infirmary  GlasgowScotlandMassage building, x-ray department
Item 10 of 481921Broomhill Congregational Church and hallsPartick GlasgowScotlandWar memorial
Item 11 of 481921Clyde Navigation Trust, War Memorial  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 481921Clydesdale Bank Headquarters, St Vincent Place  GlasgowScotlandWar memorial
Item 13 of 481921(?)House (bungalow) at East LintonEast Linton East LothianScotland 
Item 14 of 481921Kilmarnock Infirmary and Fever Hospital, Mount PleasantKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandAlterations to administration block and No 1 block
Item 15 of 481921New Cumnock War MemorialNew Cumnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 481921Stenhouse Parish Church War MemorialStenhouse EdinburghScotland 
Item 17 of 481922Merton College, Grove BuildingOxford OxfordshireEnglandAlterations and restorations
Item 18 of 481922St Piran's SchoolMaidenhead KentEnglandReconstruction and extensions
Item 19 of 481923Hull CenotaphHull YorkshireEnglandWon competition to secure job
Item 20 of 481924House, Boars HillOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 21 of 481925Hamilton War MemorialHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 481925Lochside  RenfrewshireScotlandFuther alterations with J R Johnstone
Item 23 of 481925St Mary's Episcopal Church  GlasgowScotlandRestoration
Item 24 of 481925Wheatley Manor  OxfordshireEnglandRestoration
Item 25 of 481927Corpus Christi College, Thomas BuildingOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 26 of 481928Corpus Christi College, Gentlemen Commoners' RoomOxford OxfordshireEnglandAddition
Item 27 of 481928Exeter College, Aedes AnnexeOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 28 of 481929Hertford CollegeOxford OxfordshireEnglandNew buildings on one side of North quad
Item 29 of 481930sCardonald Association HallCardonald GlasgowScotland 
Item 30 of 481931University of Glasgow Students' Union  GlasgowScotlandPartial reconstruction as women's union
Item 31 of 481932GreywallsCothill BerkshireEngland 
Item 32 of 481932Taylorian Institute for Modern LanguagesOxford OxfordshireEnglandNew block
Item 33 of 48c. 1932Ashmolean Museum, Draper's Gallery and Lecture RoomOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 34 of 481935Proposed new collegeOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 35 of 481935St Matthew's Episcopal ChurchPossilpark GlasgowScotlandIn conjunction with J B Wilson Son & Honeyman
Item 36 of 481936University of Glasgow, Institute of Chemistry  GlasgowScotland 
Item 37 of 481936University of Glasgow, Sports Pavilion  GlasgowScotland 
Item 38 of 481938Regent's Park CollegeOxford OxfordshireEngland 
Item 39 of 481938Royal Faculty of Procurators  GlasgowScotlandOrr Library extension
Item 40 of 481938University of Glasgow/Western Infirmary, Gardiner Medical Institute  GlasgowScotlandTook over from Norman Aitken Dick and planned mirror image building on opposite side of Tennant Memorial Building to form symmetrical group; not carried out because of World War II
Item 41 of 481939University of Glasgow, Reading Room  GlasgowScotland 
Item 42 of 481946Exeter College, Rector's LodgingOxford OxfordshireEnglandRemodelling; also new staircase inside Palmer's Tower
Item 43 of 481948Oxford University PressOxford OxfordshireEnglandBuildings planned
Item 44 of 481949Dollar Academy, Science and Domestic Science block, northern extensionsDollar ClackmannanshireScotlandLayout of extension begun
Item 45 of 481949Glasgow University, Inorganic Chemistry Block  GlasgowScotlandIn progress at time of Hughes's death
Item 46 of 481949Glasgow University, new surgical building  GlasgowScotlandIn progress at time of Hughes's death
Item 47 of 481949Housing SchemeWolvercote OxfordshireEnglandIn progress at time of Hughes's death
Item 48 of 481949Springburn Primary SchoolSpringburn GlasgowScotlandIn progress at time of Hughes's death

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Press 
Item 2 of 5Ferguson, H C S Glasgow School of Art: the history  pp139-43
Item 3 of 5Post Office Directories     
Item 4 of 5Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p68
Item 5 of 5Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Builder27 June 1941  pp609-614
Item 2 of 5Builder17 October 1941  pp348-350
Item 3 of 5Builder18 November 1949v177 p657 - obituary
Item 4 of 5RIAS QuarterlyFebruary 1950no 79 Obituary by W J Smith
Item 5 of 5RIBA JournalDecember 1949v57London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp71 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information from the personal recollections of Edith Burnet Hughes, William James Smith and Alexander Wright. Some information also from Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v19 no2162 (microfilm reel 20); F no2341 (box 5)