Sir Hugh was born in Paisley, the eldest son of Duncan McPherson, a building contractor, and Rebecca Lees. He was justly proud of the fact that, from the age of 12 when he was awarded the Cochran Scholarship to Paisley Grammar School, his education was paid for by the bursaries he won. These took him to Glasgow University and Balliol College, Oxford.In 1891, having passed out second in the final ICS examination, he set sail for India where he pursued a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service until he retired in 1925. His first posting was as assistant settlement officer in Bengal. In 1912 this area became part of the newly created province of Bihar and Orissa, and he was to spend the rest of his service in that province. His offices included the directorship of land records and the secretaryship of the revenue department. In 1915 he was confirmed in the post of Chief Secretary to the Government, and in 1921 was appointed a member of the Executive Council of Bihar and Orissa. In 1924 he was knighted for his services in India. A year later he became acting Governor of the province and retired at the end of the year.
In 1897 he married Gertrude Kelly, daughter of Dr. James Kelly and Mary Ann Buckman. They had two daughters and a son Duncan. The latter was to pursue a distinguished career as a civil engineer at home and in India.
After his retirement Sir Hugh spent an active life on the Continent and in London before settling in Edinburgh. He spent a large part of the war years in Newtonmore where he had sent his daughter and granddaughters for safety. Sir Stewart Macpherson, whose family home was in Newtonmore, had been a colleague in the Indian Civil Service. Among his many activities he was a member of the council of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, he enjoyed hill walking in the Highlands and continued his study of the classics.