Robert Hunter Hudson's birth certificate names his parents as George Hudson and Catherine Hudson formerly Kerss.
George Hudson was born on 17 August 1810 in the Low Street, Sunderland, Co Durham and baptised at Sunderland's Holy Trinity Church on 10 November. He worked as a shipwright, initially in the shipyards in Sunderland. On 28 October 1839 he married Catherine Kerss, also at Holy Trinity Church in Sunderland.
Catherine was born on 14 August 1817 in Monkwearmouth Shore (the north side of the river Wear, now part of the City of Sunderland. She was baptised in St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, Co Durham on 7 September.
The couple set up home at Minorca Place, in Sunderland, and in October 1840 their first child, a daughter named Frances Hunter Hudson after Catherine's mother, was born. Unfortunately, Frances died at only 2 months old.
Sometime between 1841 and 1843 the couple moved to Middleton, next to Hartlepool, Co Durham. The old fishing village of Hartlepool was undergoing a transformation at the time. Its natural harbour was being redeveloped as a coal port and shipbuilding centre. George probably felt that there would be better prospects in the future West Hartlepool than in Sunderland. Census records in 1851 and 1861 don't give anything away about the family's prosperity, but show them continuing to live in Middleton, the small dockside community linking East and West Hartlepool.
George died on 31 August 1869 of a stroke. Catherine took in boarders to make ends meet while she raised her remaining children. She died on 8 November 1877 of ulceration of the bowel.
Their children were:
Frances Hunter Hudson 1840 - 1840
Ann Hunter Hudson 1843 - 1917
Frances Hudson 1845 - 1847
Catherine Hudson 1848 - 1852
Elizabeth Hudson 1851 - 1914
Robert Hunter Hudson 1853 - 1925
Esther Hudson 1855 - 1870
Richard Hudson 1861 - 1863
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