Noel Hudson

Who was Noel Hudson?

Noel Baring Hudson DSO MC was an Anglican bishop serving at Labuan and Sarawak, St Albans, Newcastle and Ely.

Hudson was the sixth son of the Reverend Thomas Hudson and his wife Alethea Matheson. He was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford, where his father had been headmaster. His maternal grandmother, Alethea Hayter, was the sister of Henry Heylyn Hayter and Harrison Hayter who married Charles Matheson of the Clergy Orphan School where his father had also taught. Hudson went on to Christ's College Cambridge where he was Tancred Student. In 1914, on the outbreak of World War I, he joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment and was a lieutenant colonel commanding the 8th Royal Berkshires by the age of 23. He gained the reputation for outstanding courage and ability and was wounded 15 times. Later in the war he was raised to the rank of brigadier-in-the-field. His injuries put an end to an outstanding rugby career. He and his brothers played for Harlequins, of which he was at one time captain.

At the end of the war, Hudson went to Westcott House, Cambridge and in 1921 and began his ordained ministry in the parish of Christ Church, Leeds. In 1922 he became vicar of the same parish. After four years in Leeds he was appointed to St John the Baptist's Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1931, at the age of 39, he became Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak for seven years. In 1938 he was recalled to become secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. In 1939 he became an honorary canon and an assistant bishop in the Diocese of St Albans and was also Select Preacher in Cambridge. On 2 October 1941 he was nominated and on 19 October confirmed Bishop of Newcastle for nearly 16 years. On 18 January 1957 he became Bishop of Ely until 1963.