Hudson, George (1800–1871)

British Conservative politician and industrialist. He started out as a draper in York until he inherited £30,000 in 1828 and invested heavily and successfully in the burgeoning railway system. By the late 1840s he controlled more than 1,600 km/1,000 mi of railway (a third of Britain's railways) and had formed the Midlands Railway and the North Eastern Railway. He had also begun a successful career in local politics. He was mayor of York three times and was elected as member of parliament for Sunderland in 1845. He was forced to flee the country briefly in 1849 when financial difficulties caused the government to investigate his accounts, leading to allegations of fraud.

Hudson, George (c. 1615–1672)

English violinist and composer. He was a member of the King's Band from 1661 and composer to the king, and was involved in providing music for William Davenant's entertainment The Siege of Rhodes at Rutland House in 1656.