Anatole von Hügel facts for kids

A special plaque showing Anatole von Hügel's face, found at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

Anatole von Hügel was an interesting person who lived a long time ago. He was born in Florence, Italy, on September 29, 1854, and passed away in Cambridge, England, on August 15, 1928. He was the son of an Austrian nobleman and became a very important curator at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge. He worked there from 1883 to 1921.

His Early Years

Anatole was born into a noble German family called the House of Hügel. His father was Charles von Hügel, a Baron, and his mother was Elizabeth Farquharson from Scotland. He had an older brother named Friedrich von Hügel and a sister named Pauline von Hügel.

His Life and Work

In 1867, when Anatole was about 13, his family moved to England after his father retired. He went to school at Stonyhurst College. From 1874 to 1878, he went on exciting trips to collect natural history items. He traveled to places like Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Java.

Anatole became an expert on the country of Fiji. He traveled a lot through the inside of Viti Levu, which was a practically unknown area at the time. He wanted to record the original Fijian culture before the British took over the area.

In 1880, he married Eliza Margaret Froude. Her father was William Froude. In 1883, Anatole became the very first curator of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge. He stayed in this important job until 1921. He also helped raise money to build a new building for the museum.

In 1889, he joined Trinity College, Cambridge and earned his Master of Arts degree. Anatole von Hügel also helped start the Cambridge University Catholic Association in 1895. He was its first president until 1922. He also helped create St Edmund's College, Cambridge with Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk.

You can find a special memorial plaque for Baron Anatole von Hügel. It is on a wall in the St John Fisher chapel. This chapel is part of the Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church in Cambridge. He was buried in Cambridge Cemetery on August 20, 1928. His wife was also buried there.

See Also

• Von Hügel Institute
• Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy