Biography

Richard Hudson was born Daniel Richard Bullock on 25 August 1841 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. He had one sister named Mary (Palmer) who also came to New Zealand. Mary Palmer is buried in Plot 9, Block 159, Northern Cemetery, Dunedin. Daniel Bullock changed his name to Richard Hudson after living in New Zealand for about 10 years. The first three of his eight children were named Hudson Bullock, and the “Bullock” appears to have been dropped when they began school.

Richard Hudson was well-known in Dunedin as a biscuit manufacturer. He was an enterprising and pushing businessman. After working as a youth for some time in a locomotive and carriage building works on the Great Western Railway in England, and at bread and biscuit baking, he served part of an apprenticeship at sea in the merchant service trading out of Bristol. In about 1863 he landed at Lyttelton, and very soon afterwards was attracted to the Pelorus goldfield, which was discovered about that time. He soon returned to Canterbury, and subsequently was one of the first few who, crossing Arthur’s Pass, made his way through the Otira Gorge and reached the Hokitika diggings overland from Canterbury. He assisted in clearing the road between the Otira Gorge and Hokitika. Daniel Bullock and Thomas Kneeshaw were in business together as bakers and storekeepers at Selwyn prior to the Bullock marriage.

Daniel Bullock married Mary Ann Riley in Christchurch in 1868, and they arrived in Dunedin in June of that year. He started business in a small way in a bakehouse behind a grocer’s shop in Princes Street Cutting, and purchased a biscuit-making machine which had been exhibited in the Otago Exhibition. The business soon became a biscuit factory only. Richard then acquired a confectionery plant, and added that branch of work to his factory. Richard very soon saw the advantage of using machinery, and designed a revolving pan, heated and driven by steam. About 1877 Richard Hudson, as he was now known, found it necessary to grind his own flour, and erected a flourmill with a steam plant. Richard Hudson visited Europe in 1885, and spent some time at the Antwerp Exhibition, and in Brussels and Paris. The result of that visit was the purchase of a cocoa and chocolate plant, and the successful introduction of the manufacture of these goods to New Zealand. The great expansion of Richard Hudson’s business necessitated many moves. For many years the business was carried on in Moray Place, but when the block in Castle Street and Cumberland Street where the Albion Brewery used to stand was acquired, the whole business was concentrated there in about 1901 in a brick factory, flourmill, and store. On the evening of June 3 1902 this factory was totally destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. Beyond discharging the office of justice of the peace, Richard Hudson never engaged in public life.

Others buried here: Richard’s wife Mary Ann, and his mother-in-law Ann Sophia Curline.