Samuel Hudson was born at Pinfold Street, Loughborough, at 12:00 mid-day on 28th January 1837, the fifth and last child of Thomas Hudson and his wife Maria (née Caldwell). He was baptised at All Saints’ Church, Loughborough, on 28th June.
Between 1841 and 1851, Samuel moved with his parents to Cradock Street, Loughborough, and aged 14 at the time of the 1851 census, he was recorded as being a scholar.
Samuels’ father Thomas died on 4th May 1854 aged 56 and was buried in All Saints’ Churchyard, Loughborough. His father’s business partner, John Wootton, moved to Nottingham and Samuel went to work with him. His mother followed shortly afterwards to ‘keep house’.
On Monday 4th August 1856, Samuel married Elizabeth Ashby at St Peter’s Church, Radford, Nottinghamshire. This was a double wedding, shared with his widowed mother Maria Hudson and John Wootton.
Born on 11th May 1828 at Hyson Green, Nottingham, Elizabeth was the daughter of John Ashby, a joiner and cabinet maker, and his wife Ann. Elizabeth’s grandfather William Ashby was one of John Wesley’s local preachers. Her parents both died in 1854 and Elizabeth continued to live in the family house together with her aunt, Elizabeth Allen. After their marriage, Samuel joined them at 29 Pleasant Row, Hyson Green.
Samuel and Elizabeth’s first child, John, was born on 13th March 1857. He was followed by William Ashby on 18th July 1858, and Edwin on 21st June 1860.
Between 1860 and 1861, the family moved to nearby Lenton Steet. Like the buildings on Pleasant Row, the houses here had three storeys with the upper rooms used as workshops for hosiery production. The houses were sold to the tenants for £70 each, paid by instalments, although we do not know if Samuel and Elizabeth bought their home. The 1861 census records that Samuel was working as a lace maker, and that Elizabeth’s aunt, Elizabeth Allen, was also living with them.
Lenton Street, Hyson Green (now demolished)
Between 1861 and 1864, the family moved to 49 Ortzen Street, Forest, Nottingham, where on 1st February 1864 Samuel and Elizabeth’s fourth child Tom was born. He was followed by Samuel on 8th October 1865 who died of measles on 15th December 1867.
The family moved again and by 1868 were living at 14 North Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Samuel and Elizabeth’s sixth child and only daughter Mary Eloisa was born on 25th April 1868. She was baptised on 14th June at the Primitive Methodist Chapel but died on 9th October aged 5 months.
Samuel continued to work as a lace maker and by 1871 was also a local preacher for the Primitive Methodist Chapel.
Samuel and Elizabeth’s last child was named Robert. He was born on 9th July 1872 at 14 North Street.
Elizabeth’s aunt had moved out of the house by 1871 but returned to live with them a few years later. Although she earned a little money from nursing, and received an allowance inherited from her husband’s cousin, she did not give any money to Samuel or Elizabeth. This eventually led to a falling out in early 1877. In his manuscript Samuel wrote ‘we got in 3 years as many pounds and the rest went in treating those who did nothing for her. We got to know this quite by accident. One of those where she went came to see her when she happened to be out and it slipped out in talking “what a nice tea” etc. Aunt had given when she was at their house the last time...at this very time I had very little work and of course there was strait means and she had not thought to help...I spoke to Aunt about it and she left us in a huff and went to live with John, my eldest son who was just married.
‘To show you how ungrateful this was, she had just got an allowance of 12/- a week...so while she had no means she lived on us, and when she had, she left us, but for all that we were not sorry.’
Towards the end of 1876 Elizabeth became ill. She died in August 1878 aged 50 and was buried in Stanton Road Cemetery, Ilkeston, on 20th August.
On Saturday 27th March 1880, Samuel married Judith Simpkin (née Reddy) at St Mary’s Church, Ilkeston. Their marriage was after banns and was witnessed by Judith’s son John Simpkin, and Matilda Hudson. Their marriage record shows that Samuel was still working as a lace maker.
Samuel recorded that ‘Judith, my second wife, was the only daughter of James Reddy and his wife Elizabeth (whose maiden name was Tabion who was born in Bedfordshire) who died when Judith was about 14...my wife Judith was the widow of Robert Simpkin of Wicken, who died 1876, by whom she had John, William, Robert and George (who are now in New York, USA).’
By April 1881, Samuel and Judith were living at 44 North Street Ilkeston, and by April 1891 they were living at 44 Chapel Street, Ilkeston. They moved again between 1891 and 1901 - this time to 45 Chapel Street, while their son Robert, who married in 1893, lived at number 44. At the time of the 1901 census, Samuel was working as a gardener - the census return also notes that he was deaf. By 1911 Samuel was working as a bill distributor for an advertising contractor.
Sometime after April 1911, Samuel and Judith moved to Loscoe Road, Heanor - perhaps to number 84 which was the home of their son Tom - where on 10th September 1916, Samuel died aged 79.
Nottingham Evening Post, 12th September 1916
Three months later, on 23rd December, Judith died aged 84. Both Samuel and Judith were buried at Heanor Cemetery, Derbyshire.
Samuel Hudson was my 1st cousin 5 times removed.