The Venerable George Hodson,
Archdeacon of Stafford

Obituary of Eminent Persons

THE Rev. George Hodson, M.A., late Archdeacon of Stafford, Canon Resi­dentiary of Lichfield, and Vicar of St. Mary's, in that city, was the youngest son of — Hudson, Esq., of Carlisle. At the usual age he entered at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he greatly distinguished himself, graduating in 1810 as seventh wrangler, and obtaining in the same year the second gold medal. Upon taking his degree he was elected a Fellow of Magdalen, of which College he subsequently became tutor. After his marriage he was associated for a short time with his friend, the Rev. James Hensman, in the discharge of clerical duties at Clifton, when he came under the notice of Bishop Ryder (then Bishop of Gloucester), who appointed him his examining chaplain. For several years he held the Incumbency of Christ, Church, Birmingham, his ministry being most acceptable and successful; and in 1828 he became, in succession, Vicar of Colwich, Canon of Lichfield; and Archdeacon of Stafford. In 1851, for the more enlarged and efficient dis­charge of his clerical duties, he exchanged, at a pecuniary sacrifice, the Vicarage of Colwich for that of St. Mary's, Lichfield, rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. J. Lonsdale. This was the scene of his final labours. Having just concluded a visitation of his large archdeaconry, having gone from house to house through the whole of his important parish, having addressed his people for the last time (as if with unconscious presentiment) from the solemn words of St. Paul, "I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith;" he left England with his two youngest daughters for a short period of relaxation in Northern Italy and the Tyrol. Here, at Riva, on the Lago di Gorda, he was seized with malignant cholera, and in eight hours, on Sunday, August 12th, he died at the age of sixty-eight years. His body was interred in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Riva.