Corp. Adam R. Hudson, Cape Fortress Engineers is a member listed in the Lodge Temperance 2557 hand written ROH on the last page of the minute book.

The Cape Fortress Engineers were based in Cape Town, South Africa and were a highly specialised unit that was formed shortly before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to relieve Imperial troops occupied on Sapper tasks in the fixed defences of the Cape Peninsula. They existed throughout the war and were basically under the control of the Royal Engineers both in employment and training and later became the Fortress Engineer and Signals Section of the Permanent South African Force Engineer Corps.

Little is known about Adam’s time in South Africa. He left England on the “Medic” of the White Star Line departing Liverpool on the 8th February 1912 bound for Cape Town, South Africa. The passenger list records that he is 23 and an Electrician. There is also a record for a Mr. A. R. Hudson who is a 31 year old “Soldier”, returning to Plymouth on the 26th April 1919 onboard the “Briton” of the Union Castle Line from Cape Town. This could well be Adam. There is no service or pension record or WW1 Medal Roll for Adam, which might be expected if he joined up in South Africa.

Adam Robert Hudson was the son of John and Susannah Jordan Hudson (nee Stoker). They were married in in 1883 and had at least four children, including:
•William (b 1884)
•John Stoker (b 1887)
•Adam Robert (b 1888)
•Margaret Jane Jordan (1891)

It’s unknown if Adam married and had children. He was born in Bedlington, Northumberland and in the census taken in April 1911 was working as an electrician, and boarding with the Parkin family in Pelaw on Tyne, Co. Durham. His parents were living at Glenlyon House in Bedlington.

Adam was a Freemason and member of Lodge Temperance 2557 which at the time met at the Royal Assembly Rooms in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Adam was proposed at the regular Lodge Temperance meeting of Mon 20th March 1911 by W. Douglas and seconded by A. Gourley as a fit and proper person to be a Freemason. A succesful ballot was held on the 17th April. He was recorded as a 23 year old Electrical Engineer residing at Glenlyon House, Bedlington. He was initiated into the Mysteries and Privileges of Ancient Freemasonry on the 19th June and passed to the second or Fellow Craft degree on the 21st August being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason on the 18th September. He signed and received his Grand Lodge certificate in open Lodge on the 20th November 1911.

He is remembered in Newcastle on the Roll of Honour 1914-18 Lodge Temperance 2557 NUT254