George Henry Ernest (Harry) Hudson (1885-1958)

Harry Hudson (also known as Huddy) has a better documented photographic career in Canada than he does in England. Hudson was born in Scarborough in 1885. His father, George Ernest Hudson and uncle ran a brewery (G.H. & W.L. Hudson, Old Brewery, St Thomas Street, Scarborough) and Harry had begun to train as a brewer. In 1906 Harry Hudson travelled to Canada. In 1909 his sister Grace (1884-1968) followed him to Canada and in 1913 married Harry Arthur Willis. On his arrival Hudson met Alfred Dashwood Worgan (c.1851-1935?) who owned the Aberdeen Studio in Vernon. Hudson purchased photographic equipment from both Worgan and Mr Fraser Campbell of Penticton. Through pioneer photographer C. W. Holliday Hudson was offered a job taking photographs for the Canadian Pacific Railway at Okanagan Landing. In 1907, Hudson opened his first photographic studio in the town of Kelowna. He business was relatively successful. over the next decade he had a number of business partners including, James Edmonds, Kenneth Murray Chadwick (1878-1934) and Lumb Stocks (1887-1949). In 1917 Hudson joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Initially working in England photographically recording events for the Canadian War Records Office before being sent to France in December 1918. When he was demobbed in 1919 he seems to have remained in Europe. His business, by this time Hudson-Stocks and Co was bought out by Lumb Stocks.

A photographic postcard portrait of three people bears the name Hudson and address as St Nicholas Studio, Scarborough. The postmark is dated 1929, but exactly when Hudson operated after his return to England in 1919 is unknown.

Hudson’s mother was Sarah Joan Hudson (nee Harrison). His eldest sister Dorothy died a a child in 1883 and Grace was born in 1884. The Hudson family brewery amalgamated with Harry’s father and uncle as directors in 1895. The new brewery, The Scarborough and Whitby Brewery Ltd, was formed of four original companies. Other than G.H. & W.L. Hudson, there was also Corner & Readman, of Marine Parade, Whitby, Weighill and Raine, Esk Brewery, Whitby and The Scarborough Brewery Co, North Street Scarborough. The Hudson brothers George and Herbert were also the managers of the Scarborough Brewery Co. whose head office was on Westborough. The new company was acquired by John J. Hunt Ltd of York in 1913 and then in 1953 by Cameron and Co Ltd of Hartlepool. the brewery in Scarborough was closed in 1954.

Grace Madeleine Willis (nee Hudson) became a well known artist whose paintings were displayed in the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1941, and is represented in the collection of the Kelowna Art Gallery.