. Fifty years of railway life in England, Scotland and Ireland . three separate 1849 Mr. Hudson presided for the last time at a Midland meeting, and inthe following year resigned his office of chairman of the company. The story of the meteoric reign of the Raihvay King excited muchinterest when I was young, and it may not be out of place to touch uponsome of the incidents of his career. George Hudson was born in 1800, served his apprenticeship in thecathedral city of York and subsequently became a linendraper there and aman of property. Many years afterwards he is reported to have
. Fifty years of railway life in England, Scotland and Ireland . three separate 1849 Mr. Hudson presided for the last time at a Midland meeting, and inthe following year resigned his office of chairman of the company. The story of the meteoric reign of the Raihvay King excited muchinterest when I was young, and it may not be out of place to touch uponsome of the incidents of his career. George Hudson was born in 1800, served his apprenticeship in thecathedral city of York and subsequently became a linendraper there and aman of property. Many years afterwards he is reported to have said that the happiest daysof his life passed while he stood behind his counter using the yardstick, astatement which should perhaps only be accepted under reservation. Hewas undoubtedly a man of a bold and adventurous spirit, possessed of anambition which soared far above the measuring of calicoes or the retailingof ribbons; but perhaps the observation was tinged by the environment oflater and less happy days when his star had set, his kingly reign come to an. GEORGE HUDSON (After the portrait l>y Francis Grant, ) THE MIDLAND RAILWAY AND KING HUDSON 13 end, and when possibly vain regrets had embittered his existence. It was, Ishould imagine, midst the flerceness of the strife and fury of the mania times,when his powerful personality counted for so much, that he reached thezenith of his happiness. Whilst conducting in York hia linendraper business, a relation died andleft him money. The railway boom had then begun. He flung his yard-stick behind him and entered the railway fray. The Liverpool and Man-chester line and its wonderful success—it paid ten per cent.—greatlyimpressed the public mind, and the good people of York determined theywould have a railway to London. A committee was appointed to carry out the project. On this com-mittee Mr. Hudson was placed, and it was mainly owing to his energy andskill that the scheme came to a successful issue. He was rewarded
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectrailroa, bookyear1920
