Scroll through the pictures above to see more about the Hudson history.

The iconic Wycombe name Frank Hudson has appeared in the pages of the Bucks Free Press on many occasions for nearly 100 years, most recently in the news section of this week’s newspaper.

Whilst older readers will no doubt be familiar with this name, younger readers may wonder - who was this Frank Hudson?

Frank was the son of Francis William Hudson and his wife Caroline. Francis was a chair polisher who worked for over 60 years for Nichols & Janes, becoming foreman of the French Polishing department. 

In 1917 Frank, then aged 13, secured a four-year apprenticeship with a famous Italian woodcarver called Tullio Caine, who moved to England, eventually living in Wycombe. Under Caine’s expert tutelage Frank not only learnt his skills as a woodcarver, but was also taught to value those skills and the quality of the workmanship.

After completing his apprenticeship early in 1921 Frank continued to work with Tulio Caine until about 1924, when he decided to set up his own business. That year he also married Ellen Barlow, and the couple went on to have seven children.

Frank’s workshop was in Kitchener Road and he concentrated on specialist woodcarving for the many furniture manufacturers in Wycombe at that time.

Initially the business was successful and Frank employed a couple of other men. But the recession in the early 1930s hit hard and Frank was obliged to leave Wycombe in search of employment.

He moved to Banbury to work for a company called Stones which produced furniture in an unpretentious style based on the Arts and Craft movement.

By 1938 Frank had moved back to Wycombe. He established a workshop at the rear of Caleb Bridger’s Boot & Shoe shop at No. 83 Easton Street.

This was on the south side of Easton Street, near where the Law Courts are now. Part of the building still exists. The family lived at No.16 Easton Street, across the street more or less opposite to No. 83.

This dwelling had together with No.17 originally been one substantial residence whose construction dated back to the 16th century.

During WWII Frank was obliged to turn his hand to work in support of the war effort. Initially he became an ‘aircraft rigger’ at the White Waltham airfield near Maidenhead. He then moved to Booker to be in charge of Night Flying, and was given the temporary rank of Wing Commander.

Frank’s woodcarving business really prospered after WWII. Bomb-damaged buildings such as churches and the livery companies in the City of London, and their monuments, needed expert restoration.

The Hudson business in Easton Street expanded eventually employing 14 woodcarvers. 

His son Rex was now studying Furniture Design at the Technical & Arts School in Wycombe. At lunchtimes and in the evenings Rex sketched the designs for clients, and also helped out in all sorts of other ways in the factory.

After National Service for two years in the RAF Rex joined his father full-time to introduce a strong design element into the business.

The business started to manufacture their own reproduction furniture. Chinese Chippendale chairs and gilt tables with a gold leaf finish were among the numerous articles produced.

Very large contracts were received, for example to furnish the Sheraton Hotel in Knightsbridge and the House of Lords Chamber in the Houses of Parliament.

In the early months of 1954 Rex married Margorie Mellor and they had six children; two sons, Tim who was born in 1956 and James in 1966, and four daughters.

Also in 1954 Frank and Rex decided that they should formalise the business and the company Frank Hudson & Son Ltd was incorporated later that year.

In High Wycombe the name Frank Hudson is perhaps best remembered in connection with the Red Lion statue in the High Street.

In 1956 the firm were commissioned by the then owners of the hotel, the Mogford family, to carve a new statue to replace the existing one which was in a poor state.

The new statue was said to be “taller, bolder, with more swagger than its predecessor”.

Probably Frank’s proudest moment was when he was invited by the Borough of High Wycombe to make a casket to present to the Queen to commemorate her visit to the town on April 6, 1962.

This was designed by his son Rex and carved by Frank. When the Queen was signing the commemorative book and other documents she sat in the chair at the desk which Frank had made for his wife Nellie in the early 1940s.

In the mid-1960s Wycombe Borough Council redeveloped the Easton Street area, so Frank had to acquire not only new premises for his expanding company, but somewhere for his family to live. 

He purchased factory premises in Rosebery Ave, in the Pinions area to the east of the town, and the family moved to West Wycombe. Here they lived in the premises which became known as the Apple Orchard in the High Street.

Frank was now the chairman of the company and concentrated on the selling side of the business, with Rex as Managing Director responsible for the day-to-day operations. 

The company experienced difficult times in the 1970s as furniture fashions changed. The design simplicity of Danish manufacturers became dominant, meaning that Hudson’s were often short of work on the decorative side.

Frank never actually retired, continuing to carve and appear at the factory until he died on April 10, 1986.

In his obituary the Bucks Free Press said: “From small beginnings as a 13 year old apprentice he went on to become one of the country’s most skilled craftsman.”

A few years before Frank’s death the third generation Hudson’s had begun to become involved in the business. 

The first to be employed in company was Rex’s eldest son Tim, then James, and finally Tom, half-brother to Tim and James.

In the 1990’s the company began to develop its own brand of furniture, in order to have a degree of exclusivity in the products they were offering. 

Their Disraeli range, reproduction furniture in English oak, was an example. The first major client for the Hudson brand was Harrods.

It was then decided to transfer the manufacture of the furniture overseas. The policy was to produce the designs in-house and then to have the basic items of chairs and furniture manufactured in Indonesia.

The real added value came when these basic items were polished and upholstered back in the Hudson factory.

In 2005 a separate import company Frank Hudson Ltd was established to handle the considerable logistical work involved in that aspect of the business.

But the fundamental nature of the furniture business was continuing to evolve, so that many clients were now seeking a complete solution to their home-furnishing requirements.

Tim and James had always been interested in decorative home accessories so discussions began with the home- interiors company Gallery Direct. 

Based in Sittingbourne in Kent, this was the leading British-based designer, manufacturer and worldwide distributor committed to offering the complete home furnishings solution. Gallery purchased Frank Hudson in May 2014. 

The High Wycombe operation in Rosebery Ave continued as Frank Hudson Outlet, allowing the public to view and purchase Frank Hudson and Gallery products. 

However due to reduced footfall the decision has been taken recently to close the showroom and continue to trade online at www.frankhudsonoutlet.co.uk .

Tim, James and Tom Hudson continue to play active and ongoing strategic roles within Gallery Direct which enhances the knowledge and expertise of the company.