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Actions	Petition of the electors of the borough of Sunderland supporting George Hudson Remove from selection Add to selection TitlePetition of the electors of the borough of Sunderland supporting George Hudson ReferenceSUN CreatorSunderland Borough Council Sunderland was a borough constituency of the House of Commons, created by the Reform Act 1832. In 1835 the three settlements of Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland and Monkwearmouth were officially joined to become the Parliamentary Borough of Sunderland. The first Mayor Andrew White was elected 1st January 1836. The expansion of the coalmining, chemical and glass industries and shipbuilding led to the growth of the central area of Sunderland around the river and port in 18th and 19th centuries. Date c 1845 - c 1859 Scope and ContentThe petition supports George Hudson (1800–1871), MP. The address is ‘Petition of the Electors of the Borough of Sunderland to George Hudson Esquire MP’. The text addresses Hudson and consists of four paragraphs ‘depreciating the unjust attacks and unmeasured abuse to which you have been recently exposed’, attributing these to ‘the disappointed feelings of too sanguine speculators’, offering gratitude for the benefit of Hudson’s undertakings had called into existence and offering the best wishes of signatories. The signatures are headed by that of Jos Simpson, Mayor and several Justices of the Peace. There are 688 signatures in total. The address is undated but must be between 1845 and 1859. George Hudson was MP for Sunderland 1845-1859. He was a railway promoter whose career attracted much controversy. He had shares in many new projects in the early railway building period. By 1844 he controlled over 1000 miles of railway and was dubbed the ‘Railway King’. However by the mid to late 1840s Hudson was embroiled in scandals relating to share prices which resulted in him losing credibility. He was subjected to a number of committees of inquiry relating to his business practices, these exposed that dividends had been paid out of capital, figures of traffic, revenue and expenditure had been manipulated. He was compelled to resign from many of his company directorships and to repay large sums of money which he was deemed to have misappropriated. Hudson remained a member of parliament and was returned for Sunderland in 1847 and 1852. This meant that he could not be arrested for debt while the House of Commons was in session, but in between sessions he went to France and Spain in order to evade his creditors. In June of 1850 the Sunderland Dock was opened amid scenes of jubilation. This was Hudson's last triumph. He was re-elected member of parliament for Sunderland in 1857, but the dock company was beginning to fail and he lost his seat at the general election of 1859. He now retired permanently to France to avoid his creditors. Extent1 roll Physical descriptionThe roll has been professionally conserved. 18 separate sheets of varying size were joined together and folded to form a single document of approximately 4.7 meters in length. Requires large surface to examine. LanguageEnglish Archival historyIt is unknown how the petition passed into the hands of the donor. It is likely that the donor was a descendant of George Hudson. Donated to the National Railway Museum 1979. Levelfonds Repository nameNational Railway Museum, York Associated people and organisationsHudson, George Hudson, George (1800–1871) was a railway promoter and MP, whose career attracted much controversy. He had shares in many new projects in the early railway building period. Hudson was born in March 1800 at Howsham, near York, as the fifth son of a farmer. He went to local schools and in 1815 was apprenticed to Bell and Nicholson, a firm of drapers in College Street, York. When his apprenticeship was complete he received a share in the business. Bell retired and the firm became Nicholson and Hudson. In 1821 he married Elizabeth Nicholson, the daughter of one of the partners in the firm. Four of their children survived into adulthood: George, John, William and Anne. In 1827 Hudson received a legacy of £30,000 from a great-uncle, Matthew Bottrill. This money enabled him to establish himself in the political and social life of York. He became treasurer of the local tory party at the time of the election following the Reform Bill of 1832, and in 1833 he took a leading part in the establishment of the York Union Banking Company. In 1835 Hudson was elected to the newly reformed York city council and in November of 1837 he became lord mayor and was re-elected in the following year. Hudson obtained several estates in Yorkshire, including the Londesborough estate, Newby Park and also owned a large mansion, Albert House, in Knightsbridge. In 1837 an Act of Parliament was obtained for the York and North Midland Railway Company for the purpose of constructiong a railway from York to link up with the Leeds to Selby line. Hudson became chairman and largest shareholder with George Stephenson as the engineer. In 1841 he persuaded the shareholders in eight railway companies to join together to build a line from Darlington to Newcastle and an act of parliament was obtained in 1842. In the same year he obtained control of the North Midland Leeds to Derby line and this was followed by the merger of the Birmingham and Derby and the Midland Counties companies. By 1844 he controlled over 1000 miles of railway and was dubbed the Railway King. His companies controlled over a quarter of the railways then built in England, with lines from Bristol to Newcastle, and branches to Scarborough, Hull, Leeds, Nottingham, and Rugby, together with the Eastern Counties line from London to Colchester and to Ely. By the mid to late 1840s Hudson was embroiled in scandals relating to share prices which resulted in him losing credibility. He was subjected to a number of committees of inquiry relating to his business practices, these exposed that dividends had been paid out of capital, figures of traffic, revenue and expenditure had been manipulated. He was compelled to resign from many of his company directorships and to repay large sums of money which he was deemed to have misappropriated. Hudson was compelled to sell his landed estates, his Knightsbridge mansion was leased to the French ambassador, and his name was removed from the roll of aldermen at York. George Hudson was MP for Sunderland 1845-1859. He could not be arrested for debt while the House of Commons was in session, but in between sessions he went to France and Spain in order to evade his creditors. After losing his seat in general election of 1859, Hudson retired permanently to France. Hudson returned to England again in 1865 to campaign for a seat in general elections, but was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in York. In lack of sufficient funds the creditors finally relented and Hudson moved with his wife to London and was slowly re-accepted into society. Hudson died of angina in his home in Churton Street, London, on 14 December 1871. His coffin was taken by train to York and he was buried at Scrayingham, Yorkshire. Conditions governing accessAccess is given in accordance with the NRM access policy. Material from this archive is available to researchers through Search Engine. Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied of items in the archive, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NRM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.

TitlePetition of the electors of the borough of Sunderland supporting George Hudson

ReferenceSUN

Date

c 1845 - c 1859

Scope and ContentThe petition supports George Hudson (1800–1871), MP. The address is ‘Petition of the Electors of the Borough of Sunderland to George Hudson Esquire MP’. The text addresses Hudson and consists of four paragraphs ‘depreciating the unjust attacks and unmeasured abuse to which you have been recently exposed’, attributing these to ‘the disappointed feelings of too sanguine speculators’, offering gratitude for the benefit of Hudson’s undertakings had called into existence and offering the best wishes of signatories. The signatures are headed by that of Jos Simpson, Mayor and several Justices of the Peace. There are 688 signatures in total. The address is undated but must be between 1845 and 1859.

George Hudson was MP for Sunderland 1845-1859. He was a railway promoter whose career attracted much controversy. He had shares in many new projects in the early railway building period. By 1844 he controlled over 1000 miles of railway and was dubbed the ‘Railway King’. However by the mid to late 1840s Hudson was embroiled in scandals relating to share prices which resulted in him losing credibility. He was subjected to a number of committees of inquiry relating to his business practices, these exposed that dividends had been paid out of capital, figures of traffic, revenue and expenditure had been manipulated. He was compelled to resign from many of his company directorships and to repay large sums of money which he was deemed to have misappropriated.

Hudson remained a member of parliament and was returned for Sunderland in 1847 and 1852. This meant that he could not be arrested for debt while the House of Commons was in session, but in between sessions he went to France and Spain in order to evade his creditors. In June of 1850 the Sunderland Dock was opened amid scenes of jubilation. This was Hudson's last triumph. He was re-elected member of parliament for Sunderland in 1857, but the dock company was beginning to fail and he lost his seat at the general election of 1859. He now retired permanently to France to avoid his creditors.

Extent1 roll

Physical descriptionThe roll has been professionally conserved. 18 separate sheets of varying size were joined together and folded to form a single document of approximately 4.7 meters in length. Requires large surface to examine.

LanguageEnglish

Archival historyIt is unknown how the petition passed into the hands of the donor. It is likely that the donor was a descendant of George Hudson. Donated to the National Railway Museum 1979.

Levelfonds

Repository nameNational Railway Museum, York

Associated people and organisationsHudson, George

Hudson, George (1800–1871) was a railway promoter and MP, whose career attracted much controversy. He had shares in many new projects in the early railway building period.

Hudson was born in March 1800 at Howsham, near York, as the fifth son of a farmer. He went to local schools and in 1815 was apprenticed to Bell and Nicholson, a firm of drapers in College Street, York. When his apprenticeship was complete he received a share in the business. Bell retired and the firm became Nicholson and Hudson. In 1821 he married Elizabeth Nicholson, the daughter of one of the partners in the firm. Four of their children survived into adulthood: George, John, William and Anne.

In 1827 Hudson received a legacy of £30,000 from a great-uncle, Matthew Bottrill. This money enabled him to establish himself in the political and social life of York. He became treasurer of the local tory party at the time of the election following the Reform Bill of 1832, and in 1833 he took a leading part in the establishment of the York Union Banking Company. In 1835 Hudson was elected to the newly reformed York city council and in November of 1837 he became lord mayor and was re-elected in the following year. Hudson obtained several estates in Yorkshire, including the Londesborough estate, Newby Park and also owned a large mansion, Albert House, in Knightsbridge.

In 1837 an Act of Parliament was obtained for the York and North Midland Railway Company for the purpose of constructiong a railway from York to link up with the Leeds to Selby line. Hudson became chairman and largest shareholder with George Stephenson as the engineer. In 1841 he persuaded the shareholders in eight railway companies to join together to build a line from Darlington to Newcastle and an act of parliament was obtained in 1842. In the same year he obtained control of the North Midland Leeds to Derby line and this was followed by the merger of the Birmingham and Derby and the Midland Counties companies. By 1844 he controlled over 1000 miles of railway and was dubbed the Railway King. His companies controlled over a quarter of the railways then built in England, with lines from Bristol to Newcastle, and branches to Scarborough, Hull, Leeds, Nottingham, and Rugby, together with the Eastern Counties line from London to Colchester and to Ely.

By the mid to late 1840s Hudson was embroiled in scandals relating to share prices which resulted in him losing credibility. He was subjected to a number of committees of inquiry relating to his business practices, these exposed that dividends had been paid out of capital, figures of traffic, revenue and expenditure had been manipulated. He was compelled to resign from many of his company directorships and to repay large sums of money which he was deemed to have misappropriated. Hudson was compelled to sell his landed estates, his Knightsbridge mansion was leased to the French ambassador, and his name was removed from the roll of aldermen at York.

George Hudson was MP for Sunderland 1845-1859. He could not be arrested for debt while the House of Commons was in session, but in between sessions he went to France and Spain in order to evade his creditors. After losing his seat in general election of 1859, Hudson retired permanently to France. Hudson returned to England again in 1865 to campaign for a seat in general elections, but was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in York. In lack of sufficient funds the creditors finally relented and Hudson moved with his wife to London and was slowly re-accepted into society. Hudson died of angina in his home in Churton Street, London, on 14 December 1871. His coffin was taken by train to York and he was buried at Scrayingham, Yorkshire.

Conditions governing accessAccess is given in accordance with the NRM access policy. Material from this archive is available to researchers through Search Engine.

Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied of items in the archive, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NRM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.