Hugh Fraser was born in Inverness-shire on 7 August 1808, the second, but eldest surviving, son of Hugh Fraser of Jamaica and Stoneyfield House, Inverness-shire and his wife Elizabeth Dunbar, daughter of John Dunbar, minister of Knockando, Moray.
[2] Fraser was appointed Garrison Engineer of Fort William and Civil Architect of the Bengal Presidency in August 1847 and was promoted to major on 7 October 1851.
[6] He remained in Burma for the next two years during which he supervised extensive building work and was later described as the 'Grand Architect of Rangoon'.
[7] For his services in Burma he was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath and promoted to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel.
[10] At the battle of Sussia (or Shahgunge) on 5 July 1857 Fraser, who rode with the Agra Militia Cavalry, distinguished himself by spiking the largest enemy canon, the only success of the day [11] From 30 September 1857 to 9 February 1858 he held the position of Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces[12] with the title Chief Commissioner.