Ken Ingledew

The Ingledew name was well known in the world of sport in the South Wales area and the family produced international rugby players, county cricketers, international hockey players, and also a national billiards champion. Ken Ingledew was the son of a Cardiff solicitor who played rugby for Wales and county cricket for Glamorgan. Like his father Ken was also a Cardiff solicitor, but his chosen sport was hockey.

Ingledew went on to serve the Welsh Hockey Association for well over 20 years as secretary, treasurer and a team selector. He had also served as secretary/treasurer of the British Hockey Board and was a member of the International Hockey Rules Board, and also of the Bureau of the Hockey Federation. In 1949 Ingledew was one of three members elected to a sub-committee by the International Hockey Board to re-write the Rules of Hockey.

Locally, Ingledew served as an official of Cardiff Hockey Club, the Glamorgan Hockey Association, and the South Wales Counties Hockey Association. He was also an active international umpire between 1949-56 and officiated at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics Games when, along with Alec Allen, the pair umpired the final match between India and Netherlands. Ingledew was the honorary secretary of the British Olympic Board in 1952.

Ingledew studied law at Oxford University and, after graduating from Merton College in 1928, was awarded a BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law) in 1934. He practiced as a solicitor in London for a while and during his time in the capital played hockey for Hampstead. In 1935 was appointed club secretary. His time in London was short-lived, however, and he returned to South Wales to practice in Cardiff.

Ingledew’s contribution to hockey was recognised in 1974, when he was one of the first four people to be honoured with the Order of Merit by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Following his death in 1977, Ingledew left a considerable amount of his hockey memorabilia to the National Library of Wales.