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Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School

Athletics

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Newspaper Report of 1945 Sports Day

from Elfed Davies

The text below is a transcript of the report from The Aberdare Leader published in June 1945. An image of the original article can be seen using the link at the bottom of this page.

COUNTY SCHOOL SPORTS

Keen Events at
Aberdare

Aberdare Boys’ County School annual athletic sports were held at the School Field, Robertstown, on Thursday afternoon. In spite of fickle weather, good performances were given in many events, two of the houses maintaining a very close position during the whole proceedings, the result being in the balance until the last event.

The final placing in the house championship was: Llewellyn, 191½ points; Tudur, 188; Dewi, 152; Penri, 129½.

In the inter-school relay race, the following schools appeared:—Pontypridd, Barry, Mountain Ash, Porth, and Aberdare. Pontypridd retained the cup, with Mountain Ash second, and Porth third.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Spencer Bird presented the cups and rugby football “colours.”

The whole programme was organised by Mr. E.J. Excell, sports master, with the head master as president, and members of the staff as judges and stewards.

Results :— (Houses indicated as follows: D., Dewi; P., Penri; T., Tudur; L., Llewellyn).

100 Yards (Mid. School): 1 G. Beynon (T.); 2 K. Morgan (P.); 3 G. Howells (T.); 11.2 secs.

High Jump (Forms 1): W.J. Williams (L.); 2 J.A. Evans (L.); 3 Ronald Walters (L.); height, 3ft 8ins.

100 Yards (Senior): 1 R.J. Morris (P.); 2 B. Lewis (L.); 3 A. Thomas (L.); time 11.2 secs.

Throwing the Javelin (Mid. School): 1 J.H. Thomas (T.); 2 J.K. Pearce (D.); 3 L. Harries (D.); distance, 110 feet.

High Jump (Senior): 1 T.J. Jones (L.); 2 E. Davies (D.); 3 B. Berry (L.); height, 4ft. 9ins.

Long Jump (Junior): 1 H. Manning (T.); 2 J.F. Edwards (L.) and D. Baxter (P.) (tie); distance, 13ft. 7½ ins.

Putting the Shot (Mid. School): 1 J.E. Pearce (D.); 2 J.H. Thomas (T.); 3 G. Beynon (T.); distance, 38ft 3 ins.

Hurling the Discus (Senior): 1 I.B. John (L.); 2 R.G. Reynolds (L.); 3 D.G. Morgan (P.); distance 103 ft.

High Jump (Junior): 1 G. Walters (T.); 2 D. Langley (P.); 3 J. Maclean (D.); height, 4ft 3ins.

Long Jump (Mid. School): 1 J.D. Evans (T.); 2 I. Hinkin (D.); 3 T.O. Thomas (P.); distance, 15ft. 6½ins.

Throwing the Javelin (Senior): 1 D.J. Morgan (T.); 2 D.G. Jones (D.); 3 B. Lewis (L.); distance, 93ft. 4ins.

100 Yards (Junior): 1 H. Manning (T.); 2 Hitchings* (T.); 3 D. Edmuns† (P.); time 11.8 secs.

80 Yards (Forms 1): 1 G. Erasmus (P.); 2 W.J. Williams (L.); 3 J.A. Davies (L.); time 11.8 secs.

Putting the Shot (Senior): 1 W.B. Llewellyn (T.); 2 R.G. Reynolds (L.); 3 I.B. John (D.); distance 33ft. 2½in.

Hurling the Discus (Mid. School): 1 A.S. Davies (T.); 2 J.E. Pearce (D.); 3 G. Pontin (D.); distance, 88ft. 11in.

110 Yards Hurdle Race (Senior): 1 B. Berry (L.); 2 R.J. Morris (P.); 3 B. Lewis (L.); time, 17.4 secs.

220 Yards (Forms 1): 1 W.J. Williams (L.); 2 J.A. Davies (L.); 3 R. Erasmus (P.); time 27.8 secs.

100 Yards Hurdles (Mid. School): 1 M. Lloyd (L.); 2 G. Gregory (L.); 3 G. Beynon (T.); time, 15.4 secs.

Inter-School Relay Race: 1 Pontypridd; 2 Mountain Ash; 3 Porth; time, 1 min. 58secs.

High Jump (Mid. School): 1 M. Lloyd (L.); 2 M. Williams (D.); 3 D.W. Edwards (P.); height, 4ft. 7in.

Long Jump (Senior): 1 D.T. Edwards (P.); 2 I.B. John (D.); 3 B. Berry (L.); distance, 16ft 5¼ins.

220 Yards (Senior): 1 T.J. Jones (L.); 2 B. Lewis (L.); 3 R.J. Morris (P.); time, 25 secs.

220 Yards (Mid. School): 1 G. Beynon (T.); 2 L. Harries (D.); 3 I. Hinkin (D.); time, 26.2 secs.

220 Yards (Junior): 1 H. Manning (T.); 2 K. Harris (T.); 3 K. Hitchings (T.); time, 27 secs.

Long Jump (Forms 1): 1 D.D. Phillips (L.); 2 A. Williams (D.); 3 A.D. Clark (P.); distance, 12ft. ¼in.

440 Yards (Mid. School): 1 J.D. Evans (T.); 2 L. Harries (D.); 3 K. Morgan (P.); time, 1 min. 4.6 secs.

440 Yards (Senior): 1 T.J. Jones (L.); 2 A. Thomas (L.); 3 B. Berry (L.); time, 1 min. 2.2 secs.

“House” Relay Race (Mid. School): 1 Tudur; 2 Dewi; 3 Llewellyn; 4 Penri; time 54.6 secs.

75 Yards Hurdles (Junior): 1 H. Manning (T.); 2 G. Walters (T.); 3 K. Hitchings (T.); time, 11.8 secs.

“House” Relay Race (Forms 1): 1 Llewellyn; 2 Penri; 3 Tudur; 4 Dewi; time 44secs.

880 Yards Open Handicap: 1 C. Morgan (D.); 2 G. Howells (T.); 3 I. Williams (D.); time, 2 min. 24.2 secs.

“House” Relay Race (Junior): 1 Tudur; 2 Llewellyn; 3 Penri; 4 Dewi; time, 41.6 secs.

“House” Relay Race (Senior): 1 Llewellyn; 2 Penri; 3 Tudur; 4 Dewi.

* Almost certainly Ken Hitchings
† Probably David E. Edmunds from Hirwaun.

Notes on some of the competitors. You will also find some of these boys in the Former Pupils section, or
in the photographs of team sports such as those of the rugby teams.

E. Davies, a competitor in the High Jump (Senior), is Elfed Davies, who contributed this item. Elfed was for
  many years the Headteacher at Hirwaun Junior School. He lives in Gadlys Road.

M.B. Lloyd was Malcolm Lloyd well known for his hurdling skills, he also played cricket and rugby. Malcolm has lived in the USA for many years.

W.B. Llewellyn was William Burgess Llewellyn who was also an accomplished rugby player. Bill studied Classics at Cardiff University and Music at Oxford, where he was an Organ Scholar at Balliol College, and then joined the common room at King’s College Junior School Wimbledon in 1956. He remained at King’s until his retirement in 1991. He died in 2018.

G. Beynon was Gwynfryn Beynon of Cwmdare. He went into H.M. Forces after leaving school.

D. Langley was David Raymond Langley of Gadlys Road. He left for U.C. Cardiff in 1950. He became a Consultant Anaesthetist.

H. Manning was Haydn Manning who returned to the school as sports master when Mr Excell retired in   1958.

J. Maclean was Jeffrey Graeme Maclean. He joined the RAF after leaving school.

I.B. John was Ivor Bowen John of Trecynon.

R. Reynolds is probably Richard Reynolds, son of teacher and future headmaster T. Brinley Reynolds.

B. Berry was Brian Lendon Berry, one of the three Berry brothers who attended the school in the 1940s.

A. Thomas may be Arthur Colin Thomas.

T.J. Jones is probably Thomas John Jones of Rhigos.
 
 

Document image reproduced with permission of Rhondda Cynon Tâf Library Service