Hugo Bedford’s Hudson and Campbell Industries memories

The article 100 Years of Hudson in the December/January 2012 of Classic Driver, Issue #40, brought back fond memories and inspired me to trawl through some of my archives and pull out a couple of photographs that might be of interest.

Both were taken by Barry Mackay, an industrial photographer, based in Sandringham at the time, who regularly took photos for Campbell Motors.

Campbell Motors obtained the Hudson franchise in around 1951 but did not bring in any vehicles until 195455. On a visit to Hudson in Detroit in June 1954 we, my father – the late V.C. Bedford and I, ordered the first cars, 42 Hudson Jets. While we were there Hudson and Nash combined to form the American Motor Corporation and from 1955 the Jet was discontinued and from then on we had the Rambler. The larger and more expensive model Hudson’s the Hornet and Wasp, were produced for a limited period after 1954. These models were the only truly eight-seater cars I have ever known with the enormously wide bench seats and cavities in the doors to provide extra space. It is 58 years ago but from my memory Campbell Motors imported only one of the Hornet’s which as noted in your article went to Frank’s Motors in Gisborne, and three Wasps one of which was sold to Keith Nichols, a friend of my father’s, who lived at Te Kopuru.

The first photograph is of course 438 Queen St, now home to Real Groovy, in about 1952. Campbell Motors at the time was selling, as advertised on the building, Hudson, Peugeot, Fiat, Graymarine (and also Willys). Parked in front of the building from right to left are, a Peugeot 403, a Fiat 600, a two-tone Peugeot 203 and an aberrant Morris Oxford Ute!

The second photo is more specifically to do with Hudson. It is inside the Queen St showroom at the end of 1954 when the first Hudson’s arrived and were being introduced to various dealers. There are three Hudson Jets and the Hudson Wasp that was sold to Keith Nichols. Various people in the photograph, although not that clear, include: third in from the far left, Cyril Franks (Gisborne dealer), next to him on the right, Sid Faulkner (Napier dealer), then Les MaCarthy (Campbell salesman), Hugo Bedford (Campbell salesman), and against the rear wall on the left, Harry Turnbull