Hughes was probably born in London, England, and entered the Portsmouth Naval Academy in 1739. He served on a number of ships in various locations during his naval career. It is known that Hughes was in Canada in 1778, as he was appointed resident commissioner of the Halifax dockyard. This appointment was short, as by August of the same year he became lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, succeeding Mariot Arbuthnot in that position. During his tenure, the main concern was the protection of the Province. He was followed in the position of lieutenant governor by Sir Andrew Hamond in 1781.
In 1782 Hughes was second-in-command under Lord Howe at the Relief of Gibraltar.
