John McHugh (tenor)

John McHugh (died 2002[1]) was a British operatic tenor known for his singing of ballads and romantic tunes and lyrics.

McHugh was born and died in Wolverhampton. His mother and father were John Mchugh and Mary flatley. Encouraged to sing by Wolverhampton teacher May Summerfield and a priest named Grimaldi at Wolverhampton's Roman Catholic Church of Saint Mary and Saint John, McHugh began performing in church choirs and other venues around Wolverhampton. His big break came on 1936 November 21 when he sang in London's Gaumont Theatre for a regional competition of the BBC Amateur Hour. He won the competition at both the regional and the national levels.[2]

Lady Dorothy Peploe became McHugh's benefactor, but she withdrew her support when McHugh married. The marriage produced two children, both sons—Roger and Christopher. Although widely traveled, McHugh lived his entire life in Wolverhampton except for a brief residence in Chalkwell before moving back into Wolverhampton, where he is buried.[3] Muriel Emms wrote a biography of McHugh, but she was unable to come to terms with a publisher.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Statement by Alan Titchmarsh on his radio programme broadcast 17 July 2011. He was born in 1911 and died in 2004, aged 93
  2. ↑ "The John McHugh story: A tribute to the late singer" in Black Country Bugle, 2004 June 24 (accessed 2009 August 05).
  3. ↑ Statement by his granddaughter, Alexa McHugh on Genealogy.com.
  4. ↑ Statement by Bill Ford on Genealogy.com. As of 2009 Emms' manuscript languishes in an archive in Wolverhampton.


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