| Description | Thomas Hughes (1826-90) was one of the early members of the Chester Archaeological Society, of which he was Honorary Secretary, 1856-87. He was also the first editor of the Cheshire Sheaf, from 1878 until his death. He served on Chester City Council and was sheriff in 1873-74. He contributed articles to the Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society and his other works include The Stranger's Handbook to Chester and its Environs, 1856. The collection includes extracts from the treasurer's accounts and Chapter act books of Chester Cathedral; personal correspondence; and photographs.
In 1925-26 Thomas Cann Hughes, F.S.A., the son of Thomas Hughes, presented to Chester Archaeological Society the manuscript and archaeological collections of his late father (see C.A.S. minutes 1925-26, ref.ZCR 75/8 pp.294,297,309). In 1925 Chester City Council accepted from T.C. Hughes 'the unique collection of Cheshire books, pamphlets, views, newspaper reports and correspondence formed by the late Mr Hughes, to be kept for ever in the Public Library of the City' (see Council minutes 1924-25,p.211). The collections of Chester Archaeological Society were at that time housed in the Grosvenor Museum, but in 1939, by agreement with Chester City Council (see Council minutes 1937-38,p.752), they were transferred to 'the Old Cheshire Room' of the City Library. In December 1969 the Thomas Hughes Collection (listed below as ZCR 60/1-26) was transferred, with other collections of Chester Archaeological Society, to Chester City Record Office. In 1990 some additional items were transferred (Acc.682 and 688, part listed below as ZCR 60/27-93, part now integrated in ZCR 60/5). Some of these bear labels indicating that they were originally part of the donation to the Library, but the labelling is inconsistent, and it is not now possible to tell which items were originally donated to the Library, and which to Chester Archaeological Society.
Thomas Hughes was one of the early members of the Chester Archaeological Society and contributed articles to the Journal from 1857 to 1883. He was also the first editor of the Cheshire Sheaf, from 1878 until his death. An obituary with bibliographical details of his published works is contained in the Cheshire Sheaf, vol.3, pp. i-vii (1891).
The collection comprises transcripts of parish registers; various other transcripts, notes, draft lectures, articles etc. by Thomas Hughes and other contemporaries; correspondence with contemporaries; and miscellaneous printed and manuscript records acquired by him. Particularly noteworthy are the 17th century pedigree of the Gamull family (ZCR 60/8/6) and the manuscript catalogue of Cheshire books in the library of Edward Hawkins, Keeper of the Antiquities at the British Museum (ZCR 60/26/184). Some correspondence and other items accumulated by Thomas Cann Hughes are included. It is possible that some of the original documents have wrongly been ascribed to Thomas Hughes' Collection, the ascription being based on the evidence afforded by their arrangement at the time of the transfer to the City Record Office. It is equally possible that some items now in the Miscellaneous Collection (ZCR 74) in fact form part of this collection.
The items have been grouped together as follows: /1, /27-29: Transcripts of Parish Registers; /2, /30-66: Various Transcripts, Notes and Drafts; /3: Draft Pedigrees, Genealogical Notes etc.; /4, /67-82: Printed Items; /5: Correspondence; /6-14, /83-92: Original Documents, places in Co. Cheshire; /15-25: Original Documents, places in other Counties, Ireland and Wales; /26, /93: Original Documents, miscellanea. Records relating to Chester Cathedral and St.Thomas court, and Easter rolls for Chester St.John the Baptist, which form part of this collection, have for convenience been separately listed, ref. ZCR 65. |