Edward Ernest Hughes (7 February 1877 – 23 December 1953) was the first professor of history at

University College, Swansea Swansea University ( cy, Prifysgol Abertawe) is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. ...

Life

Hughes was born on 7 February 1877 in

Tywyn Tywyn (Welsh: ; in English often ), formerly spelled Towyn, is a town, community, and seaside resort on the Cardigan Bay coast of southern Gwynedd, Wales. It was previously in the historic county of Merionethshire. It is famous as the loc ...

Merionethshire , HQ= Dolgellau , Government= Merionethshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= , Status= , Start= 1284 , End= , Code= MER , CodeName= ...

, Wales. As a result of a childhood accident, he was blind in one eye and his other eye was damaged; he compensated by developing his memory and hearing. After studying at

Bala Grammar School Ysgol y Berwyn is a high-school situated in the town of Bala, in Gwynedd, north Wales. According to the 2013 Estyn report, 79% of pupils are from Welsh-speaking homes. In 2017, 80% of pupils achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C. In Septemb ...

, he obtained a first-class degree in history from the

University College of Wales, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

in 1898. He then obtained a second-class honours degree in modern history from

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 St ...

in 1902. He taught history in the boys' school in

Llanelli Llanelli ("St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. ...

, south Wales before his appointment as lecturer in history at

University College, Cardiff , 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 ...

, acting as professor during the illness of the incumbent. He lectured on Welsh history for the

Workers' Educational Association The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education and one of Britain's biggest charities. The WEA is a democratic and voluntary adult education movement. It delivers lea ...

in Glamorgan at a time when there was no extramural department at the university. He was regarded as a "gifted story-teller" and did much to popularise the study of Welsh history. He moved to the

when it was founded in 1920 after being persuaded to do so by the principal,

Franklin Sibly Thomas Franklin Sibly K.B.E. (25 October 1883 – 13 April 1948) was a British geologist who had a distinguished career in University administration, being first Principal of University College, Swansea (1920), and later Vice-Chancellor of the Univ ...

, who wanted a Welshman who understood what the new college would need to do in an industrial area. Hughes, who was the only Arts lecturer for a time, did much to bring the college to the public's attention. He raised funds by lecturing on Welsh history in the area and donating the proceeds to set up the library of the college. He was appointed the first professor of history in 1926, but continued to lecture (in both Welsh and English) outside the university to classes and societies. He required every student in his department to study some Welsh history, but he had Glyn Roberts (later to be Professor of Welsh History at

University College, Bangor , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...

) to teach these classes, since Roberts had research qualifications that Hughes could not obtain with his worsening eyesight. Hughes taught the constitutional history of England in the Middle Ages and also Europe after the fall of Rome. He retired in 1944, and died on 23 December 1953. Outside the university, he was chairman of the Swansea Drama Company (acting and producing as well), and of the Swansea Orpheus Musical Society. He was a council member and drama adjudicator of the

National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...

, served on committees of the

University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff � ...

and was a governor of the

National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million boo ...

. He also broadcast on the BBC in Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Edward Ernest 1877 births 1953 deaths Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Academics of Cardiff University Academics of Swansea University 20th-century Welsh historians People from Tywyn