George Hudson: The Railway King

George Hudson was the greatest British railway entrepreneur of the 19th century. In 1848, he controlled over 1,000 miles of railway and, when it came to railway promotion, it seemed he could do no wrong. However, in early 1849 it came to light that some of his business methods had been less than ethical and he was forced to relinquish the chairmanship of each of his companies. His fall from grace was spectacular and his detractors, were quick to denounce him as a fraudster. Even today, when the name George Hudson is mentioned, these same insults are often levelled at him. This new biography takes a fresh look at Hudson's extraordinary life, from his humble beginnings as a farmer's boy, to becoming Lord Mayor of York before catching the railway bug. After his fall from grace, Hudson endured a 20-year court battle with the York and North Midland Railway for outstanding debts. Hudson made many mistakes in creating his railway empire, but did he deserve all the vitriol that still accompanies his reputation?