Ann Hudson

I met  Ann (i believe ) 18 years ago at the light centre in Belgravia .. she was a replacement at my pilates studio for a girl who went back to Australia .. a charming looking   lady was waiting for me  .. we hit it off immediately …except the working out  we had a lot in common for conversation .. talked about anything …theatre , music , movies she was so bright and well educated and sometimes very funny too we laughed a lot … it didn’t take long that the professional relationship turned into a friendship ( i felt comfortable in her presence ) we had dinner frequently then we  met somewhere had a bottle of wine and she started talking talking talking … her life has been an adventure .. when she was young she was rebellious had a love hate relationship with her mother and adored her father she left London to start a new life in South Africa .. she married and got 2 sons .. she spent a large part of her life in Capetown .. i think these were the years she was most happy .. but at her return to the UK she was happy in london too she asked me to help her find a flat to buy .. she preferred Battersea close to the park and public transport .. we have seen quite some flats often in the company of Matthew her son .. finally she fell for a groundfloor in a detached victorian villa .. she was over the moon .. like a young person who left home and got his / her first home .. she had often the enthousiasm of an adolescent ..however  she was not naive she knew life and their obstacles … she was a fighter too and didn’t take anything for granted .. if something was not right everyone should know about it . She was quite outspoken .. perhaps she was more dutch in her behaviour than the reserved english she was a classy creature i did adore her … and was sad when she told me she wanted to move ( for the time being ) to the middle east her son Tim was in a divorce and he needed some one to help him out .. i always thought she would come back after 2/3 years not realising she stayed away so long .. > She has sent me endless emails which i am starting to reread now … i often teased her if she had met an arabian prince or sheik so she could have the fairy tale life she dreamed about probably that was more my fantasy then hers .. Ann was quite down to earth .. she couldn’t tolerate bullshit behaviour … she had a big mouth but deep inside her she was a sweet girl a very special person and i do think she left too soon too unexpected .. > > René ♥️

The Lushes are ladies of whom Ann was one. We have memories to cherish now she is gone. Time spent together – or just keeping in touch Ann was great company And we’ll miss her so much. From various countries – including Spain, We’re mostly from England, but met in Bahrain. The US, Philippines, South Africa too – (a country we know meant a lot to you). We came to know you, over the years So your sudden passing left us in tears. None of us knows when our time will end But we’ll all carry with us the love of our friends. Like your sons and your grandsons, your sister too We’re all the richer for having known you. When we gather without you we’ll raise a glass And we know you’ll be with us, as in times past So our dear Ann – while you may be gone We want you to know that your memory lives on. Don’t know where, don’t know when But we WILL meet again So we bid you farewell, ma’salamah, till then.

I met Ann soon after I moved back to London from New York in 2007. My husband and I lived quite near to the Kensington High Street gym where Ann taught a weekly mat Pilates class. After several years of attending Ann’s classes pretty regularly, her students turned up one morning for our class to find the gym abruptly closed for good! The class was no more. Although I missed seeing Ann regularly I did not lose touch with her because of her devotion to keeping in touch with her friends and Pilates students through regular emails. Her writings contained updates on her family life, travels and much information about her interesting life. She was an extremely good and interesting communicator. She and I would have lunch or coffee periodically when she would find herself in London. I greatly enjoyed her company, her observations, charm and genuine warmth. Fast forward to last year when as a result of one of her emails she mentioned that she was back in London and starting a machine Pilates class at the Light Centre in Victoria. This called for another coffee morning after which we agreed that this time, her students would include my husband who had recently had to give up Pilates as his instructor had retired. Subsequently, Michael & I started regular weekly sessions with Ann which we both greatly enjoyed and benefitted from. It came as a terrible shock when suddenly she was gone. Right up to the end, she was strong and upbeat about everything even when she knew she would have to undergo some pretty intensive chemo. We never had that lunch which I was so looking forward to once she was in remission. I will miss her greatly both as a kind, funny, gregarious friend, and as a mentor. Be in peace, dearest Ann. I miss you.

Thank you for a deep and meaningful friendship over the last 40 plus years. You left me with so many wonderful memories from the great times in Kemms Road and Clifton beach in Cape Town all the way to Montague Square… in London.. we walked a long way together. Your memories live on.. rest in peace dearest Ann  Breyten. 

Ann and I were good friends. We met over 25 years ago. I never expected that we would be such good friends, as in many respects, we were opposites. But we loved and respected each other’s ways. In some ways, we were simpatico; having fun, devotion to family, financial responsibility and perhaps many more. Hamba Kahle Ann xxx

Ann Geraldine and I not only shared hours of wonderful Pilates classes but great lunches parties and fun. Her lovely flat in Battersea was so welcoming and stylish. She will be sorely missed. My deepest sympathy to the family.

You were Grannie Annie to my family from the moment we arrived at Misan Garden and I was delighted to find out you were a fellow pilates instructor, we had many conversations over our shared passion. You loved your boys and your grandsons and were so proud of their achievements. I will remember our Thursdays on the porch, you with your cider and me with my beer, happy days! You were a special person, tough but caring and I’m so glad I had the chance to know you. Rest in peace Grannie Annie.

I first met Ann at Holy Trinity in the early 2000s where she often read the lessons, I got to know her better on a fascinating tour of Syria, organised from the Church by Fr. Nadim Nassar and his sister Huda.Then Ann went off to the Middle East to be with one of her twin sons, who was working there. Last year she returned to London and Holy Trinity, resuming reading the lessons and enthusiastically taking part in the life of the Church. She began teaching Pilates again and I began taking one to one sessions with her. Ann was a marvellous teacher, very knowledgeable and conscientious. Our sessions welded our friendship. Ann was so kind and had a very wry sense of humour, we laughed a great deal. I gradually learnt of her illness as she relayed the results of various tests she was having. She was very brave as the results emerged. Then she was not up to continuing Pilates but kept me informed. The total shock of her very rapid decline shocking. However I think it was a blessing in the sense that her awful suffering was very brief. I grew to love Ann very much and deeply miss her unique presence. I offer my sincerest condolences to all her family that I know she completely loved and adored.

Hello there, I’m Tracey-anne, one of Ann’s therapist friends, we all worked together, I’m so sorry for your loss. She was the greatest lady, absolutely loved her to bits, I’m so terribly sorry for not being able to be there on the day but we didn’t know. Sending so much love to her family and her grandchildren , who she adored. Biggest hugs to you xx

My name is Gaby. Ann was a special and a very unique person. I worked with her at the Light Centre before she moved abroad. She loved classical music and I have many memories of waiting in a queue for the cheap £5 tickets to get into the Albert hall at PROMS.  Then sitting on the ground drinking wine and enjoying the music.  So many good times from doing her Pilates classes (she was an amazing teacher!) to going to watch ballet to being glued to our TV when she joined me and my husband to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics in 2012.  She was a life force…. I remember she got excited every year at Christmas when Starbucks got the Christmas themed coffee cups… for us it was a start of Christmas! I moved to Hong Kong 6 years ago and kept with her adventures with a regular emails from her. It’s my greatest sorrow I missed the latest one from her when she told us about her illness.  I never saw it and never told her how sorry I was. I flew back to London and dropped her an email asking her for lunch… and learned she passed away.  I am so sorry for your loss. I am honoured  I had a chance to know her.