Sport in the Archives
Sport
Sports Team, Clubs and Associations
The records of or relating to sports teams are a rich resource. Please see below for examples of the types of organisations and records held in the Archives:
- Swansea University Athletic Union: minute books, financial records, reports, correspondence, photographs for a wide range of clubs and teams (Ref. 2012/19)
- Seven Sisters Rugby Club: Minutes, accounts, records of membership and teams, 1955-1991 (Ref. 1997/21)
The Archives also hold a number of photographs showing sports facilities and activities:
- Reprints and negatives of photograph of annual cricket match between buyers and salesmen, CWS Cardiff Depot, at Porthkerry Park, 15 July 1909 (Ref. SWCC/MND/137/2/21/18)
- Photograph of members of Basque Boys Amateur Football Club Caerleon, 1939 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/SCW/31)
- Photograph of Tredegar Institute draughts team, c1900-1910 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/1/6)
- Photograph of the Banwen quoits team based at the Pontyddraenen Hotel displaying their trophies, c1930-1940 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/1/17)
- Photographs of the South Wales Miners' Gala, including a rugby match (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/3/29)
Sports Grounds and Other Facilities
The records of many of the welfare associations, institutes, recreation associations and other organisations found in the South Wales Coalfield are a rich resource for examining the development of sports facilities. Please see below for examples of the types of organisations and records held in the Archives:
- Coalfield Social Welfare Organisation: Administrative papers including ledgers providing details of grant assistance by CISWO to Welfare Associations (eg 2007/8/77) for upkeep of, amongst other structures, bowling and tennis pavilions, c1952-2007 (Ref. 2007/8)
- Clubs for Young People Wales [St Athan Boys’ Village and Boy’s Club Movement in Wales]: Annual reports, magazines, and photographs, 1928-2008 (Ref. 2011/2)
- Ynysybwl Recreation Association: Minute books, rules, accounts and other financial papers, maps and site plans, 1922-1965 (Ref. SWCC/MNA/PP/81)
- Dr JD Jenkins (Medical Officer of Health, Rhondda UDC): Correspondence and leaflets re swimming pool at Cwmpark, 1933 (Ref. SWCC/MNA/PP/55/2)
The Archives also hold a number of photographs showing sports facilities and activities:
- Handball tournament in Nelson, c1900 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/1/16)
- Bowling green and people at Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, c1910 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/1/2)
- Seven Sisters outdoor swimming pool, c.1930-40 (Ref. SWCC/PHO/REC/1/22)
- Photograph of an illustration from the Cambrian Welfare Association annual report, 1926 giving an artists impression of the proposed lay out for a site to be developed around Blaenclydach. This includes tennis courts, a bowling green, a Pavillion and an open air theatre (Ref. SWCC/PHO/TOP/1/25)
Sport in the Press and Other Literature
As well as entries in newspapers and company magazines reference to sport can be found in other forms of literature. Please see below for some examples of material held in the Archives:
- J.D. Williams: newspaper-cuttings on a variety of subjects such as Swansea and district, court cases, local chapels, literary extracts, politics, Eisteddfod, sport etc., 1898 (Ref. LAC/124/3)
- 'The Football Leader': sports edition of the 'Cambrian Daily Leader', 9 Dec 1906 (Ref. LAC/102/4)
- 'So Long Hector Bebb': a novel by Ron Berry examines the life of a boxer. The Archives hold a number of manuscript and typescript texts of this work, which was first published by Macmillan and Co. in 1970. (Ref. WWE/1/1/3)
Sport Elsewhere in the Archives
Business records can be a useful source for researching history. Many larger businesses sponsored local teams and some had sports clubs within their organisations. Please see below for some examples of material held in the Archives:
- An advertising ledger kept by the Swansea Improvement Tramway Company includes an account for Swansea Town Association Football Club (Ref. LAC/85/C28). Find out more this ledger from the website created by MA students from Swansea University.
- The collection of documents for Llanelli Co-operative Society includes a copy of photographs of staff welfare sports presentation for tennis and bowls (Ref. SWCC/MND/137/2/35/28)
- Within the collection of documents for Ynysybwl Co-operative Society there are lists of property rents and commissions received, which includes a list of commission received in respect of Glamorgan County Cricket Club for 6 months ending 3 Sep 1979 (Ref. SWCC/MND/137/2/73/28)