Patrick John Hudson was born in Newry, Co. Down in 1920. His father, John E Hudson, was manager of O'Hagan and O'Hare's chemist's shop in Newry. In 1925, the family moved to Kilkeel, where John opened his own business.
At an early age, with the help of his father and a box Brownie camera, Pat began a lifelong love affair with photography and nature study. Pat attended St Colman's Elementary School near his home. He later enrolled at Belfast College of Technology, where, after serving his time at the same chemist's shop in Newry where his father had worked, Pat qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist.
Time spent doing 'locums' around the county let Pat get to know other locations. Pat worked at his father's pharmacy and used Kilkeel as a base to further explore Ireland and then Europe with his camera. In 1949 he went to work in an East African pharmacy combined with a photographic department. In 1964, political unrest mounted and Pat left Africa. He spent a short time in Jersey before emigrating to Australia. After a few years, he returned and lived in the south of England until, in 1974, he, his wife and children left for New Zealand and finally settled in Algie's Bay, on the east coast.
A selection of Pat Hudson's photographs were published in the 2013 edition of the Down Survey. The publication entitled, ‘Two Men of Mourne: Photographs by Pat Hudson and Cecil Newman', is available from the Museum for only £8.
Some of Pat Hudson's photographs are now also available to view online.
If you would like further information about the Pat Hudson collection, please contact the Museum on +44 (0)330 137 4049 or email museums@nmandd.org.
