Collingwood Hughes

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameAlfred Collingwood•Hughes
Used nameCollingwood•Hughes
Nick/petnamesCollie
Born1868 in ?, Guernsey (GUE)
Died17 February 1935 in Portsmouth, England (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 1

Biography

Alfred Collingwood Hughes is not to be confused with Sir Alfred Collingwood Hughes, a well-known croquet player and the 10th Baronet Hughes of East Bergholt, Suffolk, although they were related. The non-titled Collingwood Hughes (as he was known) was the grandson of Rev. Sir Thomas Collingwood Hughes, who was the 8th Baronet.

Hughes was one of the best-known yachtsmen on the south coast of England and was capable of handling vessels of any kind or size. He was known to regularly sail 40-ton yachts from the Netherlands to the Solent single-handedly. He was at one time the helmsman to Prince Henry of Battenberg’s vessels that sailed in the waters off the south of England in the 1890s. Hughes also raced boats of his own, including the 36-footer Polynia. He was also one of the 5-man crew aboard the Duchess of Westminster-owned cutter Sorais that won the bronze medal in the 8-metre class at the 1908 Olympics. The Duchess bought the yacht shortly before the Games for the sole purpose of entering the Olympic Regatta. Collingwood’s brother Frederick was a fellow crew member.

Collingwood Hughes had been a member of the Hamble River Sailing Club for many years and, after his death, relatives donated the “Collingwood Cup” to the club to be contested annually. Just three weeks after Hughes died, his wife Daisy also died, aged 53. Friends said it was of a “broken heart”.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1908 Summer Olympics Sailing GBR Collingwood Hughes
8 metres, Open (Olympic) Sorais 3 Bronze

Olympic family relations