St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

PH048

Photograph, B&W, mounted and titled. Portrait image. Dimensions: w15 1/2" x h19 1/2" (w40cm x h50cm)

Photograph

CIC

1952-1953

A portrait photograph of Mr D Ivor Saunders who was Borough Estate Agent for the town of Swansea in 1941-1947, Chairman of the Swansea RFC Match Committee 1946-1953 and Life Vice President of Swansea Cricket & Football Club. Saunders was Chairman of a committee formed during 1941, who arranged for wartime matches to be played at Swansea. This was commenced in March 1941 as the town was still smoldering from the three day 'blitz' it had suffered in February. The committee under Saundes was responsible for bringing many armed services teams to St Helen's, including amny pre-war capped players. He was also a moving force in the submission of a Report to the County Borough of Swansea in 1945, which defended the reintroduction of cricket and rugby at St Helen's and defended it from development plans of the Swansea Council. Plans were submitted in the report to extend the grandstand and develop the parking on the Recreation Ground adjacent, enabling "an ideal stadium" to result. This was in order to disuade the WRU from removing all international matches to Cardiff, which ultimately did not succeed, Wales holding their last major international in 1954 against Scotland. Saunders was a tireles advocate of cricket, rugby and other sports at St Helen's.

photograph, 1946-1953, d ivor saunders, st helen's, life vice-president,