This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Hudson, Arthur played for England Internationals: 8 : 1906 W- (1t) I- F+ (4t) ; 1908 F+ W- I+ (2t) S- ; 1910 (2t) Arthur Hudson was born on 27 October 1882 in Gloucestershire Played as a Wing and Centre for: Gloucester, RN Depot Devonport, RN Depot Harwich, Combined Services, Gloucestershire Profession: Midland Railway official/Sports outfitter War service: Royal Navy – possibly submarines Remarks: He first played Association Football for City Albion in Gloucester but switched to Rugby in 1904, when he played a season in Gloucester’s 2nd XV. After that he then played as a Wing or Centre for the 1st XV until retirement. He captained Gloucester in 1908-1909, 1909-1910, 1910-1911 and 1911-1912. He was not originally selected v France in 1906, when he scored 4 tries. 41 tries for Gloucester in 1905-1906. Played for Combined Services v a New Zealand Army XV. He retired after he broke his collar bone when Gloucestershire won the County Championship by defeating Yorkshire in 1920. Secretary of Gloucester RFC for 40 years. When working for Midland Railway he captained their football and cricket teams; he also played tennis. He died on 27 July 1973.
Arthur's son, Gordon, captained Gloucester for three seasons and also played for England in War Time internationals. Although he never won a cap, he matched his father's achievement of scoring four tries in one match for England. Thsi is hoe the Gloucester website records the father/son achievements: Kingsholm was the venue for several of the wartime services internationals. Gordon Hudson, son of the revered Arthur, featured in the England versus Wales on 20 March 1943. Gordon was serving as a corporal in the Royal Air Force, and played in further services internationals against Wales and Scotland. He was unlucky that he reached a peak in the war period, or he may have emulated his father, Arthur and gained full recognition. Gordon Hudson once scored four tries for England in a war-time international, which was a record. Thus, emulating his father, Arthur’s proud record of scoring four tries in an England shirt. Arthur had scored his four tries in England’s 35 points to 8 victory at Parc de Princes versus France on 22 March 1906. No family can boast of such a record – father and son scoring four tries playing for England! The Hudson family still serve the club, John; the grandson of Arthur is the Club Shop manager.
Dare I remark that it's rather difficult to imagine the entire England team scoring four tries in a match - let alone an individual player doing so! Gareth
This is from the Gloucester Rugby Heritage site ARTHUR HUDSON Arthur Hudson was born on 27th October 1882, and first found employment as a clerk for the Midland Railway. He grew up as a soccer player, and indeed his first matches at Kingsholm were for the City Albion club on what is now the car park. In 1902 he switched to rugby, had one season playing for the United team, and then became a regular in the first team as either wing or centre, although it was as a wing that he was to hit the heights. He played in 260 matches for Gloucester, and scored 236 tries (including a record 41 tries in the 1905-6 season). He captained the club for 5 seasons from 1908 to 1913. Arthur also made 28 appearances for Gloucestershire, captained the county, and won the county championship in 1920. Contemporary reports speak of Arthur being the hardest man to tackle, tearing down the wing with his knees coming up so high that anyone not catching him just right was knocked flying. Arthur himself is quoted as saying that he told his centre to hold the ball, until Arthur suddenly shouted “Now” – the pass would be made and Arthur would be racing away to the line. His talents as one of the most dangerous wing threequarters in the country were duly recognised by England, and he won 8 England caps, ending on the winning and losing side 4 times each. For England, he scored 9 tries (27 points). His internationals were: 13 Jan 1906 v Wales at Richmond – 1 try 10 Feb 1906 v Ireland at Leicester 22 Mar 1906 v France at Parc des Princes – 4 tries 1 Jan 1908 v France at Stade Colombes 18 Jan 1908 v Wales at Bristol 8 Feb 1908 v Ireland at Richmond – 2 tries 21 Mar 1908 v Scotland at Inverleith 3 Mar 1910 v France at Parc des Princes – 2 tries Boosted by Arthur’s 4 tries, England won the match 35-8 against France in 1906 – this match was also notable for the appearance of James “Darkie” Peters, the first black player to represent England, and for the French wing, Emile Lesieur, who scored a try and 2 months later equalled the world 100m record of 10.8 secs. A distinguished playing career was interrupted by WW1, when Arthur joined the RN and served on submarines – when ashore he played rugby for Devonport Services, the Navy and the Combined Services. Arthur became the secretary of the club in 1920, when he retired from playing, having broken his collar bone playing against Yorkshire in the county championship final. He remained an officer of the club right through to the late 1950s, thereafter continuing as a life member and vice-president, and assuming the mantle of “the Grand Old Man of Gloucester Rugby”. It was claimed that he did more for Gloucester rugby than any man. He also served on the county committee, and changed his employment, starting up a sports outfitters shop, which flourishes to this day, and remains closely linked to the club. Other sporting interests were athletics and tennis – he was secretary of the Gloucester Athletic Club, and he ran 20 tennis courts on his land at the Chestnuts, Escourt Road. He died on 27th July 1973, aged 90, unfortunately just before the centenary celebrations of the club. Perhaps the final word should be left to Dai Gent, rugby correspondent of the Sunday Times, who played with Arthur for Gloucester, Gloucestershire and England – he wrote of Arthur as “a wing who has thrilled me – a splendid example of a man using his excellent physique to the best advantage, without too much finesse”. From The Citizen, Friday 27 July 1973 ARTHUR HUDSON, GLO’STER’S “MR RUGBY” DIES The City Albion footballer who changed codes to become a legend in Gloucester Rugby circles, Mr. Arthur Hudson, died this morning, aged 90. Although ill-health has kept him out of circulation and away from the Kingsholm “scene” for the past five years, his death follows a short illness and a spell in hospital. Playing soccer for City Albion when they used a pitch sited where the existing Kingsholm car park is now laid he was introduced to the neighbouring rugby club in 1904 by Mr. Alf Kiddle and from that moment rugby became his life. After a season in the United he gained his first team place as either a wing threequarter or centre and skippered the Gloucester club from 1906 to 1908. During this spell he won his County Cap and played nine times for England. After service in submarines during the First World War his playing career continued until 1922 when a broken collarbone against Yorkshire in the County Championship final took him into retirement. This retirement opened an administrative door that was to span three decades. He was general secretary of the Gloucester club for 35 years until the late fifties and the years before the war he also combined the duties of treasurer and fixture secretary. Also a member of the County committee, Mr. Hudson had, since retiring from the secretary’s position continued as a life member and a life vice-president. Rugby however took only part of his active and industrious life. His sporting interests varied and while a clerk with the Midland Railway he captained the soccer and cricket sections and was secretary of the Gloucester Athletic Club in the 20’s when they held regular events at The Spa that were of nationwide interest. While with the Athletic club he took them financially from the red into the black and spearheaded one of the most successful athletic clubs in the country. Tennis too found a space. Until the war he ran 20 public tennis courts on his land at The Chestnuts in Escourt-rd. – his lifetime home. When the war came he was forced to dispense with the courts due to a shortage of labour. Immediately after the war he personally nursed the baby that was to become the Memorial Ground, a permanent reminder of the rugby players who were killed in action, and until his death he was a trustee. Well respected in business circles Mr. Hudson, originally a clerk with the railway developed one of Gloucester’s leading sports outfitters businesses on the present Northgate-st. site and was a member of the Rotary Club. The death of Mr. Hudson who is survived by his wife Ellen Mary, son Gordon, present chairman of the Gloucester club, and daughter Gwen, comes just five weeks before Gloucester, for whom he did so much and who he loved so greatly, celebrate their centenary. A centenary in which Arthur Hudson played such a vital and loyal role.
