Date of Birth: 
About Richard Luyt
- Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt (8 November 1915 – 12 February 1994) was the colonial Governor of British Guiana in 1964-66.
- He installed Forbes Burnham of the People's National Congress (PNC) as premier of a coalition government with a small business-oriented conservative party in 1964; however, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) came first in the election.
- Deadly riots ensued when the PPP was not allowed to form the government.
- Upon independence in May 1966, Sir Richard was sworn in as Governor-General of Guyana, a position which he held until December the same year. Having been born and educated in Cape Town, he returned there in 1967 as principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town, a post which he held until 1980.
- Because of his actions in British Guiana, his appointment was initially opposed by the student body but he soon won them over.
- During this period, at the height of the apartheid years in South Africa, academic freedom was under threat and Sir Richard was in the forefront of South African vice-chancellors who fought to protect these freedoms.
- He also vigorously objected against banning orders and detention without trial of students and staff who protested against apartheid. Sir Richard was an excellent cricketer and rugby player.
- He obtained a Rugby Blue at the University of Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar and played in three first-class cricket matches for Oxford University Cricket Club.During World War II Sir Richard fought against the Italians in Ethiopia and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
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