Walter Hudson Papers

The collection comprises the antiquarian papers of Rev. Walter Hudson, vicar of Saddleworth in Yorkshire. It includes transcripts, notes and a card index relating to a cartulary of Breedon Priory, Leicestershire, held in the John Rylands Library (English MS 987), and historical notes on Preston in Lancashire, and Edington, Wiltshire (English MS 988).

Walter Hudson was born in Brierfield near Burnley, Lancashire, in c.1866. He was the son of John Hudson, a master joiner, and his wife Mary Jane. The family were living in Burnley in 1871, but by 1881 they had moved to Hinkley in Leicestershire, where John Hudson was the manager of a brick and tile works. Walter won an exhibition to Exeter College, Oxford, and gained a first in the History Mods in 1892, but was placed in the third-class in the Theology Finals in 1894. He was ordained a deacon in 1894 and a priest in 1895 at Durham Cathedral. He served as curate of St John the Evangelist, Darlington, from 1894 until 1897, and as curate of St Clement's, Ordsall in the diocese of Manchester, 1897-1900. He was successively rector of St Cyprian, Ordsall (1900-4), vicar of Chipping in Lancashire (1904-12), rector of St John's, Cheetham, near Manchester (1913-24), and vicar of Saddleworth in Yorkshire (1924-38).

The collection is available for consultation by any accredited reader.

Donated to the John Rylands Library by Mrs E.M. Hudson of Edington, Westbury, Wiltshire, in May 1946.

Description compiled by Jo Humpleby, project archivist, and John Hodgson, Keeper of Manuscripts and Archives, with reference to the online census returns for 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901, and Crockford's clerical directory (1941).

Catalogued in the Hand-List of the Collection of English Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library, 1937-1951 (English MSS 987-988).