Joseph Henry Hughes was born in London, Ontario on April 14, 1857, son of Joseph C. Hughes and Jane McAndless. His family farmed in Middlesex County until they retired to Brandon, MB. Huges received his education in Middlesex County then went on to attend the Toronto Normal School in 1874. He tuaght for only a short time in 1875 before going into business as a general merchant in Iderton, Ontario.
Hughes moved to Brandon, MB in 1882 and from 1882 to 1906 was engaged in the lumber business with yards in Rat Portage and Brandon and later with mils on Rainy River. His buisness partner was T.H. Patrick from 1882-1896. T.T. Atkinson was a partner in the business from 1882 until early 1888, running the company's lumber camp in the Rainy River Valley. Atkinson was replaced by a Mr. Kennedy in 1888. After disposing of the mills in 1901, Hughes & Company operated as a lumber dealer until 1908 when the lumber business was sold to Rat Portage Lumber Co., whose operations in Brandon were located on 10th Street between Rosser and Princess Avenues.
Thereafter, Hughes & Company focused on real estate, owning most of the property between 10th and 11th Streets, Rosser and Princess Avenues. The company built rental property and residences in Brandon, including the Strathcona Block on 10th Street and Hughes (Lorne) Terrace on Lorne Avenue. During this period Hughes & Company was also involved in insurance and farming, buying farmland in south eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba for lease and sale.
Hughes was a city alderman for four years, dedicating himself mostly towards improvements to the city pertaining to electrical generation, water supply and the development of the streetcar franchise. In 1911, he resigned from City Council to stand as a successful candidate for mayor. He held this position for only one year, 1913-1914. During this period Hughes, along with other prominent citizens, set up the Patriotic Fund to help look after the dependents of those going off to fight in World War I. Hughes served as chairman of the project until his death in late 1917.
In addition to his role as a prominent city businessman, Hughes was also deeply involved in the First Methodist Church, and a member of the Independent Order of OddFellows (I.O.O.F.) and the Masonic Lodge.
Joseph Henry Hughes was survived by his wife Anna Maria Hughes, whom he married in 1993, and their daughters: Alma and May (Mrs. Wilfred C. Hughes and Mrs. Charles Leemnnis) and Ruth, and their sons Percy and Harley.
Upon J.H. Hughes' death in 1917, management of the company was taken over by Willard C. Hughes, who died in 1964. Following his death the company was administered on behalf of Alma Hughes by Barry Hughes, a Winnipeg lawyer and distant relative. The company remained active in real estate and property managment, as well as farming and oil, until the early 1990s when following the death of Alma Hughes and her daughter Anna, the company was liquidated.
Custodial History
The records in the Joseph H. Hughes fonds were held in two locations prior to their donation to the McKee Archives. Family related records, including paintings by Anna Hughes, music scores, photographs and various parchments, were stored at the family residence, Lorne Terrace (133-137 Lorne Avenue Brandon, MB). The balance of the records, being the records of Hughes & Co. as the firm came to be known, were stored on the fourth floor of the Alexander Block, also known as the Hughes Block, on the west side of 10th Street just south of Princess Avenue. In the early 1990s a decision was taken by Barry Hughes, who had succeeded Willard Hughes as the President of the company, to sell Hughes & Co. Hughes directed Joe Perry, the Brandon manager of Hughes & Co. to donate the records of the Hughes family and Hughes & Co. to Brandon Univeristy. Perry supervised the transfer of the records from Lorne Terrace and the Alexander Block to Brandon University. Initially the records were located in the Physical Plant H-Hut, they were then transfered to the Brandon University Steam Plant. The family records were transfered to the Archives in 1997, while the company records remained in the Steam Plant until January 2007 when some of the records were transfered to the Archives. The remaineder of the records were moved to a storage facility on 20th Street.
Scope and Content
The Joseph H. Hughes collection is divided into three series, including: (1) Photographs; (2) Edwardian music sheets; and (3) Hughes & Co. business records.
Notes
CAIN No. 202617. The Brandon Sun, August 6th, 1917 contains a report on the death of J.H. Hughes.
Crystal Palace built 1904 ((Nor'West Farmer 20/08/1904); "Finishing touches" applied 1913 (Barker, p. 154); Demolished, but material saved, in 1939
[Display Building II, the last surviving building of those constructed for the Dominion Fair held in Brandon in 1913, has been named one of the 10 most endangered historic buildings in the country by the Heritage Canada Foundation. P.E. 09/07/09.]
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Dominion Exhibition Display Building II and Crystal Palace at Brandon fairgrounds
Built in 1908 (Barker p. 119); All but the northeast corner of the building was destroyed by fire on October 29, 1920, with the loss of many R.C.M.P. horses.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Winter Fair Building
Notes
View is from the southeast; Located on the 500 block of 10th Street
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope, numbering them M4 and M4a. We have separated them.]
Built in 1908 (Barker p. 119); All but the northeast corner of the building was destroyed by fire on October 29, 1920, with the loss of many R.C.M.P. horses.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Winter Fair Building
Notes
View is from the southeast; Located on the 500 block of 10th Street
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope, numbering them M4 and M4a. We have separated them.]
The fountain for people was in the small basin at the rear. From there, wasted water went through a pipe to the large basin in front to be used for dogs and, no doubt, horses on occasion. This was one of two drinking fountains on the fair grounds - the other being by the children's paddling pool just inside the main gate on 13th St. In addition to the two fountains on the fair grounds, there was also one on Eighth St. across from the Baubier Hotel in the early days (Brandon: A City, Barker, p. 52). LAS.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Drinking fountain near old McLaren School, on Provincial Exhibition grounds
Notes
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope. We have separated them and numbered them M13(1) and M13(2).]
[Display Building II, the last surviving building of those constructed for the Dominion Fair held in Brandon in 1913, has been named one of the 10 most endangered historic buildings in the country by the Heritage Canada Foundation. P.E. 09/07/09.]
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Dominion Exhibition Display Building II
Notes
View from the northwest
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope. We have separated them and numbered them M11(1) and M11(2).]
[Display Building II, the last surviving building of those constructed for the Dominion Fair held in Brandon in 1913, has been named one of the 10 most endangered historic buildings in the country by the Heritage Canada Foundation. P.E. 09/07/09.]
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Dominion Exhibition Display Building II
Notes
View from the northwest
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope. We have separated them and numbered them M11(1) and M11(2).]
[Display Building II, the last surviving building of those constructed for the Dominion Fair held in Brandon in 1913, has been named one of the 10 most endangered historic buildings in the country by the Heritage Canada Foundation. P.E. 09/07/09.]
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
The fountain for people was in the small basin at the rear. From there, wasted water went through a pipe to the large basin in front to be used for dogs and, no doubt, horses on occasion. This was one of two drinking fountains on the fair grounds - the other being by the children's paddling pool just inside the main gate on 13th St. In addition to the two fountains on the fair grounds, there was also one on Eighth St. across from the Baubier Hotel in the early days (Brandon: A City, Barker, p. 52). LAS.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Drinking fountain near old McLaren School, on Provincial Exhibition grounds
Notes
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in same envelope. We have separated them and numbered them M13(1) and M13(2).]
The fountain for people was in the small basin at the rear. From there, wasted water went through a pipe to the large basin in front to be used for dogs and, no doubt, horses on occasion. This was one of two drinking fountains on the fair grounds - the other being by the children's paddling pool just inside the main gate on 13th St. In addition to the two fountains on the fair grounds, there was also one on Eighth St. across from the Baubier Hotel in the early days (Brandon: A City, Barker, p. 52). LAS.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Old McLaren School on Provincial Exhibition grounds
The Crystal Palace was built in 1904 ((Nor'West Farmer 20/08/1904); "Finishing touches" applied 1913 (Barker, p. 154); Demolished, but material saved, in 1939.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Front view of the Crystal Palace at Brandon fairgrounds
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