John Hopkin Thomas (1957-63) Sometime known as John, sometimes Hopkin, he left Llandovery in 1963 to work as a collier in his father's drift mine in the Neath Valley . He later took over as owner. They sold coal to the College in the 1950s and 1960s. John played in the front row for the College 1st XV , and later played for Bridgend and for Cardiff. He closed the mine in the 1980s and then set up a catering support business supplying outlets across South Wales. After living for many years at a farm near Hensol Castle John and his wife retired a few years ago and moved to Cowbridge.

David E. Gravell BEM (1952 - 59) David passed away peacefully at 11:30 pm on Monday, April 1st, 2024. David was a long-time supporter of the College, as an alumnus, parent, and grandfather, and served as a Llandovery College Trustee for several years. His generosity and loyalty to the school will forever be appreciated and remembered.

Glyn Fychan Bowen 1933 -2024 Llandovery College 1944-1952 Glyn was part of the winning side at Rosslyn Park in 1952 Played outside-half for the 1st XV and was Head Boy in College

College Chaplin 2014 - 2015 CANON Anthony Stidolph, who died on 24 May, aged 66, at his home in Paphos, Cyprus, was once described as “an answer to a headmaster’s prayer”. He spent 24 years of his 41 years’ ministry as a chaplain and teacher in five public schools. He was also a much loved parish priest and an accomplished musician. Born in South Shields, Robert Anthony Stidolph moved south to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, but was characteristically modest about his musical achievements. He gave organ recitals for fund-raising events and wrote music for the parishes and schools where he ministered, but he never sought to have it published. After graduating at the conservatoire, he went to St Stephen’s House, Oxford, to train for the ministry, and served his title at Hove Parish Church. Sadly, during his diaconate, his training incumbent died, leaving a wife and young family; Anthony was quickly ordained to the priesthood to look after the busy parish. After four years, he became Team Vicar of St Luke’s, Queen’s Park, in Brighton, where his pastoral ministry, work with young people, and skill as a preacher and communicator were well received. Although not from a privileged background himself, he felt a call to become a school chaplain and found that staff and students alike responded to his loving, warm, and friendly personality, combined with a genuine compassion for young people with their personal struggles and difficulties. After seven years as Chaplain at Cheltenham College, Anthony moved to be Senior Chaplain at Wellington College, and then Chaplain at Radley College, during which time he was made an Honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford. After three school chaplaincies and resisting “head-hunting” from other public schools, Anthony decided that he needed a change of scene and returned to parish life to be be Rector of Worth in Sussex. Five years later, he felt that he wanted to return to school chaplaincy, but in a different setting; so he moved to be Chaplain of Peterhouse, in Zimbabwe. This proved to be a challenge for someone who hoped to influence future leaders of that country while President Mugabe was still in control. His contract was not renewed, and Anthony returned to spend a short time as Chaplain at Llandovey College in Wales. Being an only child with no close family, and liking a warmer climate, Anthony moved to Cyprus, where, as an associate priest in Paphos, he looked after those coming to the island for their weddings. He finally retired in February 2020, and, a year later, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The Anglican pastoral team in Paphos provided care and support so that he could die in his own home, and he described his final weeks as happy and peaceful. He leaves behind many friends and grateful parishioners and former pupils — and lots of music that he composed.

John Owen Pritchard 1959-1963

David Griffiths 1951-1957

Gareth Miles 1950-1957

6th Sept 1947- 1st Sept 2016 1st XV 1965 – very good inside centre coached by Carwyn James He played 1ST X1 - School journal 1965 states “MJCA worked hard and became a most promising bat & close in fielder”.He was CSM - College CCF contingent Mike left Llandovery in 1966 to attend a 3 year course in Hotel Management at Cardiff College of Food Technology. He then joined Grand Met and progressed into Senior Management with Westin Hotels – where he was promoted to vice president marketing and sales. His final posting, before creating his own consultancy firm, was the commissioning of the Macau Westin for which he was very proud and fondly remembered by all the staff. Mike lived in Hong Kong for some time. Mike is remembered by those who knew him as a perfect Gentleman of great style, principles and integrity. One story which illustrates Mike’s principles was whilst in Hong Kong he noticed that a government building was flying the Union Jack upside down! Storming the building he instructed officials to correct this immediately. This was duly carried out and honour restored. He was a good man who was a great credit to his school.

Dr James Roland Williams CBE AM (O.Ll. 1949 - 1956) passed away peacefully at his home in Melbourne, Australia on the 10th of October. After Llandovery Roland studied Chemical Engineering at Birmingham University and then on to universities in Toulouse and Rome, where he would eventually find himself a prosperous career with Shell. Roland’s career with Royal Dutch Shell and the Shell Group of Companies spanned over thirty years. He enjoyed many postings worldwide, finishing up in the Hague and London as Global Co-ordinator of the Shell Group’s Gas and Coal businesses. Both of these businesses were well represented in Australia and Roland visited often. Having thoroughly enjoyed his time at the Shell Refinery at Corio from 1977 to 1979, Roland accepted the opportunity to return to his beloved Australia in 1995, as Chairman and CEO of Shell Australia. Upon his retirement from Shell in 1999, Roland elected to remain living in Melbourne and was immediately appointed to the boards of Boral Limited and Origin Energy. He became a Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and was Chairman of the Advisory Committee Postgraduate School of Energy and Environment of the University of Melbourne. He was also Chairman of the Organising Committee for the World Congress of Chemical Engineering held in Melbourne in 2001. He became a Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, allowing him to indulge in his love of music at yet another level.

Goronwy joined the College at the beginning of the 1968 academic year from Bablake School, Coventry, as a full-time teacher of Physical Education. In his first year at Llandovery, Warden, Gerallt Jones, described Goronwy as ‘having done a great deal of work in transforming the world of sport at the College', adding basketball, badminton, and volleyball to the traditional canon of sports offered at Llandovery in the late 1960s. With the departure of Carwyn James in the summer of 1969, Goronwy took over the responsibilities of coaching the 1st XV. For generations of Llandoverians, Goronwy built quality and success into the sporting world of the school. Whilst much has been written about the sporting prowess of ‘Pope’ and Carwyn, Goronwy brought his own unique talents to the coaching of rugby at Llandovery College. His brand of playing Sevens was ahead of its time, with the introduction of weight training, giving Llandovery the advantage over numerically much bigger schools. Having already won Roslyn Park Sevens with Bablake, Gornowy’s brand of coaching succeeded in successfully taking College to the finals in 1970 and 1971. His sporting reputation and inspiration, as well as his kindness, warmth, and generosity, lasted long after his departure from College. One of Goronwy's lasting legacies was the creation of the golf course which he conceived, designed and created and is still much enjoyed by many in both College and town alike to this day.

John R Cheetham (47-53)