Born 2 January 1790, he was the only child of Thomas Hughes, Doctor of Divinity, clerk of the closet to George III and George IV, vicar of Uffington, Berkshire, and canon of Saint Paul"s Cathedral, by his wife Mary Anne, daughter of the Review George Watts, vicar of Uffington. She was an early friend of Sir Walter Scott.
John Hughes was educated at Westminster School and at Oriel College, Oxford, where he graduated Bachelor of Arts 1812 and Master of Arts
1815.
About 1820 Hughes went to live at Uffington, but on the death of his father, thirteen years later, moved to Donnington Priory, Berkshire. He died at Brompton on 13 December 1857. The daughter became known as the administrator Jane Senior.
