Liverpool Hidden History

Secret Pasts of Everyday Places

  • Home
  • About
  • Walking Tours
  • Shop
  • Get In Touch

The Tragedy of T J Hughes

April 24, 2019 By Steven Horton

T J Hughes is a Liverpool retail institution, which began in 1912 when Thomas John Hughes opened a small shop in London Road. Within twenty years it had grown to be one of Liverpool’s biggest department stores with over 400 staff.  However, Hughes’s devotion to growing his business was also behind his tragic death in 1933.

T J Hughes

The business was so successful due to Hughes’s business acumen, personality and resourcefulness. He worked almost non stop and never took a holiday. By 1932, Hughes his health was suffering due to overwork and he was forced to relinquish many of his duties. However he found it increasingly difficult to settle down to a life of retirement, especially as he was still only in his early forties.

On 14th April 1933 Hughes boarded the Ulster Queen steamship, bound for Belfast. When the vessel was south of the Isle of Man, he climbed onto the taffrail and shot himself in the head with a revolver, falling into the sea. The vessel was stopped and an extensive search took place, but no body was found. A letter addressed to his wife was later found in his cabin.

Close friends told the press that Hughes had developed a strangeness in manner in recent months, his health strain having made his leisure time insupportable. His decision to travel to Belfast had been spur of the moment and he had been expected to spend the weekend at his home at Easedale, Meols Drive, West Kirby, with his wife and three children.

The body of T J Hughes was never knowingly found. His name is recorded on a family memorial in Liverpool’s Anfield Cemetery.

_______________________________________________
This book gives more background to what Liverpool was like in the 1930s

 

 

Please share:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Print

You may like to read these related posts too:

Default ThumbnailThe Pelican Tragedy of 1793 TRAGEDY OF A LIVERPOOL PROFESSOR Default ThumbnailA WINTER TRAGEDY IN LITHERLAND

Filed Under: Shops, Tragedies

About Steven Horton

I am a local history author and tour guide based the Liverpool region, specialising in bespoke tours tailor made to suit the individual or group. Whether it be football, Victorian murders or Liverpool sites connected to the US Civil War, I can arrange something that will suit the customers needs, not go where I want to take people.
I have published seventeen books, all of which are available via the shop page. As well as writing for the Liverpool Echo and Times, I have made guest appearances on local radio and TV. Local history is a real passion of mine, if you enjoy my site please feel free to share through facebook, twitter etc and maybe leave a comment.

Comments

  1. Jay C says

    April 24, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    Fantastic Stephen.
    Never knew that.
    This city is rich in history.

  2. Margaret Mills says

    April 24, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    Fascinating read

ABOUT

Steven Horton has been a freelance writer for 20+ years. He is the author of 7 books has written for the Times, Liverpool Echo, numerous fanzines and websites, and also appeared on Radio Merseyside/City Talk, ITV News and Sky Sports News. ..read more

Subscribe to our mailing list for news and offers

FOLLOW ME

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Twitter

Tags

Blue Coat School Broadgreen Castle Street children Childwall cholera City Centre Cricket crime Dale Street derelict Dingle Edge Hill fire Football George's Landing Stage Ireland Lime Street Liverpool & Manchester Railway Liverpool city council Liverpool Corporation Liverpool Mercury Liverpool Town Hall plaques Prescot pubs Queen Victoria Religion Renshaw Street River Mersey Royalty Sefton Park Station Statue St James Cemetery suicide Theatre Three Graces Toxteth Toxteth Park Cemetery transportation University of Liverpool Waterfront Wavertree William Brown Street

Past Posts

RSS Stevens Other Local History site – Liverpool Murders

  • Backside Kick Means Lenient Sentence
  • New Born Baby in an Ashpit
  • Doctor Guilty of Manslaughter
  • Friday 13th Boarding House Drama
  • A Warning to Drunkards
PayPal Acceptance Mark

Recent Comments

  • Steven Horton on About
  • Norma Jones on About
  • Margaret Mills on The Tragedy of T J Hughes
  • Jay C on The Tragedy of T J Hughes
  • Steven Horton on FANNY CALDER – DOMESTIC SCIENCE PIONEER
  • Website Shop Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Shop

Copyright © 2022 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This site uses cookies More info