The Hughes Memorial in Corris is a memorial obelisk commemorating Alfred W. Hughes, who served as a surgeon in the Second Boer War. Hughes died of fever in South Africa in 1900. In 2013, Professor Chris Williams of Swansea University described it as one of the most important objects in Welsh history.

Alfred W. Hughes

Alfred W. Hughes was born on 31 July 1861 at Fronwen, his family's house at

Garneddwen Garneddwen (also known as Garnedd-Wen; en, white cairn) is a hamlet in the south of the county of Gwynedd, Wales. It lies in the historic county of Merionethshire/ Sir Feirionnydd, in the valley of the Afon Dulas. It consists primarily of a s ...

, between Corris and Aberllefenni. His father, Robert (1813–1882), was the manager of the

Aberllefenni Slate Quarry Aberllefenni quarry is the collective name of three slate quarries, Foel Grochan, Hen Gloddfa (also known as Hen Chwarel) and Ceunant Ddu, located in Cwm Hengae, just to the west of Aberllefenni, Gwynedd, North Wales. It was the longest continu ...

. He had three brothers, Llywelyn, Charles (b. 1859) and Arthur (1857–1918) who married author Molly Thomas in 1897. Hughes trained as a draper in

Dolgellau Dolgellau () is a town and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the traditional county town of the historic county of Merionethshire ( cy, Meirionnydd, Sir Feirionnydd) un ...

for a short time, then took a job as a clerk at Aberllefenni quarry. He then trained with a local doctor and in 1882 he went to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine. In 1889, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1890, he was appointed Professor of the

Edinburgh Medical College The University of Edinburgh Medical School (also known as Edinburgh Medical School) is the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the United Kingdom and part of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. It was esta ...

. In 1893 he became the first Dean of the School of Medicine at

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

, where he founded an anatomical museum. In 1897, he was appointed the Professor of Anatomy at

King's College King's College or The King's College refers to two higher education institutions in the United Kingdom: *King's College, Cambridge, a constituent of the University of Cambridge *King's College London, a constituent of the University of London It ca ...

in London. In 1897, Hughes left King's College. He joined the British Army and from 1899 he served in the Boer War. He founded and ran the Welsh Hospital in Springfontein. While on service he contracted typhoid and died on 3 November 1900.

The memorial

The memorial was erected in 1905 and is a

celtic cross The Celtic cross is a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland, France and Great Britain in the Early Middle Ages. A type of ringed cross, it became widespread through its use in the stone high crosses er ...

carved from pink granite. It was designed by William Goscombe John. The Upper Corris Tramway curved round the memorial on the east and north sides. The inscription on the monument reads:

In memory of ALFRED W. HUGHES F.R.C.S.Professor of Anatomy, King's College, London who began his life's work among these hills and died of fever contracted in the South African war while superintending The Welsh Hospital which he originated and organized Born at Fronwen, Corris July 31st 1861 Died November 3rd 1900 erected by public subscription

On 9 December 1999, the monument was listed as a Grade II listed building by

Cadw (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...

References

{{Goscombe John Corris Cardiff University British military memorials and cemeteries Grade II listed monuments and memorials in Wales Grade II listed buildings in Gwynedd