David Hughes (1753 – 7 March 1817) was a Welsh clergyman and academic, who served as Principal of

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...

. Hughes was the son of John Hughes of

Llanrwst ; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is on the east bank of the River Conwy and the A470 road, and lies within the historic counties of Wales, historic county boundaries of Denbighshire (histori ...

, Denbighshire, and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised in Llanrwst on 9 May 1753. He matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford in 1770, aged 16, graduating BA in 1773, MA in 1776, BD in 1783, DD in 1790. He became a Fellow of Jesus College in 1774. In the church, Hughes held the following livings: * Rector of

Besselsleigh Besselsleigh or Bessels Leigh is an English village and civil parish about southwest of Oxford. Besselsleigh was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The village is just off the A420 road between O ...

, Berkshire ow in Oxfordshire(1783–1817) * Rector of

Llanddoged Llanddoged is a small village which lies in the hills a little over a mile to the north of Llanrwst, in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The village itself has a small population, with a surrounding rural farming community. Most of the population ...

, Denbighshire (1783–89) * Rector of

Yelford Yelford is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Hardwick-with-Yelford, in the West Oxfordshire district, in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is about south of Witney. In 1931 the parish had a population of 17. Manor ...

, Oxfordshire (1789–1806) Hughes was elected Principal of Jesus College in 1802. He also served as a University Examiner. He donated £105 to the college in 1809 to increase the value of scholarships for those entering the college from South

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, to reduce the disparity with scholarships for those from North Wales.

Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough (1736 – 12 October 1807),Harris & Hradsky, p. 47. known as Sir Thomas Wynn, 3rd Baronet, from 1773 to 1776, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1761 and 1807. Career Wynn was the ...

died in 1807. According to his will, his widow Maria Stella, when she remarried in 1810, forfeited the guardianship of their two young sons,

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and Spencer (later the 2nd and 3rd Barons Newborough), and Hughes was asked to be guardian. He wrote a record of a dispute with another guardian about the boys' education (he sent them to

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

). After Hughes' death, his widow cared for the boys, whose behaviour caused problems, at her home. On 23 December 1816, Hughes married Almeria Vaughan (1771–1837), daughter of Dr. James Vaughan (1740–1813). Almeria's brothers were Sir Henry Halford (Vaughan), President of the Royal College of Physicians and physician to the royal family;

Sir John Vaughan John Vaughan may refer to: Gentry * John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery (1574/75–1634), Welsh courtier and MP for Carmarthenshire 1601, 1621 *John Vaughan, 3rd Earl of Carbery (1639–1713), Governor of Jamaica and President of the Royal Society, ...

, judge;

Peter Vaughan Peter Ewart Ohm (4 April 1923 – 6 December 2016), known professionally as Peter Vaughan, was an English actor known for many supporting roles in British film and television productions. He also acted extensively on stage. Vaughan played Gr ...

, Dean of Chester and Warden of Merton College, Oxford; and Sir Charles Richard Vaughan,

minister plenipotentiary An envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, usually known as a minister, was a diplomatic head of mission who was ranked below ambassador. A diplomatic mission headed by an envoy was known as a legation rather than an embassy. Under the ...

to Switzerland and to the United States. Ten weeks later, on 7 March 1817, Hughes shot himself in a London coffee house. He died at the house of his brother-in-law Sir Henry Halford on

Curzon Street Curzon Street is a street in Mayfair, London, within the W1J postcode district, that ranges from Fitzmaurice Place, past Shepherd Market, to Park Lane. It is named after Sir Nathaniel Curzon, 2nd Baronet, who inherited the landholding during ...

References

External links

A picture of Hughes
from the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

1753 births 1817 deaths Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford 19th-century Welsh Anglican priests Principals of Jesus College, Oxford Suicides by firearm in England People from Llanrwst {{UK-Anglican-clergy-stub