PH278

Object ID

PH278

Type

Photograph

Rights Holder

CIC

Provenance

Tudor Davies

Season

1898-1899

Description

Photograph, B&W, mounted and titled. Swansea RFC 1st XV 1898-1899 season. Tears to mount on three corners and some staining to mount. A title strip has been fixed to the mount at a later date than production. Dimensions: w32 1/2" x h28/3/4" (w82.2cm x h73.25cm)

Info

This photograph from the 1898-99 season is significant for more than one reason. Firstly, it depicts the Swansea 1st XV team on the eve of their Welsh Championship winning season. This was to be the first of six Championships in seven seasons, the first 'golden era' of the club. The image is also of interest because the James brothers David and Evan are present. They left in January 1899 for Broughton Rangers in the new Northern Union, for paid employ as rugby players. They had done so back in 1892 and been suspended for over three years, a ban that affected both the Swansea club and Welsh side as the two were the then incumbent holders of the half-back berths for club and country. Another team photograph was taken (see: PH065) toward the end of the season when the Welsh Championship was assured. The Jameses do not of course, appear in that image. So this early season image is of historical interest and also extremely rare. We are greatly indebted to Tudor and Pauline Davies for allowing us to scan this image for future generations to enjoy. Tudor is the grandson of James Livingstone Davies, who appears in this image as well as the Llandeilo team of 1895-96 (see: PH279).

Keywords

swansea rfc, 1898-99, 1898-1899, welsh champions, livingstone davies, tom Harris, george bowen, tom jackson, w t farr, dai harris, f e perkins, will parker, billy bowen, jack prescott, davis james, frank 'genny' gordon, sam rice, billy bancroft, arthur jones, fred scrine, evan james, hopkin davies, billy trew, george davies, dan rees,

PH279

PH065

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