St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

PQ106

Plaque

CIC

Swansea C&FC

1930-1931

Caste brass plaque with text: "This tablet commemorates the achievement of George Ll. Hay. Esq. of the Swansea Cricket & Football Club who by his unstinting efforts collected the funds for the erection of this pavilion. 1930". Dimensions: w15" x h10 1/4" (w38.5cm x h26cm).

This brass plaque is situated on the wall just inside the main entrance to St Helen's ground from Bryn Road. It commemorates the sterling work to facilitate the new pavilion, done by Mr George Llewelyn Hayes, committee member of the Swansea C&FC and Vice-President of the Glamorgan Cricket Club. G. Ll Hayes was principally responsible for the raising of the nearly £3,000 to erect the building. Work was begun in March 1930 and the pavilion was opened on Wednesday 30th July, just in time for St Helen's to host the touring Australian cricket team in their match against Glamorgan County Cricket Club (2nd to 5th August). The new pavilion was necessitated partly due to the dilapidated state of the old one (1878) and partly due to WRU stipulation that if St Helen's were to continue to hold international rugby matches, the capacity had to be increased. This had been a part of the conditions for the Union's financial contribution to the new grandstand at St Helen's (1929). The argument was that the old pavilion, situated as it was on the edge of the pitch at the north end, prevented any spectators from being admitted behind it for lack of a view of the pitch. The scheme allowed 7,000 to 8,000 more to be admitted to the 'Tanner bank' side of the ground on match days. So the old one was demolished and a property on Bryn Road was purchased. It's garden and lawn was used to build the new pavilion and the property then sold to recoup the money. Five members of the Swansea C&FC had joined together to make this purchase. This plaque was unveiled by Miss Muriel Hay, daughter of the wife of Mr G.Ll Hay, who was indisposed. So both the cricket and rugby sections of the club benefitted from the purpose built pavilion, as did cricket scorers and the press, who were able to operate from the flat roof in specially equipped towers. This also freed up room for more spectators in the new grandstand.

pavilion, st helen's, George Llewelyn Hay,