In remembrance of John V. Richman
John Richman, more commonly known as “Richie” to his friends, was not only the archetypal Juddian but a notable extrovert with a great and engaging personality.
When he left The Judd School in 1953, he could look back on a period of considerable sporting activity covering rugby, cricket, gymnastics, boxing, swimming, athletics and cross-country.
As a prefect, he did not try to lord it over the younger members of the school and in fact one new entrant recalls that his friendly, jovial face among a sea of new faces was a welcome relief and made a great and lasting impression. Another “first former” recalled his taking charge of “us smalls” in a party on a geography walk to Hayesden, when he suddenly disappeared into
the local pub and emerged with crisps and peanuts for us 11-year-olds and a pint for himself !
Post Judd, he joined the Old Juddian Society and was Chairman during the period 1991-92. However it was later on when the OJS Society decided to venture into the realms of performing Music Halls that Richie more than adequately performed the role of Chairman on the three occasions in 2001, 2004 and 2008 when we packed the Judd School Room. He always opened each of the six performances that we ran in the very same way saying “Ladies and gentlemen, a very warm welcome on this wet, wild and windy Wednesday evening”. In reality, it was never wet, wild or windy and was never on a Wednesday evening but Richie never let facts get in the way of a good
story !
Talking of good stories, another of Richie’s attributes was the ability to tell stories and jokes involving a broad range of accents, with fantastic timing, emphasis and inclination to ensure his audience would laugh until the tears ran!
mile”
Moving back to his love of rugby, Richie played for the OJRFC for many years as a prop and he was also a Captain of the A XV and a scrum leader. However, whatever talents, encouragement and enthusiasm he demonstrated on the pitch, he really came into his own after the match,
when in the bar the plastic watering cans and enamel jugs of dubious quality bitter were being passed around the two teams. Eventually there was the OJ’s call to arms to sing by the sound of Richie chanting “mi, mi, mi” preceded by a melodious rendering of “Good Night Ladies”. to
allow them to retire to the other bar to avoid being offended or embarrassed.
In those now sadly by-gone years, the OJRFC had a formidable reputation for their rugby song singing repertoire and we believed we could out-perform any club in Kent with our singing. Richie himself once made a list of all the songs that he knew and was surprised that it only
numbered 150!
A final note concerning his rugby career is that he also played for Eastbourne RFC and following one of his house moves to Cranleigh, he helped to set up a local rugby club.
John was born in the East End of London at Whitechapel; was
the 4 th child with siblings Lionel, Marge and Eric. When he was 3 years old, the family moved to Sevenoaks in Kent where his dad owned a grocer’s shop & ; young John attended local
schools before finally moving to The Judd School in Tonbridge.
After leaving Judd, he was employed at Crawford Biscuits and then joined Bird’s Eye as a Territory Sales Representative where he progressed through the company to eventually become Sales
Director. Within his working life, John did his National Service in the RAF
in Malta, where he spent most of his time competing in cycle races for the RAF who would fly his bike wherever it was needed. When he wasn’t doing that, sunbathing was the order of the day !
John was to meet future wife Jean at the old recreation ground in Sevenoaks in 1948; they eventually married in July 1958 in Sevenoaks and honeymooned in Looe in Cornwall. They were
married for 66 years but were together for an amazing 76 years! They went on to have two children, son Andrew and daughter Caroline and there followed four grandchildren Tom, Caitlin, Orla and Niamh, (who all called John Poppa), and great granddaughter Sophie.
Eventually, John and Jean ended up in Bidborough in Kent; it was here that they became involved with The Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men, which had eight branches across Kent
and could trace its origins back to William the Conqueror. For three years, John was President of the local branch which raised money for Kentish charities with one of their main events being a
cricket week where John organised one of the hospitality tents. John & Jean played bowls, but perhaps John’s greatest love away from his family and sport was Jazz and in particular Louis
Armstrong. It all started for John at the age of 11 when he travelled to London and got the great man’s autograph. Ever since then John made it his life’s work and pleasure to gather
everything he could about him.
In 2021, John and Jean pulled up their roots in Bidborough having decided that they should move up to Melton Mowbray where they could be closer to their son Andy.
Finally, a tribute from a friend, that encapsulates the person that John was :-
“So very special, very much appreciated and loved, his sense of fun, his kindness, his overwhelming good manners at all times. We loved his stories, jokes, his smile".