GEORGE HUDGELL

1838 - 1921

Bermondsey London

:

    George was born at Bermondsey, London on 9th May 1838.

 In the 1861 UK census his occupation was stated as 'reporter' and he was living with his family in Great Wycombe Road Chipping Wycombe.

    When an apprentice to the printing business, he came under the magnetic influence of the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, by whom he was baptised and received into fellowship at New Park Street Church.

    Realising the call of God to the ministry he relinquished his secular pursuits, and regularly visited Mr Spurgeon's home where he received the benefits of his tuition, prior to the founding of Pastor's College.

     In 1866, he accepted the pastorate of his first church at Newton Abbot, Devon, and after three happy years there, exercised his ministry successively and successfully at Wells, Somerset; Newport Mon: Burnham, Somerset, Calne, Wilts; and Combe Down, Bath., finally retiring from the active pastorate after 36 years service.

     Mr Hudgell faithfully proclaimed the truths of the evangelical faith, and was largely owned of God in the winning of souls. His life and character were beyond reproach, ever manifesting a spirit worthy of emulation.

     He was twice married, his first wife being Miss E. A. Smith, of Sudbury, Suffolk and his second, Mr L. M. Muller, both of whom pre-deceased him in 1902 and 1917 respectively. By his first wife, his surviving children are Mrs T R Dann of Liverpool, Mrs D G Barlett, of London and Rev. Philip A Hudgell of Addlestone. He died at Tramelan, Switzerland on 22nd October 1921.

A poem by Pastor G Hudgell

1886 - 1990

Written at the close of a brilliant

Easter Day

So fades the light of Easter Day!

Softly its glories pass away

as westerning sun goes down

The world, which shone with burnish gold

Has lost its line: is grey and cold

The smile is changed to grown

So fadeth not the Worlds Great Light

Much , issuing from the tombs deep might

Shone so serene and clear

Awhile it paled behind the cloud

While weeping mourners till & bowed

Whispered 'Our Lord Is here'

But on that third triumphant day

The Sun broke forth with cloudless ray

To cheer the souls of might!

He lives! who died upon the cross

To richest gain is turned our loss

Our gloom to glorious light!

Great Lord of resurrection power

Be thou our light in that dark hour

When we to death shall come

Comfort with thy sweet staff & rod

And, like a flower from the sod

May we in new life bloom

Open thou our tomb and say arise!

Then bid us, filled with glad surprise

Mount on celestial wings!

Upward to that sublime above

Where, in the glowing light of God

The choir triumphant sings

There may we dwell with thee forever

In one perpetual Easter Day

Whose sun shall niar go down

With thee, our ever-living King

Who out of death our life didst bring

Our endless joy and crown!

George Hudgell

Directory entries for Rev George Hudgell

Worrall's Directory of South Wales 1875

Newport

Baptist Chapels - Stow bill, Maindee: Rev. George Hudgell

Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire 1889

Calne Wiltshire

Private Residents Rev George Hudgell (Baptist) Lansdowne House, Carzon Street Wiltshire

Some information taken from From The Baptist Handbook

Summerhill and Duckpool Road Baptist

When the development of Maindee started, the many non-conformists living in the area generally had a rather more difficult task than their Anglican brethren, in that the only places of worship available to them, other than the Independent Chapel already mentioned, were west of the river in Newport. However, in 1861 a Baptist minister, who had given up a previous pastorate because of poor health, came to live in Maindee. He was persuaded to form a church, which originally met in his house in the Woodland / Crescent Road area. It soon outgrew this accommodation and was transferred to a room behind premises in Albert Avenue, just below Crown Street. In 1863 the site for the new chapel was obtained; formerly it had been the orchard of Fair Oak Farm. The new Summerhill Baptist Chapel was ready for opening in June 1866. Additions and improvements were made in 1878, 1889, 1893 and 1907, the latter producing the exterior which is familiar today.

Undoubtedly the last quarter of the 19th century were years of religious expansion, the non-conformist denominations being particularly astute in developing centres of worship to serve new residential developments. However, some of these arose initially as a result of disagreement rather than the pressing need to evangelise a new area. Such a foundation was Duckpool Road Baptist Chapel, whose origins were in a dispute between the minister of Summerhill Baptist Church, Rev. George Hudgell, and a number of the congregation there. In 1875, Hudgell and around 50 members left Summerhill and formed a separate church. Initially they met in a room over a corner shop in Maindee. Before this church had a real chance to establish itself, the minister left them and they were on the point of returning to Summerhill when they heard of Thomas Alfred Jones, an untrained 19 year old from Llandenny, near Raglan, who had acquired a reputation for zeal and brilliance in preaching. He took over the congregation in Maindee and, within a year, the premises were so overcrowded that a move became imperative. At first they "made do" with a tent pitched in Livingstone Street (now Livingstone Place), but were soon negotiating the purchase and conversion of three houses in Duckpool Road into a Gospel Hall. This happened in 1878; just eight years later the congregation had grown to 215 members and the Sunday School to 470 members and a new building was necessary. Rev. Jones, incidentally, was the father of a very well-known Newport character, Stanley Jones, whose music and book shops at the end of Newport Arcade are legendary amongst the musical fraternity of the town! Additions to the chapel were made in 1924 and, in 1991, a new Christian Centre was opened as an annexe to the building.

Christchurch and St John  www.newportchurches.com/Hist.html