1. Introduction

PATRICK John Hudson was born on the 7th August 1920 in Newry, Co Down. 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 nearby Kilkeel, where John opened his own business. At that time, John and his wife Brigid had four children – Pat and three girls. Another three girls and a boy were born in Kilkeel. The family lived in a house on Newry Street, with a large, overgrown wilderness, which was transformed over the years by Pat’s father into a lovely garden. With well-established trees and old outhouses, the garden became a haven for the children, not least for Pat, whose vivid imagination and adventurous spirit were evident in early essays and other schoolwork, where he told stories of marauding lions or plundering pirates. With little effort, anything in the garden could be adapted for whatever ‘prop’ was required.

At an early age, with the help of his father and

1.2. This photograph may have been taken in the 1920s by Pat Hudson’s father, who worked at O’Hagan and O’Hare’s chemist’s shop, in Newry. (H-082)

1.4. This view is of Newry Street, Kilkeel, from St Colman’s Church tower, looking west towards Newry, 1948. (H-052) 1.3. The Hudson’s shop in Kilkeel. (H-038)

1.5. Pat as a small boy, 1927 (H-195)

1.6 Chaffinch on the handle of a graipe – one of Pat’s early nature study photographs. (H-198) a box Brownie camera, Pat began a lifelong love affair with photography and nature study. He constructed a makeshift ‘hide’, from which he was able to photograph birds in the garden, and, as he progressed it became clear that the artist in him was manifesting itself in the composition of his subjects.

Pat attended St Colman’s Elementary School near to his home. It was situated on a hill, overlooking the rolling countryside, with a magnificent backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne. He was a bright pupil and had the advantage of a teacher with an MA, who, at that time, was really overqualified to teach in a primary school, but was able to give advanced tuition. There was no secondary or grammar school for boys in the area so this help, along with some private tuition, enabled Pat to pass the Matriculation examination. He was then able to enrol 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. He was a keen hill walker and formed a rambling club, tramping the Mournes with his friends and his camera. He also had a great love for classical music and often had musical evenings with his friends, using gramophone records.

Pat worked at his father’s pharmacy and used Kilkeel as a base to further explore Ireland and then Europe, always, of course, with his camera. However, this did not satisfy his inquisitive and adventurous spirit and in 1949 he went to work in an East African pharmacy combined with a photographic department Here, the climate, animals and scenery, especially the mountains, gave him many happy years. He climbed Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro on several occasions. He was also a keen tennis player.

He spent a short time in Jersey before deciding on new horizons and emigrated to Australia. After a few years, he returned and lived in the south of England until, in 1974, he, his wife and children

1.7. Pat in a chemistry laboratory, 19xx. (H-197) 1.8. Catherine Hudson thinks this is probably Pat himself, stopping during a walk to look at the view. Undated. (H-101)

left for New Zealand. They lived in various locations, on both South and North Islands, but finally settled in 1988, in the beautiful Algies Bay

While there were threats to cease taking any more photographs, the temptation of a certain sunrise, a flowering shrub, an exotic parrot, boats in the bay or a nesting blackbird, not to mention family photographs, proved too difficult to overcome. As a result, a camera, a book and some classical music were in evidence to the end of his life.

Catherine Hudson

2013

1.9 to1.11. Pat’s images of life in New Zealand continued to reflect his major interests in the landscape – mountains and sea – and people. (H-248, H-247 and H-246)

1.12. Pat in New Zealand, 19xx. (H-200)

change

2.11 Luregan Valley, Mournes, 1948

Pat said that he hadn’t known anyone else use this particular name and wondered where he got it from. He never saw the ‘new’ dam behind the Silent Valley but thought it could be his ‘Luregan Valley’. In the valley between the peaks is probably the Annalong River. (H-010)