Sport and Leisure

Monmouthshire Junior Association Football League. The rest of the league versus the champions, about 1907- 1908. A small write-up, players’ names, teams and the league standings are (seen left). The photograph shows the rest of the league team that played the champions of the league in about 1908. The team were as follows. Back Row – Mr J. Gilchrist; Mr …

Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Company Water Polo Team – The Early Years. On Monday 5th of September 1910, the Powell’s Tillery Institute Baths opened in an extension to their institute on Division Street, Abertillery. During the opening ceremony the Newport Swimming Club performed an aquatic display, swimming exhibitions and a water polo match. After the opening of the swimming pool …

The History of Quoits in the Valley. Quoits played at club level began in this valley in the late 1880’s. The game had been played as a hobby for many years but in 1889 the game of quoits was being seen as less of a pastime and more of a possible competitive sport, many towns and villages in the district …

The Abertillery Junior Rugby Teams. During the relatively short history of Abertillery, the town has had many teams in connection with rugby football, including the senior sides of Blaenau Gwent R.F.C., and Abertillery R.F.C. along with the various chapel and church teams, school teams, with the town’s junior teams including the Harlequins, Crusaders, Abertillery United, Wednesday’s team and the Boccolonians …

The Abertillery County School Grounds – Rose Heyworth Road. The County School Grounds were initially fields (as seen left above the Abertillery Rugby Ground) purchased by the council in 1921 upon which they intended to use as part of their housing scheme. They had been dumping refuse on its northern portion close to where the Millennium School, Rose Heyworth Campus …

The Abertillery Park Pavilion. On 10th of April 1911, at a monthly meeting of the Abertillery District Council held at the council chambers with Mr George Jones presiding, the following gentlemen attended – Mr T. H. Prichard (Vice-Chairman); Alderman W. Thomas J.P.; Mr W. Harris; Mr J. Phillips; Mr R. Downs; Mr G. Purnell; Mr D. Smith; Mr Theo Jones; …

The Football Grandstand – Abertillery. On Monday 12th of November 1906, at an Abertillery District Council meeting held at the offices at King Street, Abertillery, it was proposed to have a grandstand erected. The work on its construction was to be paid for by the Abertillery Football Club. The club had asked for permission to have one erected and Mr …

Abertillery v The New Zealand All Blacks Army Rugby Touring Team – April 1919. During WW1 many rugby football team members enlisted and signed up to serve their country. At the same time the sport of rugby at club and country level was suspended, though survived through Inter-Service and Allied Forces Matches. As the war came to an end most …

The Blue Pilgrims – Blaina. The Blue Pilgrims were a group of philanthropic ladies based in Kent. Their founder was Beatrice Hankey born 1858, she founded the order in 1902. In 1912 the group went to Staffordshire and aided the miners during the strike and throughout the Great War they set up home huts near army barracks for refreshment and …

Duffryn Recreational Grounds – Blaina. The Duffryn Recreation Ground had been a venue for sports since the mid 1850’s though the grounds you see today were laid down by groups of unemployed men working for the council within a scheme funded by various organisations over many years. The scheme also included funding for the Banna Recreation Grounds and the reconstruction …