From Freshers Week to lifelong friends: Brian Hudson, John Boult and David Walker returned to campus 60 years on to celebrate where it all began.
What began with shared ‘digs’ and a first physics lecture has become a lifelong bond – David, John and Brian – share their story of friendships, highlights from Reading and what it was like to revisit Whiteknights 60 years later.
The trio met during Freshers Week at the University of Reading. John shared: “It was 1965 and David and myself found ourselves sharing ‘digs’ in Caversham. The next day, at the introductory lecture for physics, we started talking to Brian. A three-way conversation which continues today, 60 years later.”
Brian, John and David have met up every year since, along with their wives – one of whom is also an alumna – at one of their homes.
But to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their friendship they decided that something a bit special was needed. Brian said:
“The University is the place where I grew as a person and provided the platform for a successful and rewarding life. It felt right that we returned to Reading to mark 60 years of our friendship.”
Reading in the 1960’s
Brian shared his memories of Reading in the 1960’s, recalling how the newly opened Childs Hall and the music scene were stand-out moments for him.
He said: “In my first year I lived in digs near Cemetery Junction and then, along with many of my cohort, I moved into Childs Hall when it opened in September 1966 where I lived for my final two academic years.
“Moving into Childs Hall was a stand-out memory as it hugely improved our living conditions and made our time at Reading so much more enjoyable.
“I also vividly remember the bands, which mainly played in the Great Hall. I wish I had kept a list, but a real highlight was Traffic at the Vice-Chancellor’s Ball in 1968, for which I had been on the Social Committee that year. Childs Hall also had the first ‘rock’ formal with Long John Baldry’s band, whose keyboard player – though we didn’t know it at the time – was Elton John!”
Since graduating, Brian had a successful career in production technology and IT before retiring in 2002. Since then he has held numerous chair and trustee roles in the education, sport and learning disability sectors as well as neighbourhood planning. After 10 years in London, Brian and his wife have lived a happy life in Cirencester, with Reading remaining close to his heart. He shared: “My two sons also went to study at Reading – one studied IT and the other psychology.”
John shared that his career path took him to Harwell, English Electric, and GEC before pivoting into marketing. He then worked for multiple leading agencies in London before forming his own award-winning company, ProductFirst. He is now on the third branch of his career, working in professional development training and lecturing. He shared his stand-out memory from Reading: “The physics lectures stick with me today – they were demanding but I enjoyed them very much.
“Being at the University of Reading for three years were some of the best of my life – it was life-changing.”
David also reflected on his time at Reading: “Meeting people from so many backgrounds, places and interests that I would never have engaged with otherwise – that was the real value.”
Since graduating, David’s physics degree led him to a long career with Kodak. He initially worked in a laboratory testing pre-production prototypes, then moved on to work with Cautoulds on a new manufacturing facility. As part of this, he delivered presentations to staff, operators, unions and management, which went so well that he joined Kodak’s in-house training department. He started by delivering courses, eventually becoming the UK Training Manager and then manager of the EAMER Region where he delivered programs across Europe, Russia and Dubai.
Walking down memory lane
Eager to relive memories and reunite where their friendship began, Brian, John, David and their wives, met on Whiteknights Campus in September 2025.
Brian said: “The visit to the JJ Thomson building was a delight. We were able to visit one of the significantly upgraded lecture theatres and the room that housed the practical aspects of our course.
“It is a long-standing disappointment that the JJ Thomson building is no longer the University’s Physics Department. But it was inspiring to see it housing the Chemical Analysis Facility’s (CAF) Mass Spectrometry and Electron Microscopy equipment and, thus, still being used for cutting-edge scientific research.
“It was also wonderful to see the staff’s enthusiasm for their work. The CAF showcased exactly what universities should be about – it was terrific!”
David added: “Whiteknights did not seem to have changed much at all. Yes, there are more buildings, but it still felt like the campus we left 60 years ago. We even found the first-floor practical lab where we performed our experiments.”
After visiting the JJ Thomson building, the three reflected on how the campus had changed over the past 60 years.
John said: “In 60 years a lot had changed but it still felt like Reading. The Library, the old physics lecture theatres and labs of the JJ Thomson building, with even a theatre named after Professor Ditchburn. Plus, the enthusiasm from the staff who showed us around – it was wonderful to see this academic enthusiasm still going strong!
“I felt right at home again, like I could go straight to that lecture theatre and sit down to listen, and then maybe onto the Union Bar – but the old one!”
Brian added: “While there are many more buildings than there were 60 years ago – which wasn’t a surprise to me because my sons were at Reading in the 2000’s – the wonderful Whiteknights campus still had the same feel with the trees looking superb with their autumn colours.”
John agreed: “It’s brilliant to see that the University has developed but not to the detriment of the natural environment. The trees and lakes are still very evident and beautiful.”
David recalled highlights of their visit: “Reading town centre had changed out of all recognition, and driving to the station care park was bewildering. Before we left on Saturday, John and I found the house on The Mount where we shared a room on the day we met 60 years ago.
Unfortunately, the group were unable to fit in a visit to London Road, but Brian reflected on his memories from down the hill: “The Great Hall and the lawns held so many memories – both good, such as the fantastic gigs and graduation, and the less good such as exams!
“We did manage to take a look at the old entrance to St David’s Hall. This was a social space for people in digs and between St David’s Hall and the London Road campus was the Students’ Union with its small bar in the basement.
“We loved being back on campus – although we felt a bit envious of the young people lucky enough to be studying and enjoying life there at the moment!
We feel proud to call ourselves University of Reading alumni and we are so pleased that we held our 2025 reunion where it all started 60 years ago.”
David added: “I loved my university years. I was lucky enough to meet my now wife in my final year. It was very special to combine my 80th birthday with this milestone reunion.”
Are you interested in revisiting the University and connecting with fellow University of Reading graduates? Join us for our exclusive Alumni Activities at the Centenary Community Festival.
