Frank Hudson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frank was the son of William and Mary Jane Hudson (née Paling). His father William was born in Leven, Beverley, Yorkshire, on 5 November 1863, the son of John Jackson Hudson, a gardener and gamekeeper, and his wife Martha. William was baptised at Leven parish church on 3 April the following year. In 1881 William (17) was an agricultural worker at Newton Park, Yorkshire, working for Thomas Stone, but by 1891 was a gamekeeper and boarding with George Taylor, a woodman, and his wife in Ollerton. His mother Mary Jane was born in 1860 at Peckleton, Leicestershire, the daughter of Samuel and Caroline Paling, and was baptised in the parish church on 18 March 1860. In 1871 the family was living at the Rothley Arms, Rothley, where Samuel was a licensed victualler. Mary Jane had moved to Wellow, Nottinghamshire, by 1881 where she was living with her brother Tom. However, by 1891 Mary's widowed mother was the innkeeper of the White Hart, Market Place, Ollerton, and her daugher Mary was assisting in the business. William and Mary were married at Ollerton St Giles on 22 February 1894 and had at least five children who were probably born at Rufford, Ollerton (Southwell registration district): Sam Paling birth registered 1895 (J/F/M) bap. St Giles 5 May 1895; Frank b. 1897 (J/F/M) bap. St Giles 11 January 1897; William Hardy b. 1 May 1898 bap. St Giles 29 May 1898, Nora Caroline b. 12 February 1901 and Nesta Mary b. 26 June 1903. In 1901 William, a gamekeeper, Mary and their children Sam (6), Frank (4), William (2) and Nora (under 1 year) were living at Wellow Lodge in the Liberty of Rufford. Their daughter Nesta was born two years later. The 1911 Census was completed on William's behalf by his widowed sister, Florence Mettam, as he and his wife were away on the night of the census. The family home was now at The Old Kennels, Rufford, and in the house on the night of the census were Florence and her two children, Gladys (8) and John (7) and Sam, an office boy in the Rufford Estate offices, Frank, Nora and Nesta (7). The children's parents were recorded as visitors in the household of John William Johnson, a deputy overman, and his wife Emily (née Hudson), William's sister, at Upshaw Moor, near Durham. At the time of Frank's death in 1918, his parents were still living at the Old Kennels, Rufford Park. Mary Jane died in 1930. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, her husband William was living at 7th Avenue, Southwell, with his married daughter Nesta Moody. William died in 1948. Frank's older brother Sam Paling joined the Sherwood Foresters (12961 Corporal) in August 1914 and served in the Dardanelles (Gallipoli) from 1 July 1915 and then in Egypt, Salonica and France. He was gazetted second lieutenant in the 3rd Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 30 October 1917 and served in Italy and France where he was attached to the North Staffordshire Regiment. He was promoted lieutenant then reported missing on 21 March 1918 at the start of the German offensive, but was later found to have been taken prisoner. He was repatriated after the Armstice but then served in Turkey until demobilized in 1919. Sam qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal which he applied for in August 1921. He was then living at Rufford Park, Ollerton. Sam died in 1923 aged 28; his premature death was attributed to his experiences during the war. (See 'Extra information) Their younger brother Frank joined the Royal Navy on a Hostilities Only engagement on 30 November 1916 and served as an ordinary seaman, promoted able seaman on 30 August 1917. His last ship was HMS Blake which he joined on 13 February 1917. He may have served to 1919. William married Lily Lacey (b. 18 February 1897) in 1927. In 1939, William, an estate woodman, and his wife were living at Piper Land Lodge, Carburton, near Worksop. William died in 1981. Nesta Mary married George Moody (b. 5 June 1898), a colliery banksman, in 1927 and their daughter Barbara was born on 18 June 1929). They were living in Southwell in 1939. Nesta died in 1970. Nora Caroline probably married Fred Neal/Neale, a farmer, in 1924 and later lived in Market Harborough. She died in 1989.
Frank was killed in action on 22 March 1918, the day following the start of the German offensive. His brother Lieut. Sam Hudson, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, had been taken prisoner the previous day. Frank has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France (Panel 52 to 54). CWGC - History of The Pozieres Memorial (extract): 'The Memorial relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)
Mansfield Reporter, 26 May 1916 (extract): ‘Rufford. Cricket Club. The annual general meeting was held last week … Mr J Baker, who is acting as ‘hon. sec, pro. tem., referred with much regret to the fact that two members of the club had been killed in action, namely, Jack Davis and Chris. Caudwell, both of the Sherwood Foresters.’ Other members of the club now serving with the Colours are Corporal Sam Hudson, Ptes. Frank Hudson (Sherwood Foresters).' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 11 January 1918: ‘Rufford. Promotion. The people of Rufford and the surrounding district have reason to be proud of the promotion which has recently been won by Lieut. S Hudson, eldest son of Mr and Mrs W Hudson, Old Kennels, Rufford Park ... He was gazetted a few weeks ago and attached to the Warwicks … His two brothers are also with the Colours, one, Frank, in the Sherwood Foresters, and the other Harry, is in the Navy.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 3 May 1918: ‘Rufford Private Killed. Much sympathy is expressed throughout the district with Mr and Mrs W Hudson, Old Kennels, Rufford Park, who last week received official intimation that their second son, Private Frank Hudson, Sherwood Foresters, had been killed by a shell. He was just 21 years old and prior to enlistment worked on the Rufford estate. Their eldest son, Lieut. Sam Hudson, was reported missing some weeks ago, and his parents have not yet received any further official news of him, although they had a letter from a brother officer who states that he last saw Lieut. Hudson fighting bravely, though surrounded by Germans. At the outbreak of war, Lieut. Hudson was employed as junior clerk in the Rufford Estate Offices, and was the first local lad to respond to his country’s call enlisting at Newark in the Sherwood Foresters, within a week after the declaration of war. After some months’ training at Belton Park Camp, during which time he gained two stripes [corporal], he proceeded to the Dardanelles and took part in the landing at Suvla Bay. From thence he proceeded to Egypt, and eventually to Salonica. Then he was drafted to France and there took part in some of the heavy fighting on the Somme. Last spring, when ‘standing to’ at Vimy Ridge, he was offered his Commission, and returned to England for training. He was gazetted last December, and proceeded to Italy with the Warwicks early in the new year. He was afterwards sent to France and attached to the North Staffs. and took part in the recent heavy fighting. Mr and Mrs Hudson have one other son, Hardy, who is in the navy, and was home on leave about a fortnight ago.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 20 April 1923 (extract): ‘Rufford. Obituary. It is with deep regret we record the death of Mr Sam Hudson, son of Mr and Mrs Hudson, of Rufford, which occurred on Saturday week at the Nottingham General Hospital. The deceased, who was only 28 years of age, joined the Forces in August, 1914, enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters … [details of service] … Returning again to France in 1918 he was wounded and taken prisoner in the big March push … on the declaration of the Armistice he was returned with other prisoners to England. This did not end his army career, for in 1919 he was drafted out to Turkey for six months, returning home for demoblisation. After a course of two years’ training at the University College Nottingham (Faculty of Commerce Department), he returned to Rufford Estate offices, where he was employed previous to joining the army. Unfortunately his army experiences had undermined his constitution and his failing health prevented him from continuing for long in his employment, though his removal to hospital and his death came as a shock to all. The funeral took place at the Ollerton Cemetery on Thursday week.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
