Background
Donaldson-Hudson was born as Donaldson, the son of John Donaldson of Wigton Cumberland, and his wife Catherine Halliley, daughter of Anthony Halliley.
Donaldson-Hudson was born as Donaldson, the son of John Donaldson of Wigton Cumberland, and his wife Catherine Halliley, daughter of Anthony Halliley.
He was educated at Merton College, Oxford and after the death of his uncle Thomas Hudson in 1852 assumed the additional surname Hudson by Royal Licence in 1862, as his uncle had no issue.
In 1876 Donaldson-Hudson had built Cheswardine Hall designed by John Macvicar Anderson. He later gave generously to the rebuilding of the church of Street Swithun. In August 1878 Donaldson-Hudson stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at a by-election for Newcastle-under-Lyme.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1880.
He held the seat until 1885, when the borough was reduced to one seat under Redistribution of Seats Acting and he did not stand again. He suffered a serious injury to his head whilst out hunting in North Shropshire, and this effectively brought his Parliamentary career to an education
Donaldson-Hudson died at the age of 53. Donaldson-Hudson married Sara Marie Streatfeild, daughter of Major Sidney Streatfeild in 1870.
22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
He was a Justice of the Peace for Shropshire and Staffordshire and in 1876 was elected a member of the London School Board. At the 1880 general election he was elected as one of the two Members of Parliament (MPs) for Newcastle-under-Lyme.