Researching Richard Hodgson

Hodgson began his career as a trainee with Nottingham Forest, turning professional in October 1996. He was released in March 2000, having failed to break into the first team, and joined Scunthorpe United on non-contract terms. His league debut came on 11 March 2000 in Scunthorpe's 3–0 defeat at home to Cambridge United. However, Hodgson was replaced by Wayne Graves at half-time and did not feature for Scunthorpe again.

In August 2000 Hodgson joined Darlington, making over 100 first team appearances before joining Farnborough Town on a free transfer in August 2003. He had a two-day trial with Bristol Rovers in December 2003. He moved to Stevenage Borough in March 2004, but struggled to establish himself. He joined Forest Green Rovers on loan in August 2004 and in October 2004 moved to Crawley Town. However he was with Crawley for only 48 hours before moving to League Two side Cambridge United on a free transfer. He left Cambridge in January 2005 and played in Malaysia for Pahang.

In June 2005, Hodgson re-joined Crawley Town. Later that year he joined Carshalton Athletic, moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in December 2005 until his release at the end of the season.

He subsequently returned to Farnborough, but when work commitments led to a move back to his native north-east, he joined Blyth Spartans in March 2007.

He moved to Sunderland Nissan early in the 2007–08 season.

He signed for Whitley Bay FC for the 2008/10 season

Educated at Lewes, Hodgson worked for some years at a banking-house in Lombard Street. In 1834 he joined Boys & Graves to form Hodgson, Boys & Graves. In 1836 he formed with Henry Graves the publishing company Hodgson & Graves. In 1839 their company founded The Art Journal. In 1841 Hodgson retired from publishing to work on daguerrotypy. In the late 1840s he created the Hawkwood estate. After a number of years of achieving considerable success in daguerrotypy, he worked on telescopic and microscopic observations.

According to his obituary in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society:

The geomagnetic storm they observed is now known as the Carrington Event, which spurred the study of space weather.Hodgson was made in 1848 a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and in 1849 a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society.

Hodgson was born in Manchester in Lancashire on 9 March 1845, the second son of Edward Hodgson. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1867. With a mathematical training he joined the staff of The King's School, Canterbury in 1867, later becoming second master from 1871–79 and the first Head master of the newly established King's Junior School from 1879 to 1908. He resigned from the Junior King's School in 1908 and was appointed Six Preacher at Canterbury Cathedral and was a member of the Cathedral Foundation for 60 years. Hodgson's Hall at King's School is named after him.

Hodgson was an all-round athlete who was over six feet tall and was described in his Wisden obituary as a "good average batsman". He played in three first-class matches for Kent, although without any real success, but played cricket regularly and scored 245 not out for the St. Lawrence Club in 1888. He was a member of the Kent Committee.

Hodgson had married Mary Latter in 1880. He died at his home in Canterbury on 1 November 1931 aged 87. His funeral took place in the Cathedral at Canterbury.