Quentin Hughes (architect)

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James Quentin Hughes,

Second World War
, and was influential in the preservation of Liverpool's Victorian and Edwardian architectural heritage.

Early life

James Quentin Hughes was born in

Rydal School in Colwyn Bay, Wales, and then began his studies at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture in 1937.[1]

Second World War

On the outbreak of war Hughes volunteered for the Royal Artillery and was posted to 208 Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment before obtaining his commission in 1940. Hughes was posted to Malta with 48/71 D Battery RA, from which his lifelong love of the island and interest in its architecture began.[2]

Following the

Philippeville, Algeria and began carrying out sabotage operations in Italy.[1]

On 12 January 1944, Hughes and four others took off from an American airfield in southern Italy for

Fieseler Storchs and one Ju 52. While defusing their unused bombs one exploded, killing Widdrington and leaving Hughes temporarily blind and concussed. He used his pistol to summon assistance, being captured by the Germans and taken to hospital in Perugia.[3] The accident left Hughes deaf in one ear and blind in one eye for the remainder of his life.[4]

By February the Gestapo was insistent that Hughes should be handed over to them to be shot as a saboteur; however a German officer managed to get Hughes classified as a prisoner of war, thereby keeping him at least temporarily safe from the Gestapo. Hughes later escaped, by jumping from a train, along with two other men and with assistance from local partisans reached Allied forces on 10 May 1944.[3] Hughes received an MC and bar for the raid and his following escape.[2]

After spending some time at an officers' rest camp Hughes returned to England to rejoin the 2nd SAS at Prestwick, Ayrshire. He was appointed commander of HQ squadron in 1945 before a jeep accident forced him to retire from the army at the rank of Major.[citation needed]

Called Jimmy Hughes while serving in the British Army,[2] he wrote about his years as a soldier in a book, Who Cares Who Wins (1998), a play on the SAS motto "Who Dares Wins", that was published under the name of Jimmy Quentin Hughes MC in 1998.[4]

Post war

Hughes completed his architecture degree at Liverpool in 1946 and then moved to

Leeds University to study for a PhD. His thesis on the architectural history of baroque Malta led to the publication of his first book, The Building of Malta 1530-1795 (1956).[2]

He was appointed

Conway Library, whose archive of primarily architectural images is in the process of being digitised under the wider Courtauld Connects project.[7]

In 1964 Hughes published Seaport: Architecture & Townscape in Liverpool, in which he stressed the significance of the Victorian and Edwardian architectural inheritance of the city. Much of the city centre was saved because of his activities, which in particular helped preserve the

Brutalism of the 1960s. In 1967 he also wrote a detailed policy for the conservation of Liverpool's architecture which was adopted by the City Council.[4]

In addition to his academic work Hughes also found time to practise as an architect, designing houses in Surrey, and working on conservation projects including Bridge Street, Chester (1962–4), Neston, Wirral (1967), and Greenbank House, Sefton Park, Liverpool (1969).[8]

In 1968, while at Liverpool University, he was seconded to set up the School of Architecture at the

Professor of Architecture in 1970[9] but, after 'crossing swords' with the country's president Dom Mintoff, he returned to Liverpool in 1973.[1]

Hughes was one of the founders of the Fortress Study Group in 1975 and served as the first editor of the group's journal, Fort, being internationally respected for his knowledge of military architecture.[4]

Later life

Hughes became the chairman of the Merseyside Civic Trust in 1995, serving until 2001.[1] In this role he and his team stopped commercial development of a dedicated public space at Liverpool Pier Head. In 1999, he was appointed OBE in recognition of his work in conserving the architecture of north-west England[10] and in 2000 was made an Honorary Professor of Architecture by Liverpool John Moores University.[4] In 2004 he received Malta's highest civil honour, the National Order of Merit.[9]

Private life

In 1947, Hughes married Margaret Evans with whom he had two daughters, Gigi & Sian. They divorced and he married Josephine (Jo) Radcliff in1983. They had a daughter, Alice.[1]

Publications

Hughes wrote numerous books including:

  • The Building of Malta 1530–1795 (1956)
  • Seaport: Architecture & Townscape in Liverpool (1964)
  • Fortress: Architecture and Military History in Malta (1969).
    ISBN 99932-10-14-5
  • Military Architecture (1974)
  • Who Cares Who Wins (1998)
  • Malta: The Baroque Island (2003)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Elson, Peter (17 May 2004). "Obituary: Quentin Hughes". the Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  2. ^
    ISSN 0140-0460
    . Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b Retter, Emily (1 June 2021). "Incredible escape of SAS hero who jumped from train after losing eye in mission". mirror. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Quentin Hughes". The Independent. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  5. ^ "The Quentin Hughes Collection". University of Liverpool Special Collection and Archives.
  6. ^ scastaff (19 June 2020). "Historical Tour of Hope Street, Liverpool". Manuscripts and More. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Who made the Conway Library?". Digital Media. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  8. ISBN 978-0-19-191874-2
    , retrieved 26 September 2021
  9. ^ a b "Death of Quentin Hughes". Times of Malta. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Page 1 | Supplement 55513, 12 June 1999 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
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