CARMARTHEN HARLEQUINS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Mr. JOHN BEYNON ARTHUR
PRESIDENT 1913/14
Mr. J. B. Arthur was a native of Carmarthen and attended local schools. He lived at Elm Lodge on the Parade. Twice married he had one son and a daughter. His son T. Bevan Arthur was an auctioneer and valuer and was a founder member of the firm Messrs Davies and Lloyd, Auctioneers. His daughter after her marriage moved to live in Worthing.
Mr. Arthur was a very prominent man of the borough. He was a keen business man and owned a large warehouse on the Quay and a shop in Priory Street. Anyone who has seen pictures of the Quay when large cargo boats were moored there will have seen pictures of his warehouse with his name prominently displayed.
A Carmarthen town councilor for nearly 25 years, Mr. Arthur was elected Mayor of the borough in 1911/12 and 1912/13. He was an alderman for 12 years and also served as Borough Sherriff. He was a member of the borough advisory committee for the appointment of magistrates having been a Justice of the Peace for a number of years.
He was a governor and chairman of the Carmarthen Intermediate Schools, a governor of the Diocesan High School for girls in Carmarthen and an income tax commissioner. He took a keen interest in the welfare of the Carmarthenshire Infirmary of which he was a vice-president and a former member and vice-chairman of the management committee.
A lifelong member of St. Peter’s Church he had held office as warden and had served on the Parochial Church Council. Possessing a fine tenor voice he sang in the church choir in his younger days and also participated in oratorio productions by local choirs. He was an ardent eisteddfodwr and was a member and ex-president of the Carmarthen Cymrodorion Society. In politics, Mr. Arthur was for many years treasurer of the South Wales Provincial Council of the Conservative and Unionist Association.
Always a keen sportsman, he was one of the founders of Carmarthen Bowling Club which he captained in 1934. He was a keen golfer and a member of Carmarthen Golf Club. Today’s members still compete annually for the J. B. Arthur Cup.
Mr. Arthur died in December 1943 at 89 years of age.
Percy Jones
Club Archivist
June 2015