# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Huddleston, Richard

​HUDDLESTON or HUDLESTON, RICHARD (1583–1655), Benedictine monk, born in 1583 at Farington Hall, near Preston, Lancashire, was the youngest son of Andrew Hudleston, esq., of Farington Hall, by Mary, third daughter of Cuthbert Hutton of Hutton John, Cumberland. He studied under Thomas Sommers, a catholic schoolmaster at Grange-over-Sands, Lancashire, and was subsequently sent to the English College at Douay. Afterwards he studied philosophy and divinity for some years in the English College at Rome. Returning to Douay he was ordained priest in 1607, and in the following year was sent on the English mission. Again visiting Italy he was professed as a Benedictine monk at Monte Cassino. In 1619 he came back to the mission, and was instrumental in converting many of the chief families in Lancashire and Yorkshire to the Roman catholic faith. He died at Stockeld Park, the seat of the Middletons, on 26 Nov. 1655.
He left several pieces in manuscript, which appear to have been lost, and a 'Short and Plain Way to the Faith and Church,' published by his nephew, Father John Hudleston [q. v.], London, 1688, 4to; reprinted in the 'English Catholic Library.' vol. ii., London, 1844, 8vo, under the editorial care of the Rev. Mark Aloysius Tierney; and again, London, 1850, 8vo. Charles II, while concealed at Moseley after the defeat at Worcester, perused this treatise in manuscript, and declared that he had seen nothing clearer upon the subject. [For appendices to the printed copy see Hudleston, John.] 'An Answer to Father Huddleston's Short and Plain Way' was published by an anonymous writer; and at a later period another 'Answer,' by Samuel Grascome [q. v.], appeared at London, 1702, 8vo; 1715, 8vo.
T. C.
HUDSON, GEORGE (1800–1871), the 'railway king,' son of a farmer and constable, who died in 1806, was born at Howsham, a village near York, in March 1800, and after an education at local schools was in 1815 apprenticed to Bell & Nicholson, drapers, College Street, York. His apprenticeship over, he received a share in the business. Bell soon afterwards retired, and the firm became Nicholson & Hudson (Richard Nicholson was found drowned in the Ouse at York on 8 May 1849, aged 56). At the age of twenty-seven Hudson, already a wealthy man, received from a distant relative, Matthew Bottrill, a bequest of 30,000l., which he invested in North Midland Railway shares. In 1833 he had risen to be the head of the conservative party in York. In 1835 he was a town councillor, in January 1836 an alderman, and in November 1837 lord mayor. He was the originator of the York Banking Company in 1833, and as manager for some time afterwards made it a permanent success. In 1833 also he spoke at a meeting held to consider the construction of a railway from York to certain portions of the West Riding, and subscribed for five hundred shares. The scheme was not carried out till 1837, when a capital of 446,666l. was raised under an act of parliament, and Hudson was appointed chairman of the company—a joint association known as the York and North Midland. By good management the railway was made at a moderate cost, and was opened on 29 May 1839. Hudson was presented on the occasion with a testimonial. His next enterprise was to assist the Great North of England Company to complete their line to Newcastle. In 1841 he vigorously supported the plan of opening an eastern communication with Edinburgh by way of Newcastle and Darlington, and he was elected chairman of the company formed to carry out this project in June 1842. He subscribed five times as much as any other director, and personally guaranteed the payment of six per cent. dividend. To obviate the inconvenience of transferring passengers and freight from one train to another at junctions, Hudson suggested the railway clearing system, originally devised by Mr. Morrison in 1841. It first came into operation on two roads in January 1842. Three competing lines were at the time approaching Derby. Hudson undertook to counteract the fatal principle of competition by amalgamating the three schemes. This he successfully accomplished, bringing together a capital of 5,000,000l., and became chairman of the amalgamated directory of what soon became the Midland Railway Company. In conjunction with George Stephenson he then planned