William Richard Arnold

William Richard Arnold, (July 7, 1881 - July 30, 1957) was a Welsh rugby union international.

Arnold was the son of Thomas Arnold, co-proprietor of the Glanyrafon Tinplate Works, Clydach, Glamorgan and Arnold himself lived in Morriston, near Swansea, Glamorgan.

By profession, he was an architect and surveyor. As a rugby player, Willie Arnold played at club level for Morriston, Llanelli, Swansea, Neath, the London Welsh and Glamorgan. He weighed between 8 stone 7 pounds (119 pounds) and 9 stone (126 pounds).

During the 1902-3 season he scored 35 tries for Llanelli and at Swansea in the following season he scored a further 32 tries. He played in the unbeaten Swansea side in 1904-5. He was picked for Glamorgan in its match against New Zealand in December 1905 and he also played for Llanelli against South Africa in 1906.

He played for Wales in one international match, against Scotland in 1903, as a winger.

He was also on the committee of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and was the first secretary and one of the founders of the Morriston Golf Club.

W R Arnold was also the composer, published in 1913 under the pseudonym "R. Arnold Williamson", of a waltz for piano entitled "Valse Millicent" [http://catalogue.bl.uk/F/QSMFH4RJ7USIFT12AII5SIA3L2TLBUERMQPYPPN4CK71DFR4E8-38529?func=full-set-set&set_number=105953&set_entry=000004&format=999] in honour of his daughter Millicent Margaret Arnold, (later Mrs Gordon Griffiths).

He was twice married: first to Annie Gertrude Jones, daughter of Thomas Hughes Jones of Uplands House, Morriston and second (after the death of his first wife in 1923) to her sister, Evelyn Maud Jones. His daughter Millicent was from his first marriage; he also had a son by his second marriage.

He died in Morriston July 30 1957.

ee also

* [http://www.rugbyrelics.com/Museum/exhibits/Thumbographs.htm Autograph and thumbprint]