Hugh's father died when he was still an infant, and Hugh was educated largely thanks to the efforts of his elder brother Malcolm MacColl, an Episcopalian clergyman and friend and political ally of William Ewart Gladstone.
Hjuov otac umro još dok je on bio beba i Hju je stekao obrazovanje zahvaljujući svom starijem bratu Malkolmu Makkolu, episkopu, prijatelju i političkom savezniku Vilijam Evart Gladstona.