Basic Biographical Details

Name: James O'Hanlon Hughes
Designation:  
Born: 19 October 1894
Died:  
Bio Notes: James O'Hanlon Hughes was born on 19 October 1894 and was articled to Thomas Smith, former Provost of Coatbridge, from 1909 to 1915, attending classes at Coatbridge Technical College under Danskine Aitken and taking art classes under Lt Col J Kilgour Baker. He entered the Royal Air Force in 1915 and in 1917 transferred to the technical staff of the Air Ministry, serving as a draughtsman under Ewart S Andrews.

He commenced practice on his own account in London in 1920. The following year he became an Associate of the Institute of Structural Engineers and returned to salaried employment, working as an architect in the engineering department of Kodak Ltd in Budapest, Paris and England. This post came to an end in September 1923, and in 1924 Hughes joined H M Office of Works as an assistant, working on post offices, exchanges and housing. Two years later he secured a position as architect on the engineering staff of the International Standard Electricity Corporation, being responsible for schemes in Antwerp, Paris, Madrid, Santander, Woolwich and Wembley. He remained there for two years before being appointed assistant architect to the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society Ltd, working on commercial premises throughout South London. He was admitted FRIBA in 1931, proposed by Stephen Huntley Egan, Robert Henry Jewers Mayhew and another. His nomination papers give a business address of Commonwealth Buildings, Woolwich, indicating that he was probably still working for the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society at that time. They also cite several published articles by Hughes - one on 'Modern Gothic' in the 'Architects' Journal' in 1920, one on architectural education in the 'Builder' in 1923, and one on 'Factors of Sanity in Modern Building' in the journal of the Institute of Structural Engineers in 1924 - as well as indicating that he had exhibited watercolours and pencil sketches at the RIBA Galleries in 1928 and at Arlington Galleries in 1930.

From the mid-1940s Hughes worked in Dublin where he remained for the rest of his career.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 316, Dickson Road, Eltham, London SE, EnglandPrivate1931After 1938 
Item 2 of 314, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, EirePrivateBefore 1946After 1951 
Item 3 of 3Mespil House/7, Sussex Road, Dublin, EireBusinessc. 1953After 1957 

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4Thomas Smith19091915Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Air Ministry Works & Buildings Department19171919DraughtsmanWorking under Ewart S Andrews
Item 3 of 4Kodak Ltd Engineering Department1921September 1923Architect 
Item 4 of 4H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)19241926AssistantProbably in London office

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2Stephen Huntley Egan1931for Fellowship
Item 2 of 2Robert Henry Jewers Mayhew1931for Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This 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 21937St Edmund's RC ChurchBeckenham KentEngland 
Item 2 of 21938St Helen's RC ChurchBrixton LondonEnglandLady Chapel added to W of nave

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1946The RIBA Kalendar 1946-1947 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1954RIBA Kalendar 1953-54   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1956Kalendar 1956-57   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F no2955 (box 14)