John Howell Hughes was born on 25 October 1908, in Liverpool, to John Hughes, a builder, and Anne Ellen, née Williams. He was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School, where he was captain of rugby, and went on to study medicine at Liverpool University. After qualifying, he was house surgeon and house physician at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, and surgical registrar and radium officer, before being appointed honorary consultant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary. With the introduction of the NHS he became a consultant surgeon. He was visiting surgeon at the King Edward VII Welsh National Memorial Association for the Treatment, Prevention and Eradication of Tuberculosis, the Rhyl War Memorial Hospital, and a number of cottage hospitals throughout North Wales. A true general surgeon, his chief interest was in the treatment of tuberculosis, but he contributed articles over a wide range of surgical topics, including gastroscopy, adenocarcinoma of the appendix, pseudocarcinoma of the oesophagus and operative cholangiography. He was a member of the board of governors of the United Liverpool Hospitals, of the Welsh Hospital Board, and the planning committee of the new Royal Liverpool Hospital (he was later Chairman of its commissioning team). He retired as senior surgeon to Liverpool Royal Infirmary in 1973, and was awarded the CBE the following year in recognition of his services. In 1937 he married Jane Myra, a ward sister at the Royal Infirmary. There were no children. He was High Sheriff of Anglesey from 1954 to 1955 and president of the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1957. He was a keen fisherman and enjoyed sailing around Anglesey. In his early years, he had also been a keen shot. He later took up divining for water, metal and oil. He died on 31 March 1998, predeceased by his wife, Myra.