Robert Horner (47-55) was born in 1937 in Lee Green, south-east London. He attended Merton Court School in Sidcup for his primary education before moving to Pocklington School as a boarder in 1947.   

At Pocklington, Robert embraced school life. He was appointed as a Sixth Form Prefect by the Headmaster, Robert St. John Pitts-Tucker. He had a passion for rugby and played for the first team gaining his Colours in 1954. Beyond the rugby field, Robert was a dedicated member of the Scouts achieving the prestigious Queen’s Scout Award. He participated in several societies including Drama, History, and Music. He served as secretary of the Student Christian Movement and held roles as the editor of ‘The Pocklingtonian’ magazine, and as a librarian. 

After Pocklington, Robert did National Service for two years before going to Trinity College, Cambridge, to read Economics and Law. Following university, he pursued a career in law and was admitted as a solicitor in 1963. His main areas of expertise were commercial property, town & country planning, and licensing. In 1967, he became a partner at London law firm Warmingtons & Hasties. The firm eventually merged with Shoosmiths & Harrison where Robert continued in his role as partner until his retirement in April 1997.  

Alongside his professional career, Robert maintained an active interest and involvement in rugby. He played for his local club, Sevenoaks, until 1967, and subsequently served as Club President. On retirement from playing, Robert turned to rugby refereeing which he did for fifteen years, five of which were on the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) ‘A’ List.  

During this period, Robert became involved in the administration of rugby at representative level. After serving his county, Kent, as Honorary Secretary for nine years, he became County President for three years in 1988. His contributions to rugby extended further when he was elected as a county representative on the RFU Committee in 1983. He served on multiple RFU sub-committees and was appointed Chairman of the Referee sub-committee in 1991, a position he held for nine years until 2000.  At the same time, he served on the RFU’s Executive Committee/Management Board. From 1996 to 2000, he took on the role of RFU Regional Director for the Rugby World Cup 1999, overseeing all aspects of the nine matches held in England and the Qualifying Tournament in Huddersfield in 1998. In July 2000, he embraced the challenging position of RFU Disciplinary Officer, which he held until July 2003, when he was appointed RFU President. His tenure coincided with England’s historic Rugby World Cup victory.  

As a proud Old Pocklingtonian (OP), Robert remained a loyal supporter of both the Association and the School. He served as OP Vice President from 1984 to 1986, before being elected President from 1986 to 1987. A regular attendee at the annual OP London dinner, Robert also came to significant events such as the Quincentenary dinner and the Founder’s Day service at York Minster in May 2014. He was an active member of the School’s John Dolman Society and a founding member of the 1514 Legacy Club. His philanthropic support included generous contributions to the Tom Stoppard Theatre and the Art & Design Centre. 

Despite his quiet yet ever-cheerful demeanour characterised by the twinkle in his eyes, Robert’s health and mobility declined in his final years. He passed away peacefully on Friday, July 5, 2024, aged 87.