On Tuesday 2 November 2025, Pangbourne College marked the launch of Huddy: Four Schools and a Family, the richly detailed memoir of Anthony Hudson MBE MA, Headmaster from 1988 to 2000. Compiled and edited by his daughter, Nicky Beard, the book traces Anthony Hudson’s influential career across Marlborough House, Tonbridge, Radley, and ultimately Pangbourne.

The event drew a warm and enthusiastic crowd of family, friends, former pupils, and colleagues, each there to honour a leader whose vision helped reshape the College. Speeches were delivered by close friend of the Hudsdon family, Colonel David Hannah and former (first female) student Claire Morphy.

The Head, Oli Knight commended the reformative work of his predecessor, who led Pangbourne to become co-educational and who was responsible for the development of much of the school's key infrastructure, including The Falklands Islands Memorial Chapel. 

In his book Anthony Hudson reflects candidly on the uphill challenges he faced on arriving at the College - declining admissions, financial strain, and the urgent need for renewal:

“This is what it means to be Headmaster: within five minutes of arrival, I was facing two problems that would dominate my entire time at Pangbourne… A full school is the sine qua non of progress… By following some obscure leads, we had raised the numbers to 320. I was sure that within five years we could fill the school, and we did do just that.”

Colonel Hannah, a previous student of Anthony Hudson, who has worked for the UN and Ministry of Defence and is now the Chief of Staff for the British Defence Staff in France, praised the memoir for the transferability of its themes of leadership and its page-turning chapters about Pangbourne. Ms Morphy fondly remembered her time as the first female student at Pangbourne (1990-92), remarking that this early positive experience in choosing her own unique path helped her to forge her career as a vet, specialising in Camelids. 

In a fitting tribute, the Head announced that The Old Library, the venue for the celebration at Pangbourne College, will be renamed The Hudson Room in honour of the former Headmaster.

Proceeds from the evening supported the next Anthony Hudson Award, part of the College’s Transforming Futures bursary programme, which, working with the Royal National SpringBoard Foundation and the Local Authority,  offers fully funded Sixth Form places to young people in West Berkshire who would benefit most from a Pangbourne education.

Huddy: Four Schools and a Family is available to purchase here.  Proceeds from all Pangbourne College Huddy book sales will support the Anthony Hudson Award, part of our Transforming Futures bursary programme.