Details of the inscription. The wording on the cup is as follows:

BOYS' COUNTY SCHOOL
ABERDARE

THE W.M. LLEWELLYN CHALLENGE CUP
HOLDERS

1924 T. TEGRYD PRICE

1937 TREVOR L. MOORE
1938 TREVOR L. MOORE
1939 P.D.G. HOGGINS

If you lived in South Wales in the first half of the last century, you would have surely known who the Llewellyns were. As the Ewings were to Dallas, so the Llewellyns were to South Wales - and both families were in the energy business, in particular, fossil fuels.

The influence of the dynasty began in 1872 when Rees Llewellyn, (1851-1919), became Surveyor and Under-manager at Bwllfa Colliery in Cwmdare. About six years later he became manager and was living at Bwllfa House at the very top of the Dare valley. Later he became chairman of Bwllfa and Merthyr Dare Steam Collieries and entered into public and professional life in South Wales.

Rees and his wife Elizabeth, from Ystradfellte, had five boys and one girl who survived to adulthood. Of these, his eldest son David Richard Llewellyn
(1879 -1940), was the most successful; on the death of his father in 1919, he became chairman of the family company. But more importantly he acquired and combined other companies so that he became extremely influential and powerful in South Wales, and of course wealthy. Like his father, D.R. entered into public life and took a full part in the A.U.D.C., the local council. He lived at Goytre, Llewellyn St., then at Fairfield, off Monk Street, and finally at The Court, St. Fagans. D.R. was made a baronet in 1922; he had eight children, with three of his sons gaining knighthoods. His second son, Henry Morton also known as Harry, was the Olympic showjumper and rode the horse named Foxhunter.

William Morgan Llewellyn (1887-1943) was the third son of Rees Llewellyn. He attended Christ's College, Brecon and went on to become an agent at Bwllfa and later became general manager on his father's retirement. He lived initially at Nantmelin Farm, Cwmdare but later made his home at Tynewydd on the Hirwaun-Penderyn Road, and it was here that his brother D.R. died. W.M. held numerous public offices and was well liked in the district. As well donating the Sports Cup, W.M. created a fund that the school used for scholarships, and in later years, for school prizes.

Of Rees Llewellyn's sons, only Walter Powell Llewellyn (b.1882) attended the Intermediate School in Aberdare. He was amongst the first intake of 1896, and studied for two years there. This relatively short stay at a secondary school was about the average in the early years of the school - not only for this school but also for the other Intermediate Schools in Wales. By 1901, Walter was living in Paddington and employed at a bank in London.

The family has remained in the public eye: Roddy Llewellyn, a son of Sir H.M. Llewellyn gaining notoriety as a result of his involvement with Princess Margaret in the 1970s. He is now a garden designer and lives in Oxfordshire.
Roddy's brother Dai continues to hit the headlines; currently, (April 2007), he is standing as UKIP candidate for Cardiff North in the Welsh Assembly election. Born on 2nd April 1946 in Aberdare and with the official title of
Sir David St. Vincent Llewellyn, he is the 4th Baronet of Bwllfa and was the darling of the gossip columnists in the 70s and 80s, having acquired a notorious reputation as a playboy. Don't expect to see Sir Dai around the streets of Cwmdare however; try Mayfair or Marbella instead.

Since writing this, the death of Sir Dai Llewellyn has been announced. There is currently, (14 January 2009), an account of his life which can be reached by clicking here.