George Hudson George Hudson George Hudson (probably 10 March 1800 – 14 December 1871) was an English railway financier and politician who, because he controlled a significant part of the railway network in the 1840s, became known as "The Railway King" – a title conferred on him by Sydney Smith in 1844. Hudson played a significant role in linking London to Edinburgh by rail, carrying out the first major merging of railway companies (the Midland Railway), developing his hometown of York into a major railway junction, and represented Sunderland in the House of Commons. Hudson's success was built on dubious financial practices
George Gipps (MP for Canterbury) George Gipps (MP for Canterbury) George Gipps (c. 1728-13 February 1800) was an English apothecary, hop merchant, banker and politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain between 1780 and 1796. Gipps was the son of John Gipps, a staymaker of Ashford, and his wife Sarah Flint. He began as an apothecary at Canterbury but later became a hop merchant. Gipps was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Canterbury in 1780 and held the seat to 1796. By 1790 he had given up the hop trade to become a banker in the firm Gipps, Simmons and Gipps