Grave of Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes (d.1890)
Before his death in 1890, Thomas Hughes was recognised as one of the longest-established tradesmen in the Menai Bridge area. He had been a draper and tailor (recorded as dilledydd on his gravestone) for 43 years.
According to local legend, when Thomas Hughes was a young man he came up with the idea of lengthening the name of nearby Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll to make it Europe’s longest place-name, with the aim of attracting visitors.
He lived above his shop, Oxford House, in Menai Bridge. He died there, aged 64, after a month’s illness. The business was continued by his son John Henry Hughes but less successfully – John was bankrupt in 1900.
Thomas and his wife Ann lost two sons in childhood: John aged 7 and Hugh aged 5. Ann died in 1900, aged 69.
Their granddaughter Pollie Hughes was known as Telynores Menai (the Menai Harpist) and was a popular performer at some of the concerts of French impresario Jules Riviere on Llandudno Pier.