Richard Hughes

 

The Tortured Poets Department
Taylor Swift
2024
April 19th marks the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album The Tortured Poets Department where Taylor makes a reference to Dylan Thomas.  So, what else connects April 19th to Dylan?








Richard Arthur Warren Hughes
We must turn to 1900, Richard Hughes was born Richard Arthur Warren Hughes in Weybridge, Surrey.  His father, civil servant, Arthur Hughes and his mother, Louisa Grace Warren.  The 1901 Census, Richard aged 11 months is living at 136 St. Mary’s Road Beeching, Walton on Thames, Surrey.  His father, Arthur, 39, occupation is a Clerk in Public Record Office. Arthur dies December 1905.

1901 Census
136 St. Mary’s Road Beeching, Walton on Thames, Surrey











1911 Census
92 Park Road, Lee Roche, Caterham
A decade later, 1911, Richard, now 11, is living at 92 Park Road, Lee Roche, Caterham.  His mother, Louisa, 40, occupation is Tuition and Private Means.

Richard was educated at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey.  Richard graduated from Oriel College, Oxford, 1922.

The Loom of Youth
Alec Waugh



Whilst at Charterhouse, the schoolmaster, submitted Richard’s first published work to the magazine “The Spectator”, 1917.  The essay was an unfavourable criticism of Alec Waugh “The Loom of Youth”.  The novel which had previously published was about the furore account of homosexual passions between British schoolboys in a public school.

Whilst at Oxford, Richard met Robert Graves, where they co-edited a poetry publication “Oxford Poetry”.  1921, Richard’s short play “The Sisters’ Tragedy” was performed at the West End of London, the following year, it was performed at Royal Court Theatre. 

Radio Times
Wireless Programme
15th January 1924

1924, saw the first broadcast of the first radio play, “A Comedy of Danger” written by Richard and commissioned for the BBC by Nigel Playfair. 

Castle House, Laugharne

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog
Dylan Thomas
Richard was employed as a journalist and had travelled widely before he married during 1932, Frances Bazley, painter.  They first settled in Norfolk.  1934, Richard purchased Castle House, Laugharne.  It was here, that Dylan Thomas stayed and wrote his book, “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog”, 1940.  Richard was instrumental in Dylan relocating permanently to the area.

As they say the rest is history………….

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