St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future
Six
Transcript:
This is part six in the audio trail on David ‘Dai’ Samuel. Like each of the other objects in this trail, this mantle clock is on display at St Helen’s. At 53cm long, 34cm high and 17 deep, this clock is substantial. Being made of slate, it also has considerable weight.
For the successes of the back to back champions season, captain of the side William ‘Billy’ Bowen was awarded this clock. Bowen captained the side during both seasons the team were ‘Premier Team of Wales’, and was pictured in both team photographs explored thus far in this trail. Apart from its slate body, the central disc of the clock face itself is made of brass along with a brass plaque at the clock’s base, declaring its award to Bowen. It reads: ‘Swansea Football Team Public Testimonial Fund. Presented to William Bowen. Captain of the Premier Team of Wales 1890-91’. In addition to this, even today, the winding key for the clock is tied to its rear. The clock also bears some ornamental details. It is surrounded in slate and brass pillars akin to those in classical antiquity, as well as details of warriors with bows and spears at the top of the body’s forward face. The central warrior is a female warrior with shield and spear – possibly depicting Boadicea, the ancient British queen.
Whilst this mantle clock is individual in that it was only awarded to Bowen, it was awarded for his captaincy of the successful side containing both Samuel’s. Each team member did also walk away with a gift, some choosing small time pieces of their own; other players receiving a gold ‘albert’s chain’, which in itself is a chain to secure a pocket watch to a person’s waistcoat. Unfortunately the St Helen’s archive does not have an example of the ‘Albert’s chain’, an understandable legacy given its material.
Each of these awards had to be shared carefully however, as a gift. As shared via the plaque on the mantle clock, each item was awarded through the ‘Public Testimonial Fund’ a Public Subscription service that allowed donations to produce rewards for the local team by its townsfolk and not paid for by its strictly amateur club. Such a reward from the club would have professionalised them in the eyes of the Welsh Rugby Union. The fund raised £86 15s 3d, which is over £9000 adjusted for inflation today. Certainly not a small amount of money, and that can be seen in the quality of these gifts we have on display.
The careful way the money was raised highlights the importance attached to amateurism in rugby football in this era and beyond. Most of the players in Welsh rugby at this time had manual jobs in the heavy industries of the day in South Wales, though some had administrative or commercial employment. The Samuel brothers worked in the Cwmbwrla tinplate works.
The next entry in this audio trail shall showcase an example of the pocket watches gifted during this season, and subsequently explore the following season. Please click next to follow on.