St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

Item

PH281

Object ID

PH281

Type

Photograph

Rights Holder

CIC

Provenance

Ivor Morris family

Season

1923-1924

Description

Photograph, B&W, mounted and titled. Wales team v England at St Helen's, Swansea 19th January 1924. One severe and several other scratch marks to surface of image, which also shows considerable 'silvering'. Discolouration and abrasions to mount card, particularly on top right and lower left corners. Photograph by J E Thomas, 220 Chepstow Road, Newport. Dimensions: w18" x h14" (w46cm x h35.5cm)

Info

This photograph taken before kick-off shows the Wales team that played England at St Helen's ground, Swansea on 19th January 1924. There were nine new caps in the Welsh side, three in the back line and six in the pack. Swansea full-back Joe Rees captained the side in this his twelfth and final international match. The half-backs were both new caps: Albert Owen of Swansea at outside-half with Eddie Watkins of Neath at scrum-half. Ivor Morris of Swansea was in the Welsh pack. The match was won by England by 17 - 9, their first win at Swansea for 29 years! They scored five of the eight tries that day, but only converted one. Tough Gloucester forward Tom Voyce broke a rib and Wales led 14 - 9 during the second-half, but England's play was faster and more accurate and 35,000 saw them claw back the lead and retain it.
The personnel in the image as as follows: Back Row (L to R): J Darbyshire (touch judge), D H Davies, G Morris, A Evans, L Jones, W J Ould, M G Thomas. Middle Row (L to R): I Thomas, C Pugh, T JOhnson, J Rees (Capt.), T Jones, A Cornish, S Morris. Seated (L to R): A Owen, E Watkins.
This photograph was donated to the archive by the wishes of the family of Ivor (Glyn) Morris, who won the first of two Wales caps this day. He is listed in the image as G (Glyn) Morris.