Presidents in Action

President’s Comments

Richard Llewellyn, back row, third from the left , MHS 2nd XI, 1965

With his Welsh credentials, it was not unsurprising that richard was brought up as a rugby fan and from the early age of seven, played sport at his Poole prep-school under the tuition of Mike Wheeler, who had won a sprint bronze medal at the Melbourne olympics.

Richard’s father Ken attended Mill Hill School in 1924, leaving in 1928 having been captain of the 1st XV rugby and senior monitor. Richard was brought up with the memorable names of Sobey, Spong, Howard, Hume, Auty and Lowther, all OMs whom had gained international recognition.

Richard arrived at Collinson in the spring of 1962. His academic record was not memorable, although, he does recall a form prize at one time! Sport was a driving force and he played for the 1st XV in the 1965/66 season and the cricket 2nd X1 for 3 years. In his last year he became a School Prefect and despite the attentions of Alun ProsserHarris and Paddy Gallagher he attained two reasonable A Levels which enabled him to take up solicitor’s articles in Poole in 1967. After qualification in the mid-1970s, he received a telephone call from Nigel Wray to join a OMRFC tour to Salles in France as the team was short of second rows. He accepted this invitation and stayed in London for the next 10 years. A temporary job was arranged by the club with Lilywhites for a few months under the watchful eye of Nat Garrett, a past president of the OMs club. A few months later he found employment at the city offices of Kenneth Brown Baker Baker and latterly at Elliot’s in Ealing.

He played rugby for OMRFC during that time and made lasting friendships with school contacts namely Andy Kenning, Mike Phillips, John Martin, John Gallagher and Richard Shaw which still survive to this day.

After 10 years he returned to Bournemouth to set up his own legal practice and eventually after 20 years of independence joined the legal practice of HLF whose Managing Partner was OM Simon Nightingale (64-69). He had played rugby for Bournemouth RFC prior to his departure to London and occasionally represented Dorset and Hampshire respectively in trial games when they were desperately short! In 1982 he became Hon Sec of BRFC for seven years and temporarily captained the 4th XV for a number of years before retiring at the age of 45. On his return to Bournemouth he joined the Bournemouth District Law Society where his father had been Hon Sec for 17 years and he supported various professional committees from time to time.

Apart from rugby, Richard’s earlier association with OMC was limited apart from joining the late John King on three sailing trips to the Mediterranean aboard the OMs yacht ‘Winnie’ which visited Greece, The Dalmatian Coast and Turkey. In 2011 he attended the ‘notorious’ OM South West dinner in Taunton where a previous President Mike Corby was in command! It was at this dinner where upon Richard renewed his regular contact with the Club which has continued to this date.

Richard has two children, namely, Antony who works at Poole Hospital and a daughter Lucy who is currently in the City and who has supported her Dad at a number of OM events.

Richard retired as a solicitor three years ago and remains resident in Bournemouth. As President he has already attended numerous OM events and maintains his long standing link with BRFC as Ground Manager.