Basil Hughes was born in Putney, London, England on 28 May 1890. By 1901 he had moved with his family to Woldingham in Surrey. He attended the Architectural Association Schools in London in 1907-08. He then worked as an assistant to Cyril Wontner Smith (1877-1952) in 1908, and to William A. Hughes in 1909-10. He qualified as an architect in 1913 and commenced independent practice the following year.
In c.1926 he formed a partnership with William Benjamin Nicholls (1882-1942) as Nicholls & Hughes. The practice had an office at 4 Raymond Buildings, Gray's Inn, London.
He was a Membre honoraire de la Société des Architects de la Seine Inférieure et l'Eure, which suggests that he may have trained in France. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1914, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1931.
In 1901 and 1939 Hughes's address was given as The Conifers, Park View Road, Woldingham, Surrey. He died in London on 21 June 1967
A biographical file on Basil Hughes is available on request at the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects Library, London
In 1926 Nicholls & Hughes' won the competition to design Purley and Coulsdon Municipal Offices and Fire Station in Purley, Surrey. Hughes & Nicholls were architects for the Howard De Walden Estate and were engaged in the development of the Marylebone area of London, There work included The Harley Street Clinic, No. 35 Weymouth Street (1935, by Hughes), 37-38 West Devonshire Mews (1936-37, by Hughes), No. 74 Wimpole Street (1937-38), by Nicholls) and No. 17 Weymouth Cottage by both Nicholls and Hughes (1936-37).
'Obituary'. Building vol. 212, 24 February 1967 p. 97