George Hudson was born in Howsham, a small village about 12 miles from York, to John and Elizabeth Hudson on 10 March 1800. His mother died at the age of 38 in 1806 when George … See more

York
By 1830 Hudson was a Tory, although at this point the Tories did not control York. At the 1832 general election he backed the unsuccessful candidate, John Lowther, and did so again in 1833 in a by-election. In both of these … See more

His name has been used to point the moral of vaulting ambition and unstable fortune, Thomas Carlyle calling him the "big swollen … See more

He married Elizabeth Nicholson (1795–1886) in 1821 in York. Their four surviving children were: George (1829–1909), who was called to the bar and became an inspector of factories and a father to a son; John (b. 1832), who entered the army … See more

York and North Midland Railway (YNMR)
A line to London
In 1833 York businessmen formed a railway committee. The initial idea of this was to link York to Leeds to enable the city to enjoy cheaper coal and emulate the industrial success … See more

In 1848 a pamphlet called "The bubble of the age" or "The fallacy of railway investment, Railway Accounts and Railway dividends" alleged that the dividend paid by Hudson's companies were paid out of capital rather than revenue. Hudson … See more

Hudson however had many friends in York and the north and the thought of an old man (now aged 65) in poor health in prison offended Victorian sensibilities. Hudson was released in October 1865 as the debt (still one of many outstanding at this point) was paid … See more