Calvinistic Methodist minister, founder and first superintendent of the C.M. Forward Movement; born at New Mills, Mont., 29 Jan. 1846, son of John Pugh, undertaker, and Ann ,his wife. The family moved to Tenby, Pembs., in 1860. Pugh went to Trevecka college, 1869-72, and was ordained at the Association held at Swansea, 1872. He became minister successively of the English churches at Tredegar, 1872-81, Pontypridd, 1881-9, and Clifton Street, Cardiff, 1889-92. He married Marie Watkins of Pentre Farm, Raglan, in Zion Street chapel (B.), Abergavenny, 1875. In 1891 he started missionary work in English at Splott, Cardiff. In the General Assembly held at Machynlleth in 1892, this campaign was officially sanctioned, and John Pugh was called to Clifton Street (Cardiff) church to be its first superintendent. He was elected moderator of the South Wales Association in 1906. He died 24 March (Palm Sunday) 1907. While he was superintendent he started forty-eight mission-halls and a home for destitute women (Kingswood Treborth Home) at Cardiff. In order to ensure the necessary publicity he started a monthly of which, for many years, he was editor-in-chief — The Christian Standard, 1891-3; The Forward Movement Herald, 1897; The Forward Movement Torch, 1899-1904.
Source: Dictionary of Welsh Biography
See "Cathays Cemetery Cardiff - on its 150th Anniversary" pp75-7