Hugh Vibart
MacNaghten
Male
England
1862-01-30
Mirzapur, Utter Pradesh, India
1929-08-11
Windsor, Berkshire, England
Hugh V. MacNaghten was the brother of fellow lawn tennis player Russell E. MacNaghten. Hugh V. MacNaghten attended Eton College before going up to Cambridge University. At both institutions he excelled in the study of the Classics, especially Greek language and literature. In 1885, he was president of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. He later worked as a schoolmaster and tutor, and wrote several books on Classical literature. At the time of his death from drowning Hugh V. MacNaghten was Vice-Provost of Eton College.
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From Alumni Cantabrigienses:
MACNAGHTEN, HUGH VIBART. Admitted pensioner at Trinity, April 30, 1881. 2nd son of Elliot [Indian Civil Service], of 4 Hobart Place, London. School, Eton. Matriculated Michaelmas 1881; Craven Scholar, 1883; Browne medal, 1883 and 1884; Powis medal, 1883 and 1884; Chancellor’s medal (Classics), 1885; B.A. (Classical Tripos, Part I, 1st Class, 1883; Part II, 1st Class, 1885) 1885; M.A. 1889. Fellow, 1888.
Assistant Master at Winchester, 1885; at Eton, 1886-1920; Vice-Provost, 1920-9. A notable schoolmaster and a great tutor; sought to infect his pupils with his own passion for Greek language and literature. Author: Story of Catullus, Ave Regina and other poems; Verses Ancient and Modern; Émile Couté, the Man and his Work; Fifty Years of Eton; Eton Letters and Translations of Greek and Latin Verse.
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From The Times, 14 August 1929:
Vice-Provost of Eton – Body recovered from The Thames
A verdict of “Suicide while temporarily insane” was returned by Mr. Arthur E. Charsley, the Coroner for South Buckinghamshire, at the inquest conducted by him at Eton Fire Station this evening on the body of Mr. Hugh Vibart MacNaghten, Vice-Provost of Eton College, which was recovered from the Thames this morning.
George Fuller Coker, 53, Bolton Road, Windsor, night porter at the Etonian Country Club, stated that on Saturday evening Miss MacNaghten came to him at 10.45 and said that Mr MacNaghten had not come up to his room. He would possibly come in later, or he might stay with friends in Windsor for the night, and she told him (the witness) not to worry. About midnight, in company with the club steward, Mr. Niblett, the witness went to have a look round the club grounds. Niblett went one way and he went the other. This was usual, as campers and bathers trespassed on the land. He was walking towards the bathing hut when he saw the figure of a man standing a few yards from the bank.
He thought it was Niblett and he called out, but he got no reply, and he then heard a splash. He called out again, and to his surprise Niblett answered from the lawn on the other side of the hedge. He joined Niblett, and they both then went to the water’s edge. He heard someone swim a few yards from the bank. The person swam downstream slowly. They followed along the bank and called out, asking if the person in the water was all right, and if he wanted any help, but they got no reply. The last time that he called out he thought he heard the man in the water indistinctly answer, “I am all right.” Then the figure went into a shadow.
In answer to the coroner, the witness said he thought the figure was of medium height, about 5ft. 8in. The man was swimming on his back and travelling slowly. He could not see if the figure was making any movement with arms or feet. The figure was dressed in what he thought was a dark suit. He would not like to say whether the figure they saw was that of Mr MacNaghten, but he personally thought it was a stranger.
Dr Wilfrid H. Attlee, of Eton, said Mr MacNaghten had been a patient of his for 20 years. He always suffered a good deal from gout, and for the last 18 months had had fits of depression. Several weeks last autumn he was in a nursing home for his nervous condition, and this had increased the depression. The witness last saw him on Saturday, when he seemed, if anything, less depressed than usual. His mind was failing. The witness considered that his mental condition was caused by the gout.
In answer to a question by the coroner, the witness said that gout affected the mind. Terence Charles MacNaghten identified the body as that of his brother, who was 67 years of age. He last saw him alive a fortnight ago, when he was in his usual health. He had been suffering from depression due to gout for more than a year. He had never heard his brother threaten to take his life. He was a single man.
Major D.D. Milne, acting secretary of the Etonian Country Club, said that Mr MacNaghten had been staying at the club since August 2. On Saturday he was in his normal state of health, and he last saw him strolling up and down the club grounds, which was his usual custom after dinner. Charles Thompson, waterman, of Eton, described how he and Herbert Mumford recovered the body from the Thames in the early hours of the morning.
The coroner said: “In this case I shall have to return a verdict that the deceased committed suicide, and that when he committed the act he was undoubtedly temporarily insane, as owing to his illness his mind had become worked up into such a state that he did not know what he was doing.” The coroner added: “His death will be regretted by men whom he had taught the world over.” The coroner also expressed sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.
1883 - 1887
2
28
22
1887 - Cambridgeshire Lawn Tennis Tournament (Amateur)
1884 - Leicester (Amateur)
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Stephen Ziffo
6-0
6-1
6-1
Round 3
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Alfred Penn Gaskell
6-4
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
Herbert Wilberforce 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
6-3
6-2
7-5
Round 1
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
bye
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
N. Goodman
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
F.H. Aves
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Lionel Wilberforce
6-2
6-3
Final
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Frederick Charles Martin Whitehead
6-2
6-0
6-1
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
S.F.M. Stone
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Francis Seymour (Frank) Noon
6-4
6-1
Semifinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
John Redfern Deykin
6-1
1-6
8-6
Final
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
W.J. Gray
3-6
6-0
6-1
ret.
Round 1
Ernest de Sylly Hamilton Browne 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
4-6
4-6
6-2
6-1
6-0
Round 1
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
G. Kemp
6-3
6-3
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Charles Stananought
6-2
6-5
Round 3
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
John Henry Eustace Hart
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
Ernest de Sylly Hamilton Browne 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
6-3
6-2
Round 1
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Percy Hattersley Smith
6-4
3-6
6-3
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
A.L. Davies
6-0
ret.
Quarterfinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
George Reston Brewerton
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
Dr Walter William Chamberlain 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
6-1
4-6
6-5
Round 1
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Frederick Hooper Aldrich-Blake
?
Round 2
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
Graham Sandeman
?
Round 3
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
H.F. Welldon
7-5
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
E.W. Brooke
?
Semifinals
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten 1 *
W.G. Gray
6-2
6-0
6-2
Final
Herbert Wilberforce 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
6-0
2-6
6-4
6-0
Round 1
Charles Walder Grinstead 1 *
Hugh Vibart MacNaghten
6-3
6-4
3-6
6-2