Richard FordSOLICITOR Richard Ford is to retire from full time practice in Marlborough after more than 40 years.

Mr Ford will continue as a part time consultant with Wood Awdry and Ford in Kingsbury Street.

At the age of 67 the father of three sons who are all following him into law has decided to step back from full time practice.

He joined the firm in 1964 after training in London and qualifying as a solicitor in 1961.

He became a partner with his late father, Bernard, in Ford and Ford that became Ford Gunningham and Co until 2001 when, following a merger, it became Wood Awdry and Ford.

Mr Ford, whose wife Mary is a teacher, was born at the Burbage house where he still lives.

His parents were both first generation solicitors and after his education at Marlborough College he chose law as his profession.

Mr Ford has been a traditional family lawyer and for many years he appeared regularly at the courts in Marlborough and Pewsey both as a prosecutor, in the days before the introduction of the Crown Prosecution Service, and advocate.

He believes he possibly holds a record, certainly in the local courts, that can never be equalled or beaten.

"On two occasions I have prosecuted, defended and sat as the clerk in the same court on the same morning both in the Marlborough and the Pewsey courts," he said.

He also holds the distinction of having served as clerk to the governors of the former Marlborough Grammar School and until recently as the clerk to the governors of Marlborough College.

Mr Ford was formerly president and trustee of the Gloucester and Wiltshire Law Society and also sat on the national council of the law society. He was also chairman of the wills and equities committee of the law society.

He has been a lifelong member of the Tedworth Hunt; was on the board of the former Ramsbury Building Society, which was later merged into the Portman BS, and he was formerly vice-chairman of the Wiltshire Health Authority.