RICHARDS, Alun (Morgan) 1929-2004

OBITUARY NOTICE—

See index for CA sketch: Born November 27, 1929, in Pontypridd, Wales; died of a heart attack June 2, 2004, in Swansea, Wales. Author. Richards was a popular author of television dramas, novels, and short stories often set in his native southern Wales. An unspectacular student by his own admission, he trained to be a teacher, earning diplomas in social science and education at the University College of Wales. Joining the Royal Navy to fulfill his National Service obligations, Richards gained a deep appreciation of sailing and the sea that would later inform some of his later works. After working as a probation officer for a year, he got a job as a schoolmaster in Cardiff in 1955, teaching English there until 1967. By the mid-1960s, his writing career was taking off, and he was able to make a living as a full-time author. Richards found success especially in writing for television dramas, such as for the series Armchair Theatre and The Onedin Line. His novels, including The Elephant You Gave Me (1963), The Home Patch (1966), Empty House (1974), and Ennal's Point (1977), further demonstrated his talents for characterization and dialogue. Often noted for his ability to draw realistic female characters, Richards delighted in using expressive language, a trait some critics felt was best realized in short stories such as those collected in Dai Country (1973) and The Former Miss Merthyr Tydfil (1979). A lover of the sport of rugby, Richards wrote books on this subject, as well, such as A Touch of Glory: 100 Years of Welsh Rugby (1980) and Carwyn: A Personal Memoir (1984). His editing of The Penguin Book of Welsh Short Stories (1977) and The Penguin Book of Sea Stories (1977; second edition, 1978), was also appreciated by many readers.

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Independent (London, England), June 8, 2004, p. 34.

Times (London, England), July 2, 2004, p. 39.

Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), June 4, 2004, p. 5.