Memorable Manitobans: Clifford Ross “Cliff” Hudson (1895-1960)

Curler.

Born at Kenora, Ontario on 15 July 1895 to Frederick Albert Hudson (1863-1932) and Estella May Fleming (1869-1931), brother of Gordon Milford Hudson, he came to Winnipeg in 1913. He worked for the Winnipeg Tribune for more than twenty years, becoming Office Manager in 1937 and Circulation Director by 1940. Around 1943, he left the newspaper to work for the Unemployment Insurance Commission and he was with them for 17 years. He was planning to retire when he passed away.

During the First World War, he enlisted on 11 March 1916, signing up with the 221st (Bull Dogs) Battalion. In January 1917, he was appointed Acting Sergeant and his unit headed overseas that spring. Over the next two and a half months he served with the 11th Reserve Battalion and the Manitoba Regiment Depot. On 21 July he was attached to the London headquarters of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada and, in mid-September, he was transferred to the Canadian Army Pay Corps. He served in London for the next two years. He was appointed Acting Sergeant (Clerk) in September 1918, returning to Canada in October 1919.

An active curler, he won bonspiels through the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, including 27 straight wins in the 1923 Manitoba Bonspiel. He won 19 of his 23 trophies in the MCA Bonspiel playing front end for his brother Gordon. The Hudson brothers played together up to 1927 and then again for three years, from 1931 to 1934. The total included three MCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregate Trophies in 1914, 1922, and 1923. They also won six main event trophies. Included in their success was a Men’s City Championship in 1921. He also won a fourth MCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregate playing for Robert John Gourley (1878-1976) in 1941.

He also made a contribution on the administrative side of the game, serving as President of the Strathcona Curling Club (1928-1929) and Manitoba Curling Association (1942-1943). He was named an Honourary Life Member of the MCA in 1949. He was also an Honourary Life Member of the Kenora Curling Club and Strathcona Curling Club.

On 25 February 1922, he married Marion Vine Samson (1891-1959) at Winnipeg and they had one child. He was a member of the St. Stephen’s Broadway United Church and a President of the Winnipeg Lions Club.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 746 Crescent Drive, on 20 May 1960 and was buried in the Thomson “In The Park” Cemetery. He was inducted posthumously into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame (2007).

Sources:

“Top curler, C. R. Hudson dies at 64,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 May 1960, page 18. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B12, page 17]

Clifford Ross Hudson, Kenora Great War Project.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Rick Mutton.

Page revised: 14 November 2022

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!