# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hudson, John (a)

Layout 4
​HUDSON. (Commander, 1831. f-p., 23; h-p., 13.)
John Hudson is second son of the Rev. J. Hudson, late Vicar of Stanwie.
This officer entered the Navy in Aug. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the America 74, Capt. Josias Rowley. He soon removed to the Alfred 74, Capt. Joshua Sydney Horton, employed at the time at the siege of Cadiz, where he was transferred to the Druid 32, Capts. Thos. Searle and Fras. Stanfell. While in that frigate, besides actively co-operating in a flat-bottomed boat in the defence of Tarifa, he visited Egypt, and thence escorted the Prince of Morocco to Tangier. Following Capt. Stanfell, as Midshipman, in Dec. 1812, into the Cossack 22, he sailed with convoy for Jamaica, and was employed for many months off that island in cruizing against the American enemy. In June, 1814, having returned to the Mediterranean, he was for a short period appointed to the Indus 74, Capt. Wm. Hall Gage; after which we find him serving for 12 months in the Channel on board the Sheldrake 16, Capt. Geo. Brine; and again with the same officer from Sept. 1815 to Nov. 1818, as Master’s Mate, in the Mosquito 18, on the African and South American stations. During the latter period he cruized with much success against the slave trade, part of the time in command of a tender; and he was for nine months stationed off St. Helena for the security of Buonaparte. In Nov. 1820, Mr. Hudson, who had passed his examination in 1817, again proceeded to the coast of Africa, where, as Master’s Mate of the Tartar 42, Commodore Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, he assisted in the boats in effecting the capture of numerous vessels up the different rivers. Volunteering, on the return home of the Tartar in June, 1821, to continue on the same station, he joined the Pheasant 18, Capt. Benedictus Marwood Kelly, with whom he remained until appointed Acting-Lieutenant, 4 Dec. following, of the Myrmidon 20, Capt. Henry John Leeke. In Feb. 1822, on the arrival from England of Commodore Sir Robt. Mends in the Iphigenia 42, he was superseded and nominated Admiralty Midshipman of the latter frigate. During a cruize of six weeks in the Bights of Biafra and Benin, he contributed to the taking of many more slave-vessels; and on one occasion, when in the river Bonny, he distinguished himself in the boats of the Iphigenia and Myrmidon, under Lieut. G. W. St. J. Mildmay, at the capture, after a desperate resistance, of five vessels, having on board upwards of 1800 negroes. For this service he was promoted by the Commodore to a Lieutenancy, 14 June, 1822, in the Bann 20 – an act which the Admiralty confirmed by a commission signed on 26 of the next Aug. Invaliding home in May, 1823, Lieut. Hudson was subsequently appointed – 20 April, 1826, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, Capt. Hugh Pigot – and 16 June, 1829, and 26 Jan. 1831, to the Philomel 10, and Rattlesnake 28, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Graham on the Mediterranean station, whence he returned to England, and was paid off in April, 1831. He attained his present rank on 5 Dec. in the same year; and was afterwards, from 6 June, 1833, until 1836, and again from 13 July, 1838, until 1843, employed on the Coast Guard.
Commander Hudson, since 1843, has been Governor of the Queen’s Bench Prison. He married, 12 April, 1832, Emily, only child of the late Rev. Partrick Keith, Rector of Ruckinge and Stalisfield, co. Kent, by whom, who died 9 Oct. 1844, he has issue six children.