St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future
Item
PH184
Object ID
PH184
Type
Rights Holder
Swansea RFC memorabilia Community Interest Company
Provenance
Swansea RFC
Season
Description
Photographic collage of the Swansea RFC 1st XV of 1903-04. Sepia B&W portraits of players and officials are arranged on a green mount card with white text naming the players and stating toward the top of the mount: "Swansea First XV Football Team. Season 1903-4". Toward the base of the mount is printed: "Matches Played 32 - Won 30 - Lost 1 - Drawn 1 - Points for 571 - Against 48". Dimensions: w23 3/4" x h27 3/4" (w59cm x h70cm)
Info
This photographic collage features the Swansea RFC 1st XV of 1903-04, in which season they were Welsh Champions. It is probable that the portraits were taken by H A Chapman of high Street Swansea, who took most of the Swansea RFC images at this time. But no photographer's name appears on the image.
This was the fourth time Swansea were champions in six seasons, Swansea had just missed out and were beaten into second place by Newport in 1902-03. Much praise was heaped upon the team of 1904-05 who ended the season as 'Invincibles'. But it could be said that the 1903-04 team pictured here could perhaps claim the greater laurels. For they lost just a single match and drew another in an otherwise unbroken record of wins, whereas the 'Invincible' team of the following season played 33 matches but drew four of them. The playing record for the 1903-04 season, writ large on the mount card shows they won 30 of the 32 matches played.
Will Parker took over the captaincy of the team this season, Frank 'Genny' Gordon standing aside for the veteran forward and Welsh cap. Gordon would resume the captaincy for the 'Invincible' season. During 1903-04 Billy Trew and Fred Jowett jointly held the leading try scorer honours with 29 each, Trew being the top points scorer (128).
The single loss of the season came at Rodney Parade, away to Newport by a drop goal to nil. Devonport Albion secured a nil all draw during an injury hit Swansea tour to the West Country right at the end of the season. Among the notable wins this season was a 21 - 0 victory over a French XV at Parc des Princes, Paris. The French side was based around the Stade Francais team and this was Swansea's second foray to Paris, a similar fixture having been won in 1899.
There were welsh caps this season for Dicky Owen, Dick Jones, Will Joseph, D J Thomas and Syd Bevan. All except D J Thomas were also capped by Glamorgan County, as were Dai "Mumbles" Davies and Billy Trew. Owen, Dick Jones and Billy Trew were all approached to take places on the British Isles (Lions) tour to Australia and New Zealand. But all were unable to accept due to the length of time away from work. However wing Fred Jowett and forward Syd Bevan did accept and became Swansea RFC' first 'Lions' at season's end.
A digitally enhanced version of the original is included here as the original has suffered some fading over the years, before being properly protected.
The personnel in the photograph are as follows: Clockwise from top left: Fred Scrine, Aubrey Smith, Syd Bevan, Will Joseph, Dai "Mumbles" Davies, Dicky Owen, Will Cole, Bob Dowdle(Trainer), F E Perkins(Sec.), Billy Bancroft, Sam Rice(Touch Line Judge), Will Hunt, Dick Jones, D J Thomas.
Clockwise inner circle from top: George Davies, Frank Gordon, Billy Trew, Willie Arnold, Dan Rees, Fred Jowett.
Centre: Will Parker(Captain).
This was the fourth time Swansea were champions in six seasons, Swansea had just missed out and were beaten into second place by Newport in 1902-03. Much praise was heaped upon the team of 1904-05 who ended the season as 'Invincibles'. But it could be said that the 1903-04 team pictured here could perhaps claim the greater laurels. For they lost just a single match and drew another in an otherwise unbroken record of wins, whereas the 'Invincible' team of the following season played 33 matches but drew four of them. The playing record for the 1903-04 season, writ large on the mount card shows they won 30 of the 32 matches played.
Will Parker took over the captaincy of the team this season, Frank 'Genny' Gordon standing aside for the veteran forward and Welsh cap. Gordon would resume the captaincy for the 'Invincible' season. During 1903-04 Billy Trew and Fred Jowett jointly held the leading try scorer honours with 29 each, Trew being the top points scorer (128).
The single loss of the season came at Rodney Parade, away to Newport by a drop goal to nil. Devonport Albion secured a nil all draw during an injury hit Swansea tour to the West Country right at the end of the season. Among the notable wins this season was a 21 - 0 victory over a French XV at Parc des Princes, Paris. The French side was based around the Stade Francais team and this was Swansea's second foray to Paris, a similar fixture having been won in 1899.
There were welsh caps this season for Dicky Owen, Dick Jones, Will Joseph, D J Thomas and Syd Bevan. All except D J Thomas were also capped by Glamorgan County, as were Dai "Mumbles" Davies and Billy Trew. Owen, Dick Jones and Billy Trew were all approached to take places on the British Isles (Lions) tour to Australia and New Zealand. But all were unable to accept due to the length of time away from work. However wing Fred Jowett and forward Syd Bevan did accept and became Swansea RFC' first 'Lions' at season's end.
A digitally enhanced version of the original is included here as the original has suffered some fading over the years, before being properly protected.
The personnel in the photograph are as follows: Clockwise from top left: Fred Scrine, Aubrey Smith, Syd Bevan, Will Joseph, Dai "Mumbles" Davies, Dicky Owen, Will Cole, Bob Dowdle(Trainer), F E Perkins(Sec.), Billy Bancroft, Sam Rice(Touch Line Judge), Will Hunt, Dick Jones, D J Thomas.
Clockwise inner circle from top: George Davies, Frank Gordon, Billy Trew, Willie Arnold, Dan Rees, Fred Jowett.
Centre: Will Parker(Captain).
Keywords
1903-1904, will parker, welsh champions, 1st xv,
Comments
No comment yet! Be the first to add one!