Father Hudson's Photos
This is the result of a research project to digitize an album of photos compiled by Father George Vincent Hudson, a Catholic priest who founded St George's Home for homeless children on Wellington Street in Ottawa.
The photos are indexed; many subjects are named and can be found through a search of the database. An album of all photos is available for browsing. The photo index in the album provides more information about the people in group photos.
The collection consists of 146 photos: some of individuals, some of groups. Most individuals depicted are identified by name. However, a significant number (denoted by a "?" in the name) are not—particularly those in groups. If you are able to supply any missing names. please email BIFHSGO's Research and Projects Director.
Story of Father Hudson's Photos
Father (later Monsignor) George Vincent Hudson (1873–1936) was a Catholic priest who dedicated his career to the protection and care of homeless children. His fervent intention was to provide them with the best possible start in life. Born in the parish of Bredon, Worcestershire, England, Fr. Hudson was ordained in 1898 and became parish priest at Coleshill, near Birmingham, where he remained for the next 36 years.
At the beginning of the twentieth century Pope Leo XIII invited bishops from around the world to mark the new century by establishing some work of charity. Fr. Hudson was chosen by the Archdiocese of Birmingham to lead its focus on caring for its children. In 1902, with the support of the parishes and schools of Birmingham, he established a network of homes known as the Birmingham Diocesan Rescue Society for the protection of homeless and friendless Catholic children. The organization changed its name to Father Hudson’s Society in 1984. Since 2015 it has been known as Father Hudson’s Care and still functions today as a social care agency.
By the end of the First World War, Canada had become a desirable country for the relocation of home children, and many agencies such as Barnardo's and Middlemore Homes were involved in this effort. Fr. Hudson had also embraced this initiative, and he established a home for Catholic boys (and later also girls) at 1153 Wellington Street in Ottawa. The building was known as St. George's Home and is still in use today as part of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017.
Fr. Hudson visited St. George's Home many times with various groups of emigrating and visitor parties. He also kept track of the progress of the home's children in a collection of photos. This collection included not only photos of children with their guardians, the Sisters of Charity of St Paul but also photos of former residents as adults, some in military uniform. The photo collection was presented on 14 June 1998 to Home Children Canada representative Dave Lorente by Joyce Carroll of Father Hudson Archives, Birmingham, England, at the 8th Annual Reunion of Home Children Canada, held at the former St. George's Home. Pat McEvoy of Liverpool also located photos and sent some from the Nugent Care Society. Dave Lorente organized the photos in an album and then donated it to BIFHSGO home children researcher John Sayers. John subsequently contacted research director John McConkey with permission from Andy Quinn, CEO of Father Hudson's Care, to publish the photos on the BIFHSGO website.