Anthony Seldon

Sir Anthony Seldon
Born
Anthony Francis Seldon

(1953-08-02) 2 August 1953 (age 71)[1]
Stepney, London, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materWorcester College, Oxford (BA)
London School of Economics (PhD)
Polytechnic of Central London (MBA)
King's College London (PGCE)
Occupations
  • Head master
  • contemporary historian
  • commentator
  • political author
Known forMaster of Epsom College
Former master of Wellington College
Former vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham
Spouses
Joanna Pappworth
(m. 1982; died 2016)
Sarah Sayer
(m. 2022)
Children3
FatherArthur Seldon
Websiteanthonyseldon.co.uk

Sir Anthony Francis Seldon FRSA FRHistS FKC (born 2 August 1953)[1] is a British contemporary historian and educator. As an author, he is known for his political biographies of consecutive British Prime Ministers, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Seldon is the author or editor of more than 45 books on contemporary history, politics and education.

He has been headmaster of independent schools Wellington College, Epsom College and Brighton College.[2] In 2009, he set up The Wellington Academy, the first state school to carry the name of its founding independent school.[3] He was vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham from 2015 to 2020,[4] when he was succeeded by James Tooley.[5]

He was the co-founder and first director of the Centre for Contemporary British History, is the co-founder of Action for Happiness,[6] is a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company,[7] and is on the board of a number of charities and educational bodies.

He is honorary historical adviser to 10 Downing Street and a member of the First World War Centenary Culture Committee. Seldon was knighted in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to education and modern political history.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b "'SELDON, Anthony Francis', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press". Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2011.(subscription required)
  2. ^ "School Results". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Wellington College to run Academy". BBC website. 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Sir Anthony Seldon to leave the University of Buckingham". The Bucks Herald. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  5. ^ University of Buckingham honours its offers to students regardless of A-level grades, Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser, 19 August 2020
  6. ^ "Dr Anthony Seldon: Truly happy people are made, not born". The Independent. London. 13 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  7. ^ "RSC Annual Report 2011-12" (PDF). Royal Shakespeare Company. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  8. ^ "No. 60895". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2014. p. b2.
  9. ^ "John Dunford and Anthony Seldon among educationalists recognised in honours list". London. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.