St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

PH284

Photograph

Rev. Leighton Thomas

Rev. Leighton Thomas

1895-1896

Photograph, B&W, mounted and titled. Swansea RFC 2nd XV 1895-1896 season. Lower right corner is missing. Tear to top right. Tear from centre of base several cm into image. More than half of titles missing. Dimensions: w18" x h18/1/2" (w47.2cm x h45.7cm)

This rare image of an early Swansea RFC 2nd XV team was loaned for scanning by Rev. Leighton Thomas of Treboeth, Swansea. His grandfather was Dai "Pen-y-cae" Davies. Dai was born in 1874 in Swansea, where he died in November 1935. He captained the 2nd XV for several matches in 1898-99. He was a Foreman hammerman at Morfa I.C.I Works in Llansamlet. Dai was the brother of Swansea three-quarter Dan Davies (#357). Dai appears in this photograph (far right middle row). Most of the personnel can be identified from other team photographs of the period, though five still remain a mystery. Other notable figures in the image are Will Parker, who went on to play over 280 matches for the 1st XV between 1895 and 1905 as well as captaining the side (1903-04) and gaining two Welsh caps. Will Messer went on to train the 1st XV. Dan Smith also played for the 1st XV and went north to play for Salford in the Northern Union. The captain of the second in this photograph is Gil Evans, who had a long and successful career in both the 2nd XV and 1st XV before moving to Birmingham and becoming a well-respected referee. He refereed the Swansea v New Zealand tour match at Swansea in 1905 at the request of the All Blacks. Personnel: Back row (l to R): W Messer (Trainer), Harry "Shenky" Jenkins, T Robinson, Unknown, Will Parker, Unknown, W Davies, Unknown. 2nd Row (L to R): Syd Owen, Dan Smith, Gil Evans (Capt.), Unknown, Unknown, Dai "Pen-y-Cae" Davies. Front Row (L to R: Eddie Evans, Willie Richards, D Williams.

second fifteen, 2nd xv, 1895-1896, 1895-96, dai pen-y-cae davies, gil evans, ill parker, w j parker, dan smith,