Charles Studholme Hodgson papers, 1885-1945

MLMSS 10256

fonds

1885-1945

Graphic Materials, Textual Records

9639804

0.16 metres of textual and graphic material, (1 box)

Charles Studholme Hodgson was born in Melbourne in 1873. His family moved to New Zealand for a few years in 1876 before settling in Sydney in about 1879. In 1892, when Charles was 19, he visited Melbourne and stayed with his aunt Caroline Hodgson (1851-1908) at her brothel. Better known as ‘Madame Brussels’, she ran brothels in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne for 33 years. She was the most celebrated madam of her day and has become an icon of Melbourne’s racy past. Charles returned to Sydney in 1892 and it is thought that he spent at least some of his time working in the drapery department of Anthony Hordern’s. Like his aunt he had an avid interest in music and theatre. He died about 1950.
References: Library correspondence file

By descent. Donor is the great nephew of Charles Hodgson

11 bound pocket diaries, 1914, December 1930-January 1942

1 ledger, listing the many plays Hodgson saw in Sydney from 1885 to 1916, also noting ticket prices. In 1896, for instance, he saw 32 plays. There are separate cast lists and the plays are also listed under the theatre where they were performed. The ledger also includes movie dates from 1930-1945 and contains title, date, theatre, name of the star and his opinion of the movie. A separate list is arranged under each star and lists the movies they starred in. In 1930 he saw an extraordinary 127 movies and this pattern continued for the next 12 years.

4 portrait photographic prints, one of which is identified as Charles Hodgson. The other two are unidentified but also appear to portray him. Another photograph depicts a funeral at South Head cemetery in 1922. Elizabeth Jane OBrien Hodgson, sister of Caroline 'Madam Brussels' is identified 5th from the left.

A signed ‘Souvenir’ photograph of the actress Billie Barlow which was received by Hodgson at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 17 June 1892 and is annotated by him on the back.

Scrapbook of news cuttings which appears to have been compiled by Hodgson during the 1920s and 1930s. The subject matter is very idiosyncratic, and while many cuttings relate to the theatre and movies others suggests that Hodgson had additional interests including horseracing and cricket.