St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

MD013

Medal

CIC

Swansea RFC

1879-1880

Medal, silver, engraved face, South Wales Challenge Cup winners 1880, pin holes for fixing at top and base.

This medal was fixed to the base of the South Wales Challenge Cup and represents the 1880 winners - Swansea, who beat Lampeter College in the final on 6th March 1880. All the winners were represented on the trophy by a medal like this from the inaugural final of 1878 to the last time 'senior' clubs played for the cup in 1887. Swansea were the last winners in 1887 (v Llanelli). The text engraved on the 1880 medal reads as follows: "SWANSEA, 1880, TEAM." (left column): "C.L. BATH, R.H. BROWN, F.J. CARLYLE, E. CLARK, T. CLARK, S. CROOT, J, DOGGETT, D. GWYNN" (right column): "W.H. GWYNN, E.M. JONES, F.C, JONES, F.F. MEAGER, A.H. RICHARDSON (Cap), W.M. ROBERTS, W.H.A. WALTERS" "UMPIRE J.C. JAMES." The whereabouts of the South Wales Challenge Cup trophy was unknown for many years, but has recently been found and returned to the WRU in 2021. The medals were removed after 1887 and given to the respective cup winners. This one is no longer at the club but was photographed in 2001 by club statistician and author Bleddyn Hopkins.

1879-1880