There was hardly a dry eye in the house as Museum of Rugby Librarian, Rex King, 82 going on 18, retired from his post and jetted off to live in sunny Cyprus recently. Staff drank his health and President, Roy Manock, wished him well and presented him with framed pictures, programmes and a photo album of Past Presidents with their farewell messages.

Rex’s first trip to Twickenham was to watch the famous Obolensky game in 1936, when England beat the All Blacks. He joined the RAF in 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II and eventually retired from the Air Force in 1964. An aficionado of sport and fine wine Rex then became Secretary of North Foreland Golf Club in Broadstairs. In the eighties a retail shop meeting decided that stadium tours would be a good idea and that someone should be employed to guide the tour and sell items in the shop. And so Rex arrived, as a master of all trades in 1988, becoming RFU Curator / Librarian later and when the new museum was opened in 1995 taking on the role of Librarian. He has many friends throughout the rugby world, who will doubtless be visiting him in northern Cyprus.