St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

PH096

Photographic collage B&W, mounted and titled, Swansea RFC first fifteen "Invincibles" of the 1904-05 season. Photographs by H A Chapman, High Street, Swansea. Dimensions: w26" x h34" (w66cm x h86.5cm)

Photograph

CIC

1904-1905

This collage of portraits represents the 'Invincible' Swansea first fifteen of 1904-05. Played: 32, Won: 28, Drawn: 4, Lost: nil. Honours: Champions "INVINCIBLE" season. the achievement was the crowning glory of a series of consecutive Championship winning seasons going back to 1898-99. Swansea were Champions that season and on each consecutive season thereaftr, with the exceptionof 1902-03 in which they were narrowly beaten into the runners-up position by Newport. Billy Bancroft was captain for the first two Championships and Frank "Genny" Gordon captained the others except for the 1903-04 Champions who were led by long serving forward Will Parker. During this 'Golden Era' for the club, their reputation for exciting running rugby was established and they were acknowledged as the best club side in Britain. Twelve of the players in the 1904-05 colage had been capped by Wales by this time (George Davies, Jack Bancroft, D.J. Thomas, Fred Scrine, Dan Rees, Will Joseph, Fred Jowett, Dick Jones, Dicky Owen, Will Parker, Willie Arnold and Billy Trew). In the final match of the season against Belfast Collegians at St Helen's, the referee stopped the game a couple of minutes early in order that he and the College players could congratulate Swansea on an 'Invincible' season. The match was then resumed. The achievement was all the greater due to the quality of the opponents and acknowledged fact that all clubs raised their game when playing against the Welsh Champions. Club captain Frank Gordon was unfortunate to have never been capped by Wales. An attempt by the Swansea club to enable him to be selected through the withdrawal of team mate Dan Rees, was stopped by the welsh Union. he acquired his soubriquet of "Genny" due to his leadership qualities and as a pasing reference to General Gordon of Khartoum. Personnel: 1st Row (L to R): D Davies (Mumbles), Sam Rice (Com), W Cole, W Hunt, J Prescott (Com), D Davies. 2nd Row (L to R): A Smith, H Davies (Com), G Davies, J Bancroft, W Bowen (Com), D J Thomas. 3rd Row (L to R): F Scrine, F E Perkins (Sec.), D Rees, F J Gordon (Captain), W T Farr (Treas.), W Joseph. 4th Row (L to R): F Jowett, R W Dowdle (Trainer), R Jones, R M Owen, W J Bancroft (Touch Judge), W Parker. 5th Row (L to R): J Davies, W R Arnold, Sir JTD Llewellyn. Bart. (President), W Trew, L Jenkins.

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