Penydarren Park – The Melting Pot – Merthyr Tydfil's History and Culture

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 6

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

These articles which appeared in three consecutive editions of the Merthyr Express in March 1921 are Harvey Boots’ own reminiscences of the development of three football codes in the town up to that date.

ARTICLE 3 MERTHYR EXPRESS 19^TH MARCH 1921 (continued)

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

We had some really good men with us now and to mention a few here would be in keeping with the rest of the story. I don’t think they played in the same season, but about those doughty days to which I have just referred. To recall a few, I can remember now the first two backs who played for the club. I had forgotten for a moment, but I was reminded of these names by the genial Vicar of Cyfarthfa (whom we all regard as Paterfamilias apart from things pertaining to football). They were Carrier and W. Davies, the latter of whom hailed from Bristol; Jack White, a good back; little Holmes, also a back; Sam Wightman who went from us to Middlesborough (at what I think was a record fee as transfer to date), Fisher, Gates, Churchill, Whittaker, F. Taylor, Spriggs, Costello etc., etc.

As I have brought this little history nearly up-to-date, I must obviously refrain from comments. I can only say in passing that some of these served the Club really well. Just here came the parting of the ways as far as the Merthyr Athletic Club was concerned. Although the game had undoubtedly come to stay, it was not by any means a paying proposition, and we felt that if the public wanted Association Football, they should help to support it, and so the Merthyr Association Football Club, Ltd., came into being. A limited liability company was formed, and we of the old Athletic Club retired gracefully in favour of the new company formed to carry on. The only one of the old pioneers remaining was Mr. W. T. Jones, who still acted in the capacity of secretary. A strong directorate was elected, embodying the various interests of the district, and everything seemed on a sound basis, but alas! Football, like life, is very uncertain, and the new regime had to encounter the same vicissitudes as formerly. But I think the culmination arrived when that great holocaust of world war smote us all. Football was out of the question, and for five years the game was not seen or even spoken of. The Park was still there, but owing to these unforeseen circumstances it was becoming sadly dilapidated. However, as soon as things became normal, and the menace that had been threatening us as a nation had been laid by the heels the old Club was once again resuscitated. The chairman of directors (Dr Duncan), who has held that office since the formation of the Club into a limited company, called a public meeting in the Drill Hall, presided over by the esteemed president, Mr. Seymour Berry. I was at that memorable gathering, and I shall recall how the enthusiasm of the President gripped the meeting. Money was wanted and he got it! I think the sum promised that evening was over £2,000. I am not going to relate how many or who subscribed but it was a goodly sum, and just depicted how willing the public were to foster the game that had now become so popular. But I believe a great portion of this went to put the ground in proper repair again. After an interval of five years things had sadly got out of repair, and although £2,000 seems a great del of money, by the time the necessary repairs, etc., were done, it was not a great deal for a fresh “dip” into the uncertain waters of Association Football. However, Dr Duncan, with that spirit of the “dour” Scot, with the aid of his loyal board, has now at last seen the fruits of his labours.

In conclusion, I trust, too, that the Merthyr Club will make history in the football world and that our genial President, who has for so long been in loco parentis, will in the near future have the pleasure of seeing that insignificant, elusive, but highly interesting trophy, “The Cup” gracing his sideboard.

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 5

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

ARTICLE 3 MERTHYR EXPRESS 19^TH MARCH 1921

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

I concluded my last article by referring to the paucity of the gates at the new game. At this juncture, for some reason (of which I know not) the Northern Union Club gave up the College Field and procured a ground at the bottom end of the town, the field known as Rhydycar. This, in my opinion, was probably their undoing; it was inaccessible, and the view from the surrounding tips was equal to a seat in the grand stand. Whatever the cause was I am not in a position to state, but as it proved to be their last season nothing will be gained by what our Yankee cousins call “beating it” so I leave it at that. The fight had been a long and costly one. It was obvious from the beginning that there was not enough room for both codes, and it really resolved itself into a question of which would stay the longest.

We were left in possession, but we still had a deal of squaring up to do. Here I might mention that, being a private company, we couldn’t go to the public for money; we just had to shell out as far as possible as we went along. We had numerous pilgrimages to the bank – indeed the sanctum of the manager was quite familiar to us. I think Mr. H. C. Davies, whose business premises are right opposite the bank and who acted as our treasurer, must have felt like bombing the place off the earth. As for myself, I had got quite used to passing it by on tiptoe, in case the manager knew my footsteps. The horizon, was beginning to clear and the clouds to look a little less dark, so we took heart of grace and proceeded to try and make the new code as popular as the old. As it was still a case of going very warily; the public had not yet “cottoned” to the new game, but there were very evident signs that it was rapidly gaining in favour. While it was comparatively new to Merthyr, there were clubs in Aberdare, Treharris, Ton Pentre, Mardy and Barry, of very old standing, and I think the fixtures with those local teams and the very keen rivalry that is always manifest when such close neighbours meet, had as much to do with popularising the game as anything I can think of. We were beginning to take decent “gates”; Indeed, one match stands out very vividly in my memory, and that was Bristol Rovers, then like ourselves, in Division II of the Southern League. I believe we had 17 professionals signed on at this time and we played in the particular match to about £11 16s. I wonder how much wages could be paid out of that sum today? Of course, we had to visit Bristol on this magnificent response of our patrons, for the return fixture; and it is memorable for one point; if for no other, viz, they put on 11 or 13, I am not sure, goals against our side, which caused our goalkeeper to remark that it was the busiest afternoon he had ever spent in picking the ball out of the back of the net. I think his name was Daw, and he came from “Owdham”.

There is no doubt at this period we were gaining very valuable experience from our near, and shall I say “dear,” neighbours, but the mere fact that we were continually rubbing shoulders, to use a metaphor, was of the utmost advantage to us. Many were the very useful tips we received about this or that from that good sport Jack Lewis (then the indefatigable secretary of the Treharris Club and now one of the directors of the Town team); also A. (Tagg) Williams, then, I should imagine, one of the best centre-halves who has played for Wales. Then again, that guiding spirit of the Aberdare Club, Tommy Daniel Jones was always ready with a bit of wholesome advice, and so were a host of others. Of course, by this time Cardiff (they at this moment are making football history for Wales and, en passent, I wish them well), Newport, Swansea and Llanelly were members of the Southern League, too, but really, I opine that the greatest asset in those days was the old South Wales Cup. There are few among us who haven’t vivid recollections of those strenuous combats. Ye gods! What fights they were. Ton Pentre, Aberdare, Mardy, Treharris etc., etc. I am sure they are all tolerably remembered by the habitues of Penydarren Park today. Things were now becoming really ship-shape, and I think it was from this period that Soccer began to boom.

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 4

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

ARTICLE 2 MERTHYR EXPRESS 12^TH MARCH 1921 (continued)

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

Meanwhile we of the Rugby Club were left in a quandary. The membership of the team that had been doing so well for us the previous season, and had raised the status of the club to a position it had never attained before, went over to the new game. A few remained true to the amateur cause, but we were left with little more than a skeleton of a team. Worse still all our supporters left us; our gates dwindled down to zero; while the other code grew in proportion. However, we kept pegging away, but things were going from bad to worse, our exchequer was dry, and we were owing the bank a bit. We continued for two or three seasons and the struggle was a long and costly one. To give an idea of how wealthy (?) we were becoming, on one occasion we played Cross Keys (a club now at the prominent head of all Welsh Clubs) to a gate of 17s 6d. On this princely sum we had to pay the return visit to Cross Keys. We were not forgotten entirely by the tradespeople of Merthyr at this period.

Several came to our aid, and one, in particular, rendered us very valuable financial assistance. I refer to Mr. J. T. Harrap. We had only to state our case and he was ever-ready to come to our help, but this sort of thing couldn’t go on indefinitely. We were in arrears with our rent, and when making application for Penydarren Park for what was eventually the last time, we found an offer had been made on behalf of the other club at a rental of £200, which was just double what we were charged. This, I am happy to say was turned down by the Athletic Club, although we, at this time, owed £100 for rent and no prospects of paying it.

We felt at this time that since we had been engaged for a number of years in fighting the battles of Welsh Rugby, it was time the parent body came to our assistance, and so began the beginning of the end. I went to Cardiff to interview them on innumerable occasions; as did W. T. Jones and E. Biddle, but all to no purpose. Although they had some thousands of pounds on deposit, they evidently thought it was a real pleasure for us, as private individuals, to keep on shelling out the money to keep the game alive. We wanted to book the Park again for the coming season, and although we owed the Athletic Club £100, they very kindly offered to forgo this, and write it off as a bad debt if the Welsh Union became guarantors for the rent in future. Down we go again to meet these gentlemen with this new proposal. “We don’t want financial assistance,” we told them. “We shall pull through if you will become guarantors for the rent.” Did they? No, bless you! With an ostrich-like wisdom they turned us down again, popped their heads back in the nice warm sand, and went to sleep. These valleys were then teeming with Rugby clubs. To-day there is only one between here and Cardiff – I refer to Pontypridd. All else is Soccer. I have always maintained – and always shall – that this particularly wise move on the part of the Welsh Union paved the way for what is now the popular game – Association.

Well, here were, we with a ground leased for a number of years (16), with nearly £4,000 spent on its improvement, and no tenant for it. The Athletic Club then held what was easily the most momentous meeting in its history and at this meeting we decided to form an Association Club. Believe me, Mr. Editor, had we known the troubles and pitfalls ahead I very much doubt if we would have decided as we did. However, with quick dispatch and unbounded enthusiasm, Dr Llewellyn Jones, Mr. H. C. Davies, with Mr. W. T. Jones as secretary, went up to London to interview the Management Committee of the Southern League. After viewing our ground and few other preliminaries, we were duly accepted as a member, and thus became the first Welsh Club in the Southern League. Our troubles had really only now commenced.

We had decided to introduce a new code into a district where previously, as I remarked before, an Association ball was rarely, if ever, seen. We were now in the Second Division of the Southern League, and as we were the only Welsh Club our fixtures in this section were all with English clubs. We advertised for players in the “Athletic News,” and, believe me, we got them. Our knowledge of the new game was not quite up to date, and I think some of the players who applied for places in the new combination must have been aware of the fact. Some of them came clean shaven, and with close-cropped heads, vowed they had played for Aston Villa and Newcastle, and had “scored the goal that had won the ‘Cup,’” which statement, if true, should have entitled them to whiskers of patriarchal dimensions and old age pensions.

All these things (and others) were sent to try us, but we were learning our lesson. The Northern Union Club were still going, but there were evident signs of a falling off here. Some of the South Wales clubs had already closed down for want of support, and the local club were beginning to feel the drain of those long trips to the North every other week. While they retained the popular fancy, a few spectators used to honour us with a visit just to see how the new-fangled game was going. Indeed, our gates were a thing of beauty, but not a joy for ever. They consisted of the players’ wives or sweethearts, the directors and a few friends, and a number of small boys who had managed to get in without paying. And there I think you have it. We didn’t want a bag of any sort to take the cash to the bank. I believe Mr. W. T. Jones used to put it in his waistcoat pocket to bank on Monday. It was only last week that Mr. John Evans (Royal Stores) mentioned that he remembered looking in on his way to the other game and was surprised to find as many players as spectators Many of my readers make take this cum grano salis, but I can assure them it was very near the mark.

To be continued…..

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 3

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

ARTICLE 2 MERTHYR EXPRESS 12^TH MARCH 1921

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

My feeble efforts to trace the history of the game of football in Merthyr has been the occasion of a good deal of friendly criticism from my intimate friends. I have endured a goodly portion of leg-pulling with hints on how to write for the Press, De facto how kindly strictures have proved very beneficial to this article, as several persons of renown in the history of the game locally ought to have come under greater review, and I am constrained to mention a few here and apologise for their omission the previous week. Through the courtesy of Mr. W. R. Lewis, decorator, etc., Pontmorlais, I am able to give the name of the very first team who played for Merthyr. As it was formed previous to the year of my nativity. I obviously can make no comment on their achievements, but a few of them I remember in later years. The Merthyr Football Team in 1877 consisted of T. Bryant (captain), J. Forrester (secretary), Bob James, Geo Gunson (brother of Mr. Robert Gunson), A. P. James, David and John Thomas (older brothers of Mr. Gomer Thomas), Lewis Brothers, three of whom were in the team and a fourth a member, Johnson, Jenkins, Ross Beynon (Abercanaid), Chris Bedlington, G. F. Matthews, W. Morgan (Dowlais), Ben Rogers, Tom Flooks (hairdresser, High Street), T. Williams, Tyrrell, Sam Thomas, Jack Richards, Tom Gameson Harris (Lloyds Bank), Albert Harris (solicitor) and Ireland (Cyfarthfa). Who in later days doesn’t remember Gus Jenkins (Dowlais), D. W. Evans (brother of J. B.), Harry Davies (an excellent half-back), Alf Hansard (he of the mighty punts to touch), D. J. Gould, (coal merchant, who played for both Cefn and Merthyr, and, who I believe, captained Merthyr for two or three seasons), Willie Harris (Aberdare), and W. L. Harris (Abercanaid), the latter of whom is now the agent for the Marquis of Bute). During the friendly discussion referred to above, the merits of various players were discussed and after various pros and cons the consensus of opinion seems to point to John Ben and W. L. Harris (Abercanaid) as being the best pair of half-backs that have ever represented Merthyr.

I concluded my article last week at the point where the Merthyr Athletic Club had just come into being. At that time the Football Club was very healthy financially. As a matter of fact, we had a fairly substantial balance at the bank. We had fixtures at home with Newport, Swansea and Cardiff (each of whom appeared on Penydarren Park), Llanelly, Penarth – home and away. We had the satisfaction of defeating Llanelly at Llanelly by three points to nil – a difficult feat at any time, but especially at that period, when they were one of the strongest teams in Wales. I attribute a good deal of the success now attending the team to my brother George, who, at this time was Captain of the Newport XV, and at the height of his career as a Welsh forward. (He represented Wales on 19 occasions.) He very kindly came up from Newport one evening in each week of the football season and gave the members of the team some training in “packing” and other phases of the game. For this purpose, we hired the Drill Hall, and I have no doubt we received many valuable hints from this source.

In this case, as in so many others, our success was really our undoing. The Northern Union game, which had been established in England for a number of years, was beginning to find adherents in South Wales. Mutterings and rumours of what it might accomplish in Merthyr were in the air, and then the blow fell, swiftly but none the less surely, for it was proposed at our next annual meeting of members that we go over to the Northern Union game and so become a professional club. This, happily, after a very stormy meeting, was defeated on a vote, but so small was the majority that it made us, who had been fighting for the old Rugby Club, sit up and gasp. Had we been defeated on the poll it meant the assets of the club, the ground (which had now been improved to practically what it is to-day) and the balance at the bankers going over to the new formation. Thus, it came about that two camps were found in the town: one for the Northern Union, and the one to keep the old guard going.

Here, Mr. Editor, I am going to transgress for a moment and trust that if any of my friends, in reading this, should think I am indulging in recriminations, please banish the thought. In giving this short history, it is necessary to refer briefly to those times of strenuous combat between the rival factions and the bitter enmity it engendered. Happily, this feeling has quite passed away, and now is all harmony and peace.

With commendable energy, the Northern Union section, headed by Messrs. J. B. Evans, the late Bill Harris (schoolmaster), Sam Adams, J. R. Jones (baker) and others got to work to secure a ground, and succeeded in obtaining from the Bolgoed Estate through the Agent (Mr. J. T. Vaughan) the portion then known as the College Field (within a stone’s throw of Penydarren Park). It has ceased to have any attraction for winter sport, but in the summer is a veritable hive of “industry.” It is now the home of that very successful bowling club – the Merthyr West End.

Well, the playing pitch was improved; fixtures were arranged with the leading Northern Clubs, and those were names to conjure with in those days – Halifax, Oldham, Leeds, Huddersfield, Wigan etc., and the few South Wales clubs which went over at the same time. I don’t think they were many, and if my memory is not at fault, I can find them in Aberdare, Barry, Ebbw Vale and Mid Rhondda. These, I believe, comprised the whole. The game took on in Merthyr to a surprising degree, and was, no doubt, a very open and fast game which appealed to all spectators.

To be continued…..

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 2

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

ARTICLE 1 – MERTHYR EXPRESS 5^TH MARCH 1921 (Continued)

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

About this time most of the veterans had dropped out of the game, and the club were in somewhat low water; Indeed, if my memory serves me well, a new club had arisen Sphinx-like from the ashes of the old one. Merthyr Alexanders, or Alexs, was the name of the new combination, and compatible with the greatly-improved play now general in Wales they possessed one of the finest back divisions that ever played for Merthyr, or, indeed I might add, any club. The following names would be conjured up by the old Rugger fraternity recalling memories of great deeds:- Bill Henry Jones, Bert Jenkins, Phil Thomas, Llew. Treharne, and last, but by no means least, J.C. (Chris) Williams, a youth, who, in the heyday of his play, could make the most strenuous opposition look small. He had the honour of being selected first reserve for Wales with the great Dicky Owen, and although the half selected to play for Wales on this occasion was unable to turn out owing to injuries, the Union Selection Committee with that great distain which no “fellar” can understand picked another player in place of our local boy, who was thus robbed – and I think that is the only word – of this Welsh Cap.

The following little incident with regard to the above-mentioned young man is quite worth repeating. We were touring the West of England one Easter, playing Lydney, Bream and Stroud. I was in charge of the team, and although Chris had retired from active participation in the game (owing to the unfortunate loss of an eye whilst playing football) we pressed him into service to play on the wing while on tour. He ran in with two or three beautiful tries against Stroud on the Easter Monday, which caused the Chairman of the Stroud Club to inquire of me who the prodigy was. On my replying that “he had practically given up football as he only had one eye”, he exclaimed “Good God! I wonder how many he would have scored if he had two!” From the sporting standpoint, and for the utmost fun to be had out of a game of football, the old Merthyr Thursdays were no doubt it. I have many happy memories of days while playing for the old Thursdays. I have a photograph now hanging in my waiting-room taken over twenty-five years ago, and it would be very interesting to recall some of the group. Among others who figure there are Ernest Biddle (now deputy Town Clerk and a director of the Merthyr Association Club), the late Tom Davies (Temple), Major D.C. Harris, Major J. E. C. Partridge (popularly known as “Birdie” who afterwards played for Newport and Blackheath) D. J. Thomas (Hetts), the Brothers Thomas (then known as Thomas the Tea Shop), Percy Ward, the late Gwill and Howell Thomas (the latter of whom it may be truly said, was one of the best sports that ever kicked a Rugby football. He was captain of the Thursday team for more years than I care to remember, and his whole-hearted enthusiasm for the game was wonderful. He was a man who never knew when he was beaten, and a grafter to the very last. Under his leadership we had a very successful leadership, and at that time the team was considered the best mid-week team in Wales.

Our great fixture in those days to which we all made a special effort to get to was with Brecon College. The departure on Thursday morning in Thorney’s four-horse brake – there were no motor charabancs in those days – was sight to behold, and the return (triumphant or otherwise) was an even more wonderful picture. At that time Brecon College team contained boys who were destined to make history in Welsh football. Who hasn’t heard of Teddy Morgan, W.M. Llewellyn and A. F. Harding? Llew Thomas, a Welsh International, was a master there at this time, and always turned out with the boys.

Coming down to more recent history, and the real reason for this article, a new Merthyr Saturday Team had now been created. The Alexs were defunct; many of them had been lured over to the Northern Union game, and so had left the district to play for these Northern Clubs, but the old game was not allowed to flag. A new power had arisen to control the destines of the game. I refer to the late W. T. Jones, known to all and sundry as “Jones of Wales”. A man who worked early and late, in and out of season for the love of the game. I often wonder what “Poor old Bill” would say if it were possible for him to see the fruits of his early labours by taking a peek at Penydarren Park some Saturday afternoon as we see it to-day? But alas! He left us just as the old ship that he steered for so long was just about to make harbour.

We had at this time the best club that probably ever represented the old town. Penydarren Park had been secured permanently for sport, football etc., by a representative body of gentleman comprising, I believe, the late Mr. J. Plews, Mr. H. W. Southey, Mr. Aneurin Jones, Mr. A. J. Howfield, Mr. Gomer Thomas, Mr. D. C. Harris, Dr. Biddle, Mr. W. W. Meredith and others whose names, for the moment, escape me. The club was flourishing as never before, and we were on the high road to obtain fixtures with the leading clubs of the country.

Another body of gentlemen had now sub-let the Park from the afore-mentioned for the purpose of making a ground second to none – Dr Llewellyn Jones, Mr. W. B. Harris, the late Joe Jones (Manchester House), the late Howell Thomas, D. C. Davies, Mr. Sam Dix, of the Tiger Hotel,(which at that time was the headquarters of the football club), the late W. T. Jones (who acted as secretary) and myself (as chairman).

To be continued…..

The Growth of Football in Merthyr Tydfil – part 1

Transcribed by Phil Sweet

ARTICLE 1 MERTHYR EXPRESS 5^TH MARCH 1921

THE GROWTH OF FOOTBALL IN MERTHYR

(By Harvey Boots)

While sitting in the grand stand and gazing around at the sea of faces assembled on Penydarren Park to watch Merthyr and Swansea play some weeks ago, my mind naturally reverted back to know what would be considered the “old days.” Sitting behind me was a personality who, probably, had as much to do with the assembling of that vast crowd as anyone in the history of Merthyr football. The gentleman I refer to is now a successful London businessman known as Mr. J. H. Evans, better known to the football fraternity as “John Ben”. My reasons for opening with this statement will appear later on in a subsequent article. Sitting next to me on the occasion referred to was the genial Editor of the Merthyr Express, who, after hearing our conversation about old times, etc., asked me point blank if I could manage to give him a few lines for the Merthyr Express on Merthyr’s football history as far as I could go. The bait was skilfully laid; I nibbled, and here I am – hooked. As I have no data to go upon, but simply giving a short history of my own recollections, there will obviously be a few inaccuracies which, I trust, will be excused and, at the same time, be non-controversial.

In my early days Rugby was the only code in the district, as a Soccer ball was quite a rare event, and so this portion of my story will be entirely of the Rugby game. My earliest memories recall to mind some of those giants of the past whom I used to see deporting themselves of the old game. Indeed, I have an old photograph before me now (kindly lent me by Mr. E. Beynon, of Abercanaid), and it would be interesting to recall some of the names of the group, vis, J.T. Harrup, Gomer Thomas, Arthur Howfield, the late Major H.H. Southey, J. Beynon, Tom Morgan, Jenkin Williams (Cowbridge), Ivor Thomas, son of Mr. William Rees Thomas (chemist), Claude Biddle, T.T. Fryer, the late Gwilym Thomas and Howell Thomas, Crad Evans (son of the late Roger Evans, draper) Tommy Elliott, W.R Southey and Joe Jones (Manchester House). At that time the playing venue was at the Goitre Field – quite a good walk both before and after, a match. A little later we come to another period when I recall the names of Fred Beddoe, G. Truran, “John Ben”, and Shenkin Davies.

At this period, or it may be prior to this, the playing pitch was Penydarren Park, which was quite a different proposition from what it is to-day. In those days there were numerous trees in the ground then utilised, and often the players, while careering down the field, would come in contact with one of those obstacles and become hors de combat. Indeed, I believe it is on record that several very serious accidents occurred from this source. About this time Mr. W. H. Baker, The Garage, used to bring a team from Newport on Good Friday to play for the benefit of the Railwaymen’s Society, and I believe he, with one or two others, was largely responsible for approaching Major Morgan, Bolgoed, with a view to having the trees removed; which was subsequently done. In those days the various playing pitches were anything but deluxe, and bathing accommodation often consisted of three or four tubs in some back room of whatever hostelry happened to be the headquarters of the team we were playing. On a particularly muddy day the biggest sprint of all was after the game to be one of the first “to tub”. The condition of the water for the last bathers can better be imagined than described. Hot and cold showers, massage, etc. were an unknown luxury in those days. But in spite of those little drawbacks the game was played with a zeal that to-day would be truly refreshing. The fun and good fellowship we used to get out of our football more than compensated for those little inconveniences. I remember one incident en passant which occurred when we were playing Bedford at the latter place. We were getting beaten for possession of the ball in the scrum, and our captain, who was also a forward, and shall be called “X” shouted out, “There is somebody not pushing, who is it?” Promptly, came the reply from poor old Crad Evans (a great wit, now, alas no more!) “I think it’s “X” naming the captain.”

To be continued….

Harvey Boots

by Phil Sweet

“For thirty years Mr. Boots associated himself with every progressive movement in the town and was a zealous and active worker in every good cause.”

This comment, which appeared in the Merthyr Express of November 10^th 1923 in an article describing the occasion to honour Mr. Boots that was held three days earlier at the Belle Vue Hotel aptly sums up the contribution to the cultural and civic life of the Borough in the last decade of the Nineteenth and first two decades of the Twentieth Century by H. Harvey Boots.

Born in Aberbeeg and the brother of Welsh Rugby international, George Boots, Boots would embark on a career as a dentist. After being articled to Mr. Gill Williams of Newport Harvey Boots came to Merthyr in 1891 as an assistant to Mr. Musgrove with whom he completed his articles. After gaining further experience as a dentist in Croydon, Southsea and Bristol, Boots returned to Merthyr in 1896 and opened his own dental practice in the High Street.

Aside from his career as a dentist Harvey Boots made a valuable and pioneering contribution to the sporting life of the town. Initially his focus was on the rugby field where he turned out for both Merthyr Thursdays and Merthyr RFC, serving as chairman of the latter organisation whilst still turning out as player.

Boots also served as the first chairman of the Merthyr Athletic Club which had leased Penydarren Park from the Bolgoed Estate and was responsible for converting the site into a sporting arena. With the demise of the rugby union club Boots switched his attention to Merthyr Town AFC becoming their first chairman of directors. A true sporting all-rounder, Boots was also a keen bowls player and golfer being a member of first the Morlais and later the Cilsanws golf clubs, while he was also in great demand as an MC for whist drives.

Away from the sporting sphere Harvey Boots was a keen horticulturalist serving as vice-chairman of the Merthyr Horticultural Society and winning many prizes for his carnations while he also found the time to take an active interest in the Scout Movement in the town.

During the Great War although he was unable to volunteer for the armed forces Boots served as a special constable in the Borough and acted as honorary dentist to the Knighton Red Cross Hospital and travelled to Knighton every week free of charge and at his own expense to attend to wounded soldiers sent home from the front, actions which led to him receiving the diploma of the Red Cross & St. John Society.

In addition to the above Harvey Boots also played a prominent and active part in the public life of the town. After the Great War he was elected as the first chairman of the newly formed Merthyr Ratepayers Association. A lifelong member of the Constitutional Party Boots was one of the original members of the Constitutional Club in Thomastown. Furthermore, he was a devoted churchgoer serving as a sidesman in St. David’s Church and secretary of the Parochial Quota Fund.

A married man with two daughters Boots left Merthyr in the summer of 1923 for Great Yarmouth where he had purchased a large dental practice in the hope that the sea air would prove to be more beneficial for his health.

Over the next few months, various articles written by Harvey Boots will appear in this blog.

Memories of Old Merthyr

We conclude our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

© William Menelaus (1818-1882); Hagarty, Parker; Cardiff University; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/william-menelaus-18181882-15929

To some it is probable that to say much of Dowlais and leave the name of Mr Wm. Menelaus not prominently mentioned is like enacting the play “Hamlet” and leave out Hamlet himself. To such it is fair to say my knowledge of the place is antecedent to meeting with that gentleman prior to his going there. That he did much to keep up the prestige of the place is truthfully admitted. That he did not accomplish all his desires is also a fact; his intention and actual conversion of some portion of the works to another branch of manufacture can be doubtless recalled by many. Let me bear my humble tribute to his memory. Wishing Dowlais well, I will now part with it, and hope its future will be prosperous.

Instead of returning to Merthyr by the road, let us take a pleasanter way, and, mounting some steps by the roadside at Gellifaelog, cross by the footpath over a field or two, and then take the lane (or maybe paved road) back, passing by Gwaunfarren across the limestone tramroad there (there was also a limekiln close by), and we are close to the Penydarren Park again.

Before making my congé, let me recall some things that are now gone, most probably gone forever. One is the ‘Merched y Wern’ from Neath; they were well known, Their vocation in life some 60 or 70 years ago was to go to Swansea Pottery, and, getting a large crate or basket, in reality of ware, return to Neath upon the next morning loaded with the ware, walk to Merthyr to dispose of it. They were necessarily hardy and masculine. During their walks shoes or boots, as well as stockings, were taken off, only to be put on when entering a populous place. They were generally reputed to be well able to protect themselves. Generally there were two, three or four together, and evil betide any who raised their wrath. There is a tale of a man having said something being induced to accompany them for awhile, when at a suitable place he was denuded of clothing and bound a la Mazeppa – not to a horse but to a tree. Cwm-ynys Minton, not far from the Gelly Tarw junction, is the locus in quo of the episode.

Another class that has passed away are the old butter carriers, who, with their cart and horse, took weekly journeys from various parts of Carmarthenshire. They travelled 36 or even 48 hours at a stretch. Occasionally two or three would be in company; at night, some were thus able to sleep in their carts.

Then again there were the sand girls who earned a livelihood by gathering the stones from the river, calcining them and by ‘pounding’ reduce them to sand for use for domestic purposes. There are some stones far more suitable than others for this purpose – those of the silicious kind being more in request. However clear of them the river might be occasionally, a heavy flood brought down another stock, and so it went on. I am not aware if any such an employment now exists, but formerly the river from Caepantywyll to the bottom of Caedraw was the hunting ground of the sand girls.

The River Taff below Jackson’s Bridge, possibly showing some sand girls collecting stones. Reproduced by permission of The National Library of Wales Creative Archive Licence

The produce of the works, too, has undergone a strange metamorphosis. Not only are there no iron bars now made for tin works, but split rods have ceased to be so, and, while formerly large cargoes of ‘cable iron’ went to the Grecian Archipelago and other places in the Mediterranean, in vain should I look in all of South Wales for a bar bent to the shape of the camel’s back for conveyance across the desert. Advisedly, I say thousands of tons have gone from Merthyr for such a mode of conveyance.

‘Cable’ iron was also made, but if made now cannot be made from similar materials to what it used to be. I do not know of any South Wales works making cold blast all mine iron, but, if there is such it certainly not contiguous to Merthyr, where it was at one time made. Do not, however, suppose I consider Merthyr drawing to the close of its career:

“For I doubt not through the ages an increasing purpose runs,
And the thoughts of men are widened by the process of the suns”

Here for the present do I close but if “The sunset of life gives me mystified life” and coming events cast their shadows before my brain, I may endeavour to say a few words respecting “What of the future?”

Catholicism in Merthyr

From the Western Mail 130 years ago today….

Merthyr Town Soccer Team

Following on form the recent article about Penydarren Park, below is an excerpt from the Evening Express 115 years ago today….

Top Row:- Edwin C Dow (goal), Sam Wightman (left back), William Davies (right back), Samuel Houshall (half back).

Second Row:- George Churchill (left half), William Bromley (centre half), Peter Kelly (right half)

Bottom Row:- James Whittaker (outside left), Frank Pemberton (inside left), James Wootton (inside right), Alexander Tait (half back).