James "Cotterell" HUDSON (1832-1918) was my g-g-grandfather, and despite considerable
research, he continues to remain an enigma. He certainly had a troubled life, and he may even have
been a bit of a cad. A deserter, a criminal, and a bigamist, perhaps. Yet there were no less than
four with the name James Cotterell Hudson over four generations.
It would seem that he (let's call him "Jas") and his wife (Mary Jane SALE) were illiterate (they
signed their marriage certificate with X) and so there are many variations in the spelling of both
their names, making research that much more difficult! Additionally, as was common practice at the
time, the firstborn male in the generations before and after was named after the father. Whereas
James Cotterell HUDSON is a fairly unique name (even with variations), a search for "James Hudson"
in most databases yields too many results. Unfortunately, at this time in Adelaide there was also a
quack with this name, and a diplomat with this name, both of whom dominate the news archives. And
"Cotterell" for James and his ancestors, as you will learn, is a red herring.
His parents, John HUDSON (a hairdresser) was born about 1800 and married Jane in 1825. We know the
family lived between 1831-34 at James St. then Little Coram St., then 17 Little Guilford St., then
24 Southampton Street, St Pancras, London, within the sound of the Bow Bells. How Cockney is that?
Sadly Jane died in 1833 with James as the only surviving child. John quickly remarried another Jane
(who already had three children) and produced another child before expiring at the young age
of 37 in 1837, leaving his wife and two young children, aged 5 and 3.
John HUDSON (b.17 Dec 1800 d.12 Oct 1837),m. Jane (unknown), and had three children:
1. John Thomas HUDSON (1830-1830)
2. James HUDSON (b. London 29 Jan 1832, d. Sydney 2 Aug 1918)
3. Charles HUDSON (1833-1833)
After Jane's death in 1833 (perhaps in childbirth?) John quickly remarried to a widow
Jane VALLER 31/12/1833 (she had previously been married to a William VALLER, a goldbeater, in
1818) in the Parish of St Mary, Lambeth, Surrey and had one more child:
4. Ann Owen HUDSON (b. London 27 Apr 1834, d. Launceston 1893)
Facing a bleak future as a dairywoman in London (now at 9 Wood St. St Pancras), the widow Jane
applied in July 1838 for assisted passage to the new established colony of South Australia and five
months later arrived with her three children from her first marriage William Roope VALLER 19, Jane
VALLER 18 and Sarah Elizabeth 15, along with her stepson James (nearly 7) and her daughter
Ann (4) in Port Adelaide, aboard the Prince George on 26 Dec 1838. Within only four months
Jane was married again, to a William WEST, seaman, from Ramsgate, England, at the Holy Trinity
Church in Adelaide on 21 Apr 1839.
We are not sure what happened during the next few years, but one can only imagine the psychological
effects on these young children. But consider what happened to James: mother died (1833), new
stepmother (1833), father died (1837), a long sea voyage to a strange new colony (1838), new
stepfather (1839).
The next fact we know is that eleven years later Ann married a Samuel BARNES (a convict) in
Launceston, Tasmania on 16 Sep 1850. We don’t know whether Ann’s mother, step-father William or
brother James were in Tasmania at that time. As Ann was only 16 when she got married (she pretended
she was 22) it is unlikely she abandoned her family in Adelaide and travelled alone to Van Dieman’s
Land. And she would not have met Samuel in Adelaide. Interestingly a William WEST arrived (back
to?) Port Adelaide on 25 Mar 1845 on Henry (2) from Launceston. And Jane WEST arrived
1845-08-30 on Henry (2) from Launceston. Ann and Samuel went on to produce 12 children, and
their progeny were (partly) responsible for the rapid growth of early Launceston....
We then find that a sawyer, James HUDSON married an Eliza COTTRELL in Tasmania on 24 Dec 1852. If
this is indeed our Jas, it is exciting news! As this union occurred two years after the marriage of
his sister Ann in Launceston, it seems that the family might indeed have all moved from Adelaide to
Tasmania at that time. Moreover, here is the first reference to the name Cottrell (and
variations). No wonder it couldn't be found in the UK records!
What then happened to Jas's first marriage is yet to be determined. No children have been found. No
death of Eliza has been found. No divorce has been found. In any event, this relationship seems to
have had a profound effect on the 20 year old Jas, who promptly "adopted" the name Cotterell as his
middle name. He also falsely assigned it to his father (Jas's marriage cert.) and his mother (Jas's
death cert.) And of course, Jas's children and their children then used it - sometimes at random,
and with random spelling.
Another ten years pass and we find that our James Cottrell HUDSON (sawyer) married Mary Jane
SALE at St George Church Woodforde (at the base of the Adelaide Hills), on 8 Nov 1860. James was
28 (25 stated on the marriage certificate, and on death certificate) and Mary was 21 (although her
death certificate indicates she was married at 19). According to the marriage certificate James’
father was “James Cottrell Hudson” [actually John HUDSON ], and Thomas “Sales” [actually
“Sale”] was the father of “Mary Jane Sales”. Mary “Seal” (many variations of spelling) (b. 26 June
1839 Liverpool d. 21 Aug 1919, Norwood, Adelaide) emigrated to Australia five years earlier from
Gloucester, England as a domestic servant arriving on the Bucephalus on 13 Oct 1855. Her
parents were Martha BOOTH (1819-1888) and Thomas SALE (1822- abt.1854), both of Liverpool.
James and Mary Jane then set about having some children – nine in fact.
1. Mary Ann HUDSON was born 11 Feb 1861 in Deep Creek, SA and died 25 Nov 1951 in Evandale .
2. Martha Jane 'Janie' HUDSON was born 09 Jul 1862 in New Tiers
3. James (engineer) HUDSON was born 10 Mar 1864 in New Tiers and died 10 Dec 1941 in
St Vincents Hospital, Sydney, NSW. On birth certificate his name is “Hutchson” and father’s name
is “Hutchson”.
4. William Thomas HUDSON was born 07 Apr 1866 in Tiers nr Lobethal, SA
5. Sarah Elizabeth 'Lizzie' HUDSON was born 22 Jun 1868 in Reedy Creek mine
6. John Henry HUDSON was born 05 Jan 1872 in Reedy Creek mine
7. Edwin Charles Valler HUDSON was born 23 Feb 1874 in Reedy Creek mine (note the middle name Valler
comes from Jas's stepmother's name Jane VALLER and her children William Roope, Jane and Sarah Elizabeth)
8. George Albert Paul HUDSON was born 05 Aug 1876 in Palmer and died 10 May 1926 at Nildottie, SA
9. Walter Bertie HUDSON was born 03 May 1881 in Norwood, SA and died 23 Jul 1884
Have a look at the location of the birth of his children – it would seem that he was moving through
the Adelaide Hills, probably following work in the timber and mining industries – a fairly rough
life. See article.
Also of note is the gap of five years between the birth of Mary Jane’s 8th and 9th child. It was
about this time that Jas's life began unravelling. It is possible that the last child (Walter)
might not even have been his, and Walter’s death certificate shows his father to be the “late”
James HUDSON . Indeed, it turns out that at that time he had left his family and he was living in
N.S.W. (Incidentally young Walter died of tabes mesenterica - tuberculosis of lymph glands
in the abdomen; an illness of children caused by drinking milk from cows infected with
tuberculosis.)
It’s feasible that Jas absconded not long after the birth of the 2nd last child, George in Palmer in
1876, and that wife Mary Jane was forced to become a housekeeper to survive with her large family,
and consequently in Norwood bore an illegitimate child, Bertie, perhaps from the man who took her
in, on 3rd May 1881 - almost a 5 year interval. Certainly from the evidence we have, she seemed to
have landed on her feet, despite being a "widow". We believed Jas left for NSW in 1884 only
because of the entry on his death certificate that he had been “in NSW for 34 years”. But we
know that not all the data on that document was accurate (eg occupation "Lawyer" [Sawyer]
parents “James” [John] and Jane "Catterell") - so he may actually have left earlier than 1884.
Sadly, it was obvious Jas had a few problems with the demon drink and the law. When his first child
(Mary Ann) was about four months old, Jas was in trouble with a Third Creek publican, Isaac Gepp
(of Gepps Cross fame?) who, in the Magill Court, was found guilty of assaulting him as he was worse
for liquor and would not go the four miles home, as the night was cold and wet. See newspaper article.
Ctrl-F to search for "Hudson" in the article.
Not much later Isaac successfully got his own back, by suing Jas for non-payment of 5 guineas and
Jas was sent to prison for two weeks on 12 Sept 1861 (page 171 Register of persons brought to the
Common Gaol). So he now has a criminal record – and this probably dogged him for the rest of
his life. It is likely that he was imprisoned again throughout his chequered life.
After the birth of Walter, there is an ominous lack of any news for 24 years, when we learn he was
admitted into Rookwood State Hospital and Asylum Lidcombe [Rookwood was an asylum for the infirm and
destitute http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=/Agency/1999] on 29 Aug 1905 and
discharged 16 Oct 1909. He was readmitted 27 Oct 1909 where he remained incarcerated for 17 years
until 14 Dec 1916. That’s when he went to Rydalmere – see below. There’s a page from the Register
of Admissions and Discharges that shows he was Taken by Brother (sic)** 14 Sept 1916,
Taken by Son on 3 Oct 1916, Taken by Friends 14 November 1916 for the day, Absconded 12 Dec 1916 for
a day. There’s no record of why he was there, or what he did from 16 to 27 Oct 1909 –
unfortunately, the Lidcombe records are very sparse. [research: Ruth Lavery].
Before he went into the asylum in 1905, he may have been mixing it with some fairly rough people in
Sydney ("a labourer, James Hudson, was admitted to Sydney Hospital, victim of assault. S.M.H.
22 March 1894). Or he may have spent some time in prison (James Hudson sentenced to 4 years
penal servitude for breaking and entering, S.M.H. 4/4/1895). The James referred to in these
incidents may or may not have been our Jas. (See also Newspaper article links below).
There are two medical certificates that certify him insane and support for his transfer from the
‘Rookwood State Hospital and Asylum Lidcombe’ to the Rydalmere Mental Hospital. One is dated 8 Dec
1916 and gives the ‘facts indicating insanity’ as “Very confused and mentally muddled. States
that he has already contributed largely to the upkeep of this institution and that if he can go
out, he can go to Cobar* and do some assaying and earn money which he is certain to give freely to
this institution. That people come and talk to him at night charging him with making accusations
against them, of which he is quite innocent. The attendant states that he is very stupid, excitable
at times, is then inclined to be violent and fight other patients.” The other is dated 6 Dec
1916 and states “Knows where he is, but does not know why sent here. Thinks he is a great road
maker. Has been troubled by voices talking about him and charging him with doing things he has
never done. These voices used to wake him up. Attendant Hey, Lidcombe State Hospital [says] patient
becomes very excitable and requires careful supervision. At such times inclined to be
dangerous.”
So he was transferred from Lidcombe to Rydalmere on 14 December 1916 (having absconded 2 days
earlier!) His Mental State on Admission at Rydalmere is “Answers questions readily and fairly to
the point. Rambles a bit at times. For his age his condition is very good.” Age is recorded
as 83. His General Appearance and Physical State on Admission is “Very old man with sparse grey
hair, scrubby beard and mustache. Blue eyes. Scar on right side of top of hair due to tree falling
on him” Height 5 ft 7 ins. Weight 9 stone 2 lbs. “No teeth. Skin of face wrinkled” Physical
disease: “Arterio Sclerosis”. At Rydalmere there is a single note in the Record of Progress, dated
July 1918 “Pt is very shaky on his legs, has been put to bed [because] he falls abt so frequently
– otherwise is fairly well”
When he was first admitted to Rydalmere, there was no-one recorded on the Record of Visitors, but on
26 Jan 1917 they record J Hudson Son of Dunlop Station nr Louth. “Informed of failing by wire
1/8/18. Of death per wire 3/8/18”. No visits recorded. [research: Ruth Lavery].
How tragic – his son James knew where he was, but perhaps because he lived a long way outback in
Bourke, didn’t visit him for the last 18 months. His death in Rydalmere Mental Hospital occurred on
2nd August 1918 of arteriosclerosis and cystic disease of the kidneys. Coincidentally, his estranged
wife Mary Jane HUDSON, died in Adelaide a year later - it is possible they were still in contact,
(on Jas’s death certificate he states he married Mary “Sailes” in Adelaide) but on the death
certificate of Jas's son, James (1864-1941), there was no mention of his mother.
So we have learned a lot about Jas. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions:
1. What happened to his first marriage with Eliza Cottrell 24 Dec 1852 in Tasmania? Were there any
children? What happened to Eliza? Did he commit bigamy by marrying Mary Jane Sales ten years later?
What was he doing during those ten years? When did he go to Tasmania and when did he return to Adelaide?
2. Why did he leave Mary Jane and his nine children and go to NSW? Exactly when did he leave? Was he
the father of the last child, Bertie? Did he go to Bourke and meet up with his son who was
establishing a new life there? What sort of mischief did he get up to in the 24 years before he was
admitted into Rookwood?
3. Who was this mysterious "brother" who visited him in hospital on 14 Sep 1916?
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Now Jas’s eldest son, James HUDSON (1864-1941) also left the Adelaide family. It seems father
and son both spent some early years in and around Bourke, NSW*, where James got married to Victoria
BRENNAN in 1893, the same year that he obtained his qualifications as an engineer. The marriage was
only 23 years before Victoria died – but she bore 5 children – the oldest (wait for it) one James
Cotterell HUDSON (a mechanic , 1895-1977). This youngest James C.H. married Amie JONES and their
firstborn was named (wait for it) James Cotterell HUDSON (b.14 Nov 1922 who sadly died after only
one day of life).
In 1922, 6 years after the death of Victoria, James at 54 , got remarried in Sydney to Muriel
Claire AMOUROUS, 32. Their divorce was 6 years later for "desertion" [like father like son?] SMH
8/3/1928 p.8. On the certificate: as well as his dead father, Jas, James surprisingly also
acknowledges his mother, who would also have died 2-1/2 years earlier. One obvious inconsistency is
his stated age - he was lowering it 4 years, perhaps, for his bride to believe. Another interesting
thing is his stated profession "engineer" which links him to some Qld census records.
* An indication that Jas was in Bourke - in the asylum, he was ranting about assaying in Cobar.
** "Taken by brother". Brother.....? Is this a male HUDSON (probably the son James), or a male
VALLER (step-brother), or a male WEST (step-brother), born UK or Australia...?
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Newspaper references
Use Ctrl-F to search for "Hudson" in the newspaper article.
This may or may not have been our Jas:
Reference 1
"An alleged serious assault" 22 Mar 1894.
Reference 2
"Breaking and entering four years penal servitude" 4 Apr 1895
Reference 3
"Sentenced to six month's imprisonment with hard labour" 15 Mar 1887
Reference 4
"Motorcar afire" 15 Mar 1887 (a story of his grandson in Cobar).
Reference 5.
If Jas spent some time in Bourke, which is likely, there is a fascinating story from the courts
which would certainly match the scandal sheets of today: "Shooting with intent" 26 Nov 1887.
Here are some other newspaper references – although I cannot confirm who the James Hudson mentioned
might be:
Theft: James Hudson 59, for stealing a cruet, valued at 5s, belonging to Demetrius Harris, was at
the Central Police Court yesterday fined £1, in default 21 days' gaol. Tuesday 16 March 1897
Aug 1890 James Hudson in charge of stock movements in Winton NSW. Saturday 23 August 1890
James Hudson in charge of stock Longreach Saturday 15 June 1907.
Friday 13 October 1905 LONGREACH, Oct. 10.-At the Police Court this morning, James Hudson, on
remand, was charged with stealing a watch and chain.
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Acknowledgments: Barb O'Neil, Ann Anderson, Ruth Lavery, Geoff Turner for their
remarkably generous research assistance. Photos of Samuel Barnes and Ann Owen Hudson with kind
permission of M.Knight.
