Enter the Hudsons

The marriage of James R. Winder and Mary Ann Hudson on October 11, 1877 brought together two families relatively new to Worcester.  Unlike the Winders however, the Hudsons didn't follow the country to city migration pattern so typical of Victorian England in the last half of the 19th century.  In fact, James Hudson, Mary Ann's father, was born on June 13, 1838 in Birmingham, one of England's largest cities.  According to the birth certificate, William Hudson, James' father, was a day laborer, a none too financially rewarding occupation, suggesting the family moved to Worcester in search of better job prospects.  In any event, by 1851, the Hudsons were living in the Bromley buildings in St. Martin's parish in Worcester.  All told there were six of them, William and Frances, along with four children, James, John, Thomas and Sarah.

James Hudson's 1838 Birth Certificate

William was now employed as an ostler (a horse stable hand) while at 13, James was bringing in some income as a glover, a major Worcester industry.  James may have gotten more from his job than weekly pay as six years later on April 19, 1857, he married Mary Ann Allies, daughter of Joseph Allies (sometimes spelled Lies), also a glover.  Based on the signatures or lack thereof on the marriage certificate, plus census listings it appears Mary Ann had some formal education while James had little or none.  At 19 Mary Ann was a young wife and she quickly became a young mother about two months later with the birth of Alfred Edward Hudson.

Marriage Certificate of James Hudson and Mary Ann Allies 

Adjusting to marriage and parenthood at such young ages (James was only 20) would have been difficult under the best of circumstances, but the young couple soon experienced one of life's worst tragedies when their small child died only a few months later.  Displaying a resiliency like the Winders and Ricketts, James and Mary Ann rose to the occasion to raise and provide for a family.  Within a year, a daughter (our ancestor) was born and named Mary Ann, the same name as both her mother and her grandmother.  The new Mary Ann Hudson was the first of four girls born to the Hudsons as Matilda (1861), Ellen (1863) and Agnes (1865) followed in regular order.

1861 Census showing both the Hudson and Allies families beginning eight lines from the top, note that in this case the name is spelled Lies

By 1861 the family was living on Warmstry Slip in Worcester either with or next door to Mary Ann's parents.  Located on the Severn River and named for the boat slip for the Warmstry China factory, the area was probably not one of Worcester's best locations.  A decade later the Hudsons had moved to St. Andrew's parish, a part of Worcester where the Winders once lived and, although probably a step up from Warmstry Slip, still not a very desirable location.

China burnishers at work

Both James and Mary  Ann worked with Mary Ann following in her mother's footsteps as a china burnisher most likely at Royal Worcester Porcelain while James worked as a sawyer.  When china ware came out of the enamel kiln, the gold was a dull color.   The china burnisher wiped the gold areas with a moist abrasive powder called "silver sand" and then rubbed it with a blood stone or agate burnishing tool.  At the end of the process, the china had a "beautiful bright appearance."

Blood stone burnishing tool 

While the job title burnisher suggests what's involved, sawyer is even a more literal description of someone who saws wood.  My guess is sawyers were less skilled than carpenters, basically cutting wood into the numerous sizes and shapes needed for construction and building applications.  Daughter Mary Ann is listed on the census as a scholar at age 12, suggesting her parents had sufficient income so their daughters didn't leave school at 10, the earliest permissible age.  Mary Ann did start working shortly after the census day, but, as we shall see, she was able to wait for a more promising occupation.

James apparently also had time to do more than just work as in the late 1870's, he and brother John were members of Court Sylvan and Pride of the Park Chapter of the Ancient Order of Foresters.  This friendly society offered its members a means to put money away in case of illness or disability.  If the organization sounds familiar that is because James R Winder was also a member after his 1877 marriage. The two brothers were also about share something else - a new occupation.

Worcester Chronicle - June 5, 1880 describing James' run in with the authorities

Like the Winder family, the Hudson's clearly wanted to upgrade their economic and social status.  While William and Mary Winder chose to become green grocers, both John and James Hudson became licensed victualers or pub landlords, a licensed victualer is simply someone licensed to sell alcohol.  On May 3, 1880 James purchased the license to the Crown Inn in the Tallow Hill section of Worcester and found out fairly quickly that his new profession was closely monitored. That same month he was charged with selling brandy to a woman outside of legal opening hours.  Fortunately the complaint was dismissed since the sale was for medicinal purposes.   This may or may not have been the truth, but the Victorians believed brandy could be used effectively for such purposes.  In any event, pub keeping was a step up in status for the Hudsons, moving from working class to what could be construed as lower middle class.

 Picture taken in 2000 of 1 Alston Villa, Stanley Road, the Hudsons retirement home

By the time the Hudsons took over the Crown Inn, daughter Mary Ann was a wife and mother living on her own with James R. and their young son, James W., born in 1878.  Pub keeping had at least ended her mother's days as a china burnisher, neither mother nor daughters Ellen and Agnes had occupations listed on the 1881 census, suggesting the Crown Inn was  family operation.  James continued working as a sawyer so the family had multiple sources of income.  

Death Certificate for Mary Ann Hudson 

James operated his pub at least through 1896, but by the 1901 census, he is listed as a retired pub owner.  As noted previously few Victorians could afford to retire and interestingly, James brother, John, also retired from his pub.  It's not clear exactly what James actually owned as a contemporary newspaper article suggested that James owned a license, but not the land and building.  After vacating the Crown Inn, James and Mary moved to the new and relatively nearby Alston Villa homes which still exist today.  The Crown Inn was renamed the Crown and Anchor during the 1930's, became a private home during World War II and was subsequently torn down.

Death Certificate for James Hudson 

Mary Ann's three sisters married with Matilda (Watkins) and Agnes (Hardman) having two children apiece while Ellen married, but if she had children none were living in 1909.  Mary Ann Hudson died on February 12, 1904 of pneumonia at the age of 64.  James lived on until 1909 dying on June 13th of chronic Bright's disease at 71.  James' affairs were complicated enough that he had a will made up about three months before his death.  In it he left 100 pounds (about $500) to each of his eight grandchildren with the net balance of his estate to be divided among his four daughters.  One personal effect mentioned is his wife's watch and chain which went to Mary Ann Winder now living in the United States suggesting it may have had their common name engraved on it.

First page of James Hudson's will - notice that the four grandchildren are listed as Winders while his daughter, Mary Ann is listed as Winder

However the probate accounting of the will indicates a different result than what James intended showing a gross estate of 3604 pounds ($18000), but a net value of only 690 pounds ($3450), meaning that he died with liabilities of about 3000 pounds.  If correct, and there's no reason to believe it isn't correct, the eight grand children would have divided the 690 pounds for about 86 pounds ($430) each while Mary Ann and her three sisters got nothing.  This just adds to the confusion of how James could have retired and made a will out three months before he died without really taking into account his debts.  One possibility suggested by a genealogist in Worcester is that James invested the proceeds of the license sale into the Alston Villa homes financing the balance with a mortgage.  He and Mary Ann could have then used the rental income to finance their retirement and he may have believed the properties were worth more than they proved to be.  It's a mystery which most likely will never be resolved, but the most valuable thing James and Mary Ann Hudson left their heirs was not money, but their example of raising and providing for a family.