Clarence Harry Rickards (died 12 August 2022, age 73)

Dip Library Studies 1970

Obituary provided by great friend David O’Connor (Archaeology/English 1966-1970)

It is with regret that I write to report that a great friend of mine at Queen's, Clarence Harry Rickards, died at the age of 73 in a nursing home in Nottingham on 12 August, 2022. Born and schooled in Leicestershire Clarence came to Queen's to study for the Diploma in Library Studies between 1968 and 1970. Two lifelong passions of his, a great love of books and a deep commitment to matters spiritual and theological, were strengthened during his time in Belfast. He played a very active role at the Church of Ireland Centre in Elmwood Avenue and in the University branch of the ecumenical Student Christian Movement It was as a representative of the latter organisation that, after drawing of lots, he was chosen to preach his very first sermon on Student Sunday in February, 1970 at a Church of Ireland service in the parish church at Dunmurry.

On leaving Queen's Clarence embarked on a career as a university librarian, first at Leicester and then at the University of Nottingham. But it was while at the latter that he changed direction and read for a degree in Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies there. In his final year as an undergraduate he became a star member of Nottingham's University Challenge team receiving fulsome praise for his performances from the then chairman, Bamber Gascoyne. His encyclopaedic knowledge won him a place on the UK University Challenge All Stars team which defeated the then US College Bowl holders, Stanford University, in Miami in 1978. Clarence used the fees from his television broadcasts to set up the Rickards Travel Scholarship for Theology Students at Nottingham. Following graduation, Clarence was appointed as licensed Lay Reader at All Saints Church, Raleigh Street in Nottingham, a role he combined with various administrative duties in the parish and in the Southwell diocese for over forty years. His huge contribution to parish life was marked in May 2018 by a special service attended by parishioners and by friends from much further afield to mark his fortieth year of service to All Saints. It was there on 29 September last year that Clarence's funeral service, a Requiem Eucharist, was held.