Dick Melly

Rear Admiral Richard ‘Dick’ Melly was educated at Stowe School and Manchester University, where he received a BSc in Mechanical Engineering in 1974 before earning his MSc in Marine Engineering from the Royal Naval Engineering College in 1979.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1971 and served for 34 years as an Engineer Officer, attaining the rank of Rear Admiral. In his final appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Second Sea Lord, he provided strategic direction to the processes of manpower planning, policy development and the allocation of resources.

Upon his retirement in 2005, Dick Melly was appointed as the Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths - one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of the City of London, founded in 1327. As the most senior member of the staff, he had overall accountability for the London Assay Office and for the Company’s staff, membership, charities, investments and important collections.

In 2007, he was instrumental in establishing the Goldsmiths Centre as an independent charity and subsequently oversaw the multimillion-pound construction of the Centre’s workshops, exhibition spaces and training facilities. During his time as the Clerk from 2005 to 2016, Dick also served on the Council of Goldsmiths, University of London.