J. F. Hodgson

John Frederick Hodgson (10 April 1867 – 1947) was a British socialist activist.

Born in York, Hodgson trained as a tailor, becoming a foreman cutter in clothing wholesale. He moved to Reading in the 1890s, joining the Social Democratic Federation, and then its successor, the British Socialist Party. He was part of the majority in the party which opposed World War I, and in 1918, he was elected to its executive.

The BSP affiliated to the Labour Party and Hodgson was unsuccessfully nominated for the party's National Executive Committee. He also became its Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Islington East, though he did not ultimately stand.

Hodgson married, had two children, and was widowed early in life. In 1898, he met Anne Holton, and the two began living together, although they did not marry. The two separated in 1921 after Hodgson began an affair, and he was fined £200 for breach of promise. This led him to leave the CPGB in 1922, change his name to Edwin Player, and become the manager of a clothing company.