Sir Walter Watson Hughes

[hdw]

There hardly ever seems to be a query relating to the East Neuk of Fife on this forum, so let me offer you an interesting news story about Sir Walter Watson Hughes, a scion of the ubiquitous Hughes (formerly Heugh) "clan" of Pittenweem who was brought up in my home town of Cellardyke in the early 1800s before sallying forth into the wider world as a drugs baron - running opium from Siam into China - then diversifying as a sheep farmer in Australia where one of his shepherds stumbled across the biggest copper deposits in the world, making Hughes the richest man in the continent. He provided the funds to set up the University of Adelaide, and being knighted by Queen Victoria set the seal on his respectability, if you turned a blind eye to some of his business activities.

Now it has emerged - through the Australian version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" - that Hughes fathered a love child on an aboriginal woman, and their descendant is a leading Australian sports star recently voted Australian of the Year.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/afl-king-adam-goodeslink-to-south-australian-royalty-and-riches/story-fni6uo1m-1227018528177?nk=e6cf681cfaeac1df8f458e239a675159

Harry

[MonicaL]

Great story, Harry 

Have seen a few of the WDYTYA links to the US programmes, but not to Australia. There must be so many stories connected to there as this one.

Monica