HUDSON, Clarence Percival & NICOL, Elizabeth Ellen
Clarence Percival Hudson was born 13 September 1898 at Dunlop Station, Bourke, NSW to James Cottrell Hudson and Victoria Prudence nee Brennan. He was a qualified mechanic, and while his brothers remained in the Bourke district, he chose to move away from the area.
He married Emily May Lemon on 22 April 1925 in Cunnamulla, Queensland and they had a son Allan who died in 1926. The couple obtained a divorce and Clarence moved further north - to the Northern Territory.
Here he met Violet Biondi; they were married on 22 June 1939 at Anthony's Lagoon, NT, their union producing a son Raymond Charles born at Mt Isa, Qld. in 1943. Sadly Violet passed away. At this time James (Jim) Fowler and his wife Elizabeth nee Nicol were running the Rankin River Store. The families became good friends, with Elizabeth looking after young Ray (son of Clarence and his deceased wife Violet). Following the death of Elizabeth's husband Clarence and Elizabeth became closer and were married 22 Aug 1947 at Rankin River, NT.
Wedding Day - Clarence and Elizabeth
Photo courtesy J Blashek.
Elizabeth was known as 'The Queen of the Barkly" and Clarence, who was the mailman from Camooweal in Qld. (located on the Queensland-Northern Territory border, 330 kilometres south of Burketown, 188 kilometres from Mount Isa and 440 kilometres from the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory) to Borroloola in the NT and was known as 'the best mechanic on the Barkly' at that time.
They sold the Rankin store and moved to Alice Springs where they had 2 daughters. Clarence worked for a while at Arltunga, a mining region east of Alice Springs. He was also the mailman to Huckita Station area - did some mining in other areas, for different minerals etc.
Health problems for Clarence in 1954 prompted the family, on Doctor's orders, to relocate to a cooler climate. The moved to Port Lincoln, in South Australia. He was the kangaroo shooter in the Kingoonya area for many years - he made his own bullets using a machine he had built and also developed a new gun with a special telescopic sight, however no copyright was ever put on it.
In the late 1950's Clarence's ill health took the family, this time, to a warmer climate! They moved to Quorn in the Flinders Ranges in 1961, but sadly Clarence died on 20 March 1962. he is buried at Quorn, SA. His widow Elizabeth remained in Quorn, being very involved with the CWA (Country Women's Association) and the Anglican Church. She died on 29 August 1986 and is also buried in Quorn.
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