S.E. Hudson

(17*-18*) Civil servant, playwright, painter and diarist. A good source on Cape Town social life and theatre.

Biography

Born Samuel Eusebius Hudson as the eldest son of Samuel and Lidia Hudson, at Coleshill, Warwickshire, England on the 10th January 1764.

Accompanied Sir Andrew and Lady Anne Barnard to Cape Town in 1797, as agent and personal attendant to Barnard. He remained in Barnard’s employ until 1798, when he became first clerk in the Department of Customs, Cape Town (1798-1800).

Inveterate diarist (he has been called the Samuel Pepys of Cape Town) and, according to F.C.L. Bosman (1928: p. 108) a gloomy person who saw only the negative in the world, he provided a detailed eye-witness account of Sir George Yonge’s governorship (whom he supported) and the sensational events of Lord Charles Somerset’s later years, as seen by a man in his position.

He continued to reside at the Cape after it had been handed over to the Batavian Republic in 1803. As they were without official employment he and his brother, Thomas Hudson, opened a boarding establishment.

During the Napoleonic wars Hudson had visited England and on his return in August 1814 began to devote himself to art. Thus his remaining years were spent in Cape Town, except for a brief residence at Uitenhage, drawing, painting and making popular copies in oils of the masterpieces of the Dutch artists Jan Steen, Hobbema and Van der Velde. He also conducted day and evening schools, and was employed by William Beddy to teach art at his Feinaiglian School in the Heerengracht (later Adderley Street).

The threat of insolvency clouded his last years. He died at Cape Town on the 2nd September 1828.

His contribution to South African theatre

During his time in the Cape he appears to have involved himself in amateur dramatics. For example he wrote a scenario for a comic opera entitled He Who'd Be A Governor (also known as The New Opera), lampooning the officials at the Cape who were at odds with Sir George Yonge (notably General Francis Dundas). (Published 1861?*)

He was also a signee of the original proposal for a "Private Theatre" in Cape Town and later a member of the managing Commission for the African Theatre in Cape Town, a position to which he was appointed by Sir George Yonge when the Governor granted the land for the proposed theatre.