Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hodgson, Christopher Pemberton
HODGSON, CHRISTOPHER PEMBERTON (1821–1865), traveller, emigrated to New South Wales in 1840, remained in Australia for five years, and accompanied several exploring expeditions into the interior. On his return to England he published ‘Reminiscences of Australia, with Hints on the Squatters' Life.’ After a short stay in England he travelled through Egypt and Abyssinia, made two journeys to Arabia, and visited Ceylon. On his return home he gave, in 1849, an account of his wanderings in a work entitled ‘El Udaivar.’ From 15 Oct. 1851 to 17 March 1855 Hodgson acted as unpaid vice-consul at Pau, where he was very popular, and interested himself in local history and antiquities. In 1855 he published ‘Pyrenaica; a History of the Viscounts of Béarn to the Death of Henry IV, with a Life of that Monarch.’ He subsequently was appointed vice-consul at Caen, where he remained for two years, and on 18 June 1859 became officiating consul at Nagasaki, Japan. In the October following he removed to Hakodate, where he had charge of French as well as English interests. He remained in Japan till March 1861, and on his return to England published ‘A Residence at Nagasaki and Hakodate in 1859–1861, with an Account of Japan generally,’ 1861. Hodgson thenceforth resided chiefly at Pau, where he died on 11 Oct. 1865.
Besides the works mentioned above Hodgson published a volume of verse entitled ‘The Wanderer and other Poems,’ in 1849.
[Foreign Office list for 1865; Gent. Mag. 1865; Hodgson's works passim; Brit. Mus. Cat.]