Trelewis Amateur Boxing Club was founded back in 1981 and has had a staggering success rate with its young boxers, leading to the club earning no less than 40 Welsh titles as well as a number of British titles. Starting with nothing the club through the dedication of a small number of people soon began to build a solid reputation within the Welsh Boxing world for its highly skilled and well-trained boxers. Initially, the club was formed after a meeting in the Tylers Arms in Nelson! Two committee members each loaned £250 for bags, gloves and kit and the new club was born. The committee at this time included Dennis Andrews, Irwyn Williams, Glyn Puddy, R.Evans and Dennis Poole.
Later, both the former stables at the Quakers Yard Inn and Trelewis Community Centre were used as venues, but space and cost was prohibitive and a new venue had to be found. The club took up residence in the former Ambulance Hall at Trelewis shortly after and remained there until 2002. Due to regeneration at the Trelewis Gym, Trelewis Boxing Club where then rehoused in the ‘hut’ behind the community centre in Treharris where we remain until this day.
Trelewis Boxing club contact details
Edward Street, Treharris
Contact the club for more information and training Nights & Times:
Telephone: 01443 408 134
Mobile: 07971 134 448
Email: moc.loa@0791bbeb
There are records of a football team playing in the village as long ago as 1893, where it is reported that Trelewis and Pontypridd football clubs had joined the south Wales football league, The South Wales League was formed in 1891. From the start, it was a rather disorganised affair, with clubs dropping out at regular intervals during the season. In an attempt to make things fairer, a complex bonus system was used, whereby points were awarded for certain scratched fixtures. This was not implemented in any standard form, and the table at the seasons end was so unsatisfactory that the League asked the top three clubs, Aberdare, Treharris and Porth, to play-off for the championship. After these games were completed, Treharris were declared champions.
The first record of a league Table involving Trelewis is found in the south Wales league table 1882-83, it read as follows
Team played won drew lost for against points
Treharris 14 13 1 0 56 8 27
Cardiff 14 13 1 0 43 8 27
Barry District 12 8 0 4 26 16 16
Cwmbach 14 6 2 6 39 14 14
Mountain Ash 12 5 2 5 7 17 12
Trelewis 14 4 2 8 9 31 10
Pontypridd 13 0 1 12 3 28 1
Blaina 13 0 1 12 3 9 1
Fixtures were not completed
Cwmbach and Blaina goals tally needs to be checked.
Championship play-off: Cardiff 4 Treharris 2
Records are unavailable until the 1899-1900 season, Trelewis were in the second division then and finished third place on 11 points, behind the Champions Aberaman (19 pts) and runners up Rogerstone (18 pts) once again the league shows two teams withdrawn mid way…New Tredegar and Cardiff Macintosh
1901-02
Trelewis again competed in the second division, this time they were joined by Treharris and Nelson.
1902-03
Trelewis withdrew form the league. And no records were found of the team playing in the south Wales league again, the south Wales league formally disbanded by 1911.
Trelewis had a very good shop team in the thirties and we have some pictures
Back row
Will Bounds (trainer), Harry Price, Charlie Bounds, Milward Watkins,Alfred Jones, Percy Evans,Jack Williams, Harold Bundy,Bert Green , Bob Dixon
Middle row
Joshua Harris (chairman), Will King, Mr Lewis (vicar), Keith Harris
Front row
Lewis Davies, Fred Bufton, Tom Walters.
small boy at the front…vicars son
Below we see another photograph of the famous Harries shop workers team( courtesy of Mike Williams)
The team above won the shop assistants cup in 1929/30 season and also the following year 1930/31…the photograph shows
J Harries (treasurer) P Evans, C Bounds,B Davies, S Williams (president) W Picken (trainer)
H Bundy, F Bufton,A Coles, L Davies (secretary) A Davies, Syd Nichols (chairman) B Kingsey, B Harris (captain) W King
Thanks to Vic Hughes we have managed to find some information about Trelewis football between 1927-35
Victor Hughes, of Field Street, Trelewis has always had an interest in football. Back in 1994 he wanted to find out more about the history of football in the village of Trelewis. He placed an advertisement in the Merthyr Express asking for anyone with information about the history of the footballers of the village, to contact him….Shortly after he received this wonderful letter. The letter was sent by a gentleman in his eighties who once lived in the village and had moved to Pembroke.
I have not changed a word of the letter and it was accompanied by some photographs which you can see, I have added them in with the story told in the letter. My Grandmothers maiden name was Louise Hands and there is an Alex Hands mentioned in the story, I am wondering if it was a relative of mine. Some of the names mentioned are familiar to me, and I am only 50 years old, hopefully they will also bring back memories for others.
Dear Mr Hughes,
Sorry I am a bit late, but I only get the Merthyr Express every other week. I can tell you a little about football in Trelewis. I will start by telling you a little about myself. I lived up in one of the two cottages up on the mountain; Stormtown was built around us, then when enough young chaps arrived here, we formed a team, this was about 1927.
We called ourselves the “Stormtown Ramblers”, we didn’t last long as we had no ground to play, just a rough bit of ground above the quarry, which has now been filled in. The photo of “Stormtown” is taken on Treharris football ground, I will tell you how we got there later on.
On the photo, back row, first from left to right, myself, Ron Johnson, I can’t remember all the names,3rd is Ray Jones, still alive, living in Stormtown. 5th is Pem, who is now in a wheelchair, living at the “old folks” home in Treharris. Next to Pem, in the background, with the cap on, is Jos Summers, he was manager, sec, first aid, trainer, and everything else, but he didn’t play, he is still living in Maen Ganol, next to him is Reg Parker, our star player, he was killed in Taff Merthyr, when he was about 18 years old.
The front row there were the Yeoman players, I think there were three of them. I know all the people on the photos, but that was 67 years ago and can’t remember all the names. There was one more I should mention, Clem Tovey, now living in Nelson, he was on the injured list and not present.
At that time there was a very good team in Trelewis, called the Trelewis Juniors. Now we can go back to the first photo of the Ramblers on the Treharris ground. We challenged the farmers to a game, the losers to pay for a new set of jerseys; they won, so we had to pay for a new set of jerseys from the Sports shop in Fox street, Treharris. We played the match on Treharris, because it was a neutral ground.
Then we had to give up because we had no ground to play on. I was then invited to play for the Trelewis Juniors, which was a great honour, I was over the moon! This must have been 1927 or 28, not sure. The first year we won the league and the league cup and the Rhymney associate cup.
The second year, I was then the captain; we won the league and lost in the final of the league cup.
Whenever I think of football in Trelewis, one man comes to mind, and he was Bill Bounds, he was MR FOOTBALL, he ran the football there for as long as I can remember.
I left Trelewis in 1935 and went to Luton to work in Vauxhall motors, but it only lasted 9 months. I returned to Trelewis and was invited to play for a team they had going at the time. We played a team in Cardiff and won 1-0. Now we come to the 1936 team.
Back row first player…Pem, 3rd, myself, second row, 4th, Idwal Thomas, sixth, Paddy Meaney, Front row, first of the Brown Brothers.
I will try to name some of the players that were in Trelewis at the time I played for them…There was Ray Jones in goals, Pem and myself, full backs. Then came Alex Hands, Idwal Thomas, Dicky Brown (a great player), Billy John Evans…I can’t remember any more.
By the way, when I was in Luton, I had a trial for Luton Town, but I was just not good enough. Well that’s about all I can tell you about the football in Trelewis, I hope it will be of help to you.
I spent 57 years in London and I am now happily married and living in St Clears. I still visit Trelewis to see my old friend Jos Summers and George Powell.
That’s about all
PS
By the way I also played for Harris the grocers Thursday team, and got a winners medal there, altogether I got 6 medals from Trelewis
Another Photograph that was in the collection that Vic Hughes had off Ron Johnson can be seen below.
The photograph above has three teachers at the back, Mr Thomas (head) Benny Grifiths and Ivor Jones
Below is Trelewis Football Team dated 1957
Anyone know their names?
Back Row
Cled Johnson(with the tie) Jackie Jenkins, Bobby Jenkins, Ken James,Harry Collins, Leighton Thomas,? Harding, Geoff Howells,Brian Kingsey, John Cadwallader? Leighton Candy,Bryn Jackson, ? Platt,Billy Jones(pipes) Jim Matthews
Front row
Reg Williams, Tony Jennings, Alan Jenkins Cecil Vaughan ,? Arthur
Trelewis Ladies football team 1953 formed to celebrate the Coronation
Can anyone help with a list of names?
The ones I think I have are;
Back row
the famous Aunt Winnie of Maen Gilfach
middle row
Connie Evans, Cybil Howells/Rees, ? Lynda Davies, Nancy Williams, Jean Joseph
Front row
Marylyn Yendle, Doreen Johnson,Fiona James Mary (Dezy) Jones
Below we see a team from 1949-50 era which includes Dennis Proctor bottom left and Mr Sullivan bottom right
Another womans team for the investiture 1969 includes Mrs Candy, Mrs Pride and Audrey Wiltshire
Standing – Champsey Matthews, Ken James, ? Will John Cadwallader, Glyn Lewis, Vince Farr, Billy Brown and Will Jones(Pipes)
Sitting – Doug Jones, Harry Collins, Jeff Howells, Reg Williams and Bryn Jackson. The two in front are Dai Pablo and Tony Jennings.
I have been struggling to find further records of Trelewis football team until it was re formed in 1966, but it is likely that a Trelewis team played in the Glamorgan league(Glamorgan league formed until 1926) and possibly the Rhymney Valley leagues between wars and maybe the combined Rhymney Valley/ Taff Ely merged leagues from 1952? There are a couple of indications that the village had a Welsh league team during these years too. There was a Trelewis boys club senior team credited with winning the WABC shield in 1949 (see pictures)
(anyone with any information about these missing Years please contact webmaster)
Friendly match with familiar faces
The current Trelewis Welfare AFC is said to have been founded in 1966 ( according to programme notes 1986) They played in the Rhymney valley league .
They were the outstanding Team in the Rhymney Valley league before getting promoted to the Welsh League. This is a report from the Merthyr Express in June 1968.
Report on Season 1967-68 Rhymney Valley football league
Trelewis Team that season was. Goalkeeper G. Harris Full Backs were Butch Hopkins and Dai Lewis.
Alfie Lloyd and Cecil Vaughan Centre Backs, Midfielders Roger Williams, Alan Williams, Mike James and Charlie Vaughan, Forwards were Vic Hughes and Brian Rich.
Trelewis celebrated last season’s resurgence when they finished as runners up in the Rhymney Valley league to progress a step further, to top position. Their magnificent record of 20 wins and one draw from 22 matches gave them a clear 7 points advantage over Hengoed who finished in second place.
In all, Trelewis achieved nine doubles-over Pontlottyn, Brithdir, 49 club, Llanbradach, Maesycwmmer, Nelson, Penybryn, Penybryn reserves and Tirphil-and did not lose a game after Jubilee beat them at Jubilee way back in September.
The only point dropped at home was to Hengoed in a 2-2 draw last month, which means of course, that Trelewis maintained a ground record throughout the Campaign.
Their 5-1 home win against Tirphil in the last week of the season took the clubs goal tally to 102-goals against totalled 23. Following such a splendid season, it may appear a little invidious to pick out certain players for special mention; but because of their special contribution-a few, in all fairness, must be named.
Centre Forward Vic Hughes, for instance, if only because he celebrated his conversion from rugby to soccer by scoring 33 goals from mid season on.
Brian Rich who took first place with Vic Hughes in the scoring charts with 33 net finders from the left wing position.
Gerwyn Lloyd too, had a season to remember, in playing in all matches at pivot-and captaining the league representative side. While left back and captain, David Lewis, hardly ever put a foot wrong all season. Then last, but certainly not least, young Alan Williams, who showed such wonderful promise on the right wing that it was often difficult to believe that he was only 17 years of age and in his first season of senior football.
A season incidentally, which will be particularly remembered on Saturday, June 22, 1968, when the club will hold their annual dinner at the Ex-Servicemen’s club, Trelewis. Mr Leo Callaghan of Merthyr Tydfil will be the chief guest.
Trelewis football club 1968
Back row
? Tommy Thompson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Harris (all committee) Alun Williams, Phil Jenkins, Ken James, M Batten(all committe) Gerwyn Lloyd
Middle row
Elton Curtis, Graham Harris (Keeper), Brian Curtis, Charlie Vaughan
Front row
Mike James, Brian Rich, Cecil Vaughan,Butch Hopkins, Roger Williams
Back row
R Williams, K Hopkins, G Harris, G Lloyd, V Hughes, CE Vaughan, D Lewis, G Davies.
Front row
N Coles, B Rich, A Williams, CL Vaughan, J Jenkins
Trelewis were promoted to the Welsh league for the first time in the summer of 1970, just four years after the club was reborn. they finished in Tenth place, their record read played 30 won 11 drew 6 lost 13, goals scored 78 conceded 70 points 28. The champions that year were Cardiff University with 49 points(it was 2 points for a win in those days)
David Walters, Keith Hopkins Dai Lewis, Cecil Vaughan, Philip Amos, Ceri Williams, Roger Williams, Charlie Vaughan.David Lewis
Holding the cup is Mike (Jessie) James, Gerwyn Lloyd,
Goalkeeper was Adrian Broadstock.
The following season the club conceded 101 goals in their 34 games but finished 5 places off the bottom of the second division.1972 , 73 and 74 were tough seasons and they were languishing near the bottom of the league. 1975/76 season saw them end up bottom of the league .Luckily they were spared relegation and they rallied the following season to finish in eighth place with 34 points from their 34 games.
Trelewis played Treharris at the end of each season in the M.E. Evans & W. R. Thomas memorial cup. The first time it was played for was on14 th May 1977 when Treharris beat Trelewis 4-0, the following season Trelewis won 2-0. Some of the Trelewis players in the 1979 team were the captain Terry Davies, Vince Price, Alan Williams (Percy) and Derek Wheeler. P Hughes of Merthyr Tydfil and Brian Prosser a former Trelewis player run the line and Howard King was the referee.
Paul Hotchkiss was Trelewis Chairman/Secretary whilst Mike Casey filled the role for Treharris, during this period Trelewis headquarters were the Ffaldcaich Inn, which was run by Molly and Dennis Barwood.
The 1976/77 season, 77/78, 78/79 and 79/80 seasons saw the club finish comfortably in mid table in the Welsh league second division. The 1980-81 season was a great season for the village, goals were plentiful and Trelewis won promotion for the first time to the Welsh league Division one. Mike Duggan from Caerphilly was top scorer.
Welsh league division two final league table 1980-81 season, Top 4 teams.
Team Played won drew lost points
Trelewis 38 28 6 4 62
Pontardawe Ath. 38 28 6 4 62
Clydach United 38 26 7 5 59
Abergaveny Thursdays 38 26 4 8 56
Back row
Malcolm Bell (Treasurer) Tony Gauci,Alf Lloyd (president) Ross Doubler,Andy Thomas, Terry Davies (capt) Paul Craven, Mike Duggan, Vince Price, Terry Bell (committee) Paul Hotchkiss (secretary) Glyn Staples, Paddy
Front Row
Lee Davies (young supporter) Alwyn Bowley, Dave Butler, Peter Davies, Steve Sanger, Alan Williams ,Mark Rees (young supporter)
infront
young supporter (Jonathan Bell)
1981-82 Season
Trelewis were at the highest level of football in their history and were on equal terms with their illustrious neighbours Treharris Athletic in the first division of the Welsh league.
A reasonable first season seen Trelewis easily avoid relegation in a strong league which was won by Brecon Corinthians. Trelewis also reached the final of the SA Brains challenge cup, losing to Brecon Corinthians at Merthyr Tydfil.
1982-83 Season
season saw Trelewis relegated, the Welsh league had a new structure the following season (1983/84) and Trelewis were in the new Division one, still the third tier, below the newly named Premier league and National divisions.
1984-85 Season
Trelewis were still struggling near the bottom of the league, Treharris were just above them, after also dropping down the year before.
1985-86 Season
Trelewis won only 4 of their 30 games and ended up bottom of the league below Tynte Rovers, they both avoided relegation though. 1986-87 arrived and an improvement saw Trelewis move away from the bottom and finish above Treharris.
1987-88 Season
A triumphant one for Trelewis, once again they got promoted to the second tier of the Welsh league, but now it was called the Premier division. The Top 3 read
Abacus Welsh league Division one final league table 1987-88 season. Top 4 teams
Team Played won drew lost points
Merthyr Tydfil 34 23 7 4 76
Trelewis 34 21 6 7 69
Morriston Town 34 19 10 5 67
Caldicot town 34 17 12 5 63
Trelewis Officers and Committee in the Promotion season were :
President: Alf Lloyd
Manager: David Humphrey,
Vice Presidents: Councillors J Bromby & Vernon Davies Messer T Davies
I.P.: Jones M Williams R Williams
Chairman/Sec/Treasurer: Paul Hotchkiss
Vice Chairman: Derek Wheeler
Committee: M Batten, Mrs A Davies, P Davies, T Davies, S.J Ivins, M. Rees C. Williams
Squad included:
W Hodder
C Williams (Captain)
R & T Hanson
N Magyar J Pope
A Bradfield
W Powell
D Jenkins
1988-89
Trelewis had a tough season but just about avoided relegation, they finished fourth from bottom of the Premier.
1989-90
Trelewis finish bottom of the Premier league and it was the start of a troubled time at the club
1990-91
Only Pontlottyn blast furnace are below Trelewis after a very poor season
1991-92
Rock bottom of the Welsh league, just 20 points won, luckily relegation was avoided
1992-93
Dismal season once more, just 27 goals scored in 26 games, only 12 points, rock bottom again
1993-94
Third year running, bottom of the league, this time 17 points are amassed.
1994-95
The south Wales police are the only club to finish below Trelewis, another nightmare season
1995-96
Tondu Robins only reach 4 points out of their28 games to finish bottom of the league, Trelewis finish one place higher on 17 points, winning just 5 times and conceding over 100 goals in the 28 league games.
1996-1997
Trelewis finish bottom of the league one last time with a record of played 30 won 5 drew6 lost19 for 41 against 77 points 21 Relegated to south Wales Amateur League
27 years of Welsh league football had finally came to an end, the nineteen nineties were a terrible time for the club, they struggled to find players and 4 bottom place finishes in the Welsh league sealed their fate.
The Old Welfare ground 1999
South Wales Amateur league 1997-98 a new era at the Welfare ground
Records not available for 1998-99 season but the club were relegated once more to the South Wales Amateur league division two after just one painful season in the top flight of the SWAL.
Season league division P POINTS POSITION/TEAMS
1998-99 S.W. AM Division 1
1999-00 S.W. AM- Division 2 28 26 * 12/15
2000-01 S.W . AM- Division 2 28 34 12/16
2001-02 S W . AM- Division 2 28 46 5/15
2002-03 S W. AM- Division 2 30 26 15/16
2003-04 S W. AM- Division 2 28 24 13/15
2004-05 S W . AM- Division 2 28 27 11/15
2005-06 S W . AM- Division 2 30 31 11/16
2006-07 S W. AM- Division 2 30 30 12/16
2007-08 S W . AM- Division 2 30 44 9/16
Ground hoppers trip to The Welfare ground Trelewis 2006
Friday 25th August 2006 ko 18.20
South Wales Amateur League Division Two
TRELEWIS WELFARE 3 (D Morris 65 90 Munkley 90)
GRAIG 3 (D Jones 29p Moon 31 Marshalsea 77)
Att 209
Thanks to Laurence Reade for capturing these
Trelewis Welfare AFC a new Era and new home
Ceri Clingo, Kerry Coles, Chris Clingo, Ian Dillon, Darren Minnett, Lee Munkley, Lee Yoxall, Ashley LloydFront Row
Ashley Richards, Criag Howells, Peter Corkrey, Justin Clarkson, Geraint Corkrey, Liam Jones, Ceiron Clingo
The result was a great victory for the Welfare; on Opening day
Goals from:
Lee Munkley (2)
Ashley Richards
Craig Howells
Ceri Clingo (and an own goal)
Phil Jenkins and Norman Cuthew
Middle Row
Chancey Mathews, Norman Coleman, Alf Williams, ? John Cadwallader, Des Eynon, Arfon Hughes, Viv Jones, Mike James, Reg James.
Front Row
Terry Roberts, Reg Williams, Cliff Badham, Austin Martin, Bill Tudor, Jeff Howells, John Harris.
Above we see an even older bowls team
back row
Hubert Thomas, ?, Sandy Hislop,?, Ted Probert, Ray Small,?, Harold Amysbury, ? Walters
middle row
Hippy Kingsy, Jack Bwytnon, ? Harold Bundy, Josh Harris(shop) ?, ?, Mr. Evans,Ianto Pwfi
front row
Frank Jones ,?, Jim Marl, Tom Edwards, Austin Martin, Ray Batton
Back row (left to right)
Arthur Edwards, Ken James,Byron Jones, Ronald Chapman, Reg Williams, Ron Batten.
Front RowViv Jones, Llew Phillips, Gordon James, Tommy Evans(Cush),Emlyn Turner
Trelewis cricket team at Tintern Abbey (picture courtesy of Vince, Val and Gordon Farr)
Trelewis Angling club
Angling club Presentation includes Charlie Vaughan and Alan Hughes
During 1977, Richard Lloyd (Dickie) from the Shingrig Estate in Trelewis, decided to put a notice on the back of the door in the bar of the Bontnewydd Hotel; it was an invitation to the people of the area to start up an Angling club. Trevor and Vera run the “Bont” at the time and they were very supportive. Within two weeks, two full pages of names had been added to the list, this encouraged Dick to call a meeting and this was the start of the Trelewis Angling club.
They managed to get the rights to fish on the river Taff between Fiddlers Elbow and to where the Rivers converge in Abercynon (where the Cynon River joins the Taff); at a later date they also managed to get the fishing rights up near Pontygwaith.
The club was chaired by Dickie Lloyd, who later became secretary for many years; Mike Chapman and Brian Bell were also committee men in the early years. Some of the early members included Danny Melly, Lally Rees, Graham Bell, John Francis and Emo Bates, there were at times up to eighty members.
The club has always ensured that it kept the cost of joining as low as possible and to this day they still pride themselves on being one of the cheapest around. The club has always encouraged youngsters to get involved and has always had a good youth membership. Boys and girls are welcome to join the club.
The new lakes created at the Taff Bargoed Millennium Park, on the site of the old collieries has meant new fishing opportunities and recently a new angling club was formed…The Taff Bargoed Angling club, and there are already over 150 members.
The Taff Bargoed angling club are proud to accommodate disabled anglers to the park, they have trained members to assist disabled anglers and they have facilities available to make it safe and good fun for everyone. They held a Festival of Fishing for disabled adults and Children last October, and around 200 people turned up for a great day of fishing, with the lake being stocked with fish on the morning of the event. It was a great success, see the website for details
http://www.taffbargoedangling.co.uk/id3.html
The lakes are stocked with Rainbow and brown trout, the brown trout must be returned when caught. Fish stocked are up to 9lbs in weight. For people interested in giving it a go for the first time, the Angling club provide rods and training if required, everything is done to welcome beginners to the sport and past time. Fly fishing and how to actually tie the flies is also taught at the Park.
The cost to join the Taff Bargoed Angling club is very reasonable and less than a £1 a week for the dearest…costs are as follows.
New members Adult £50 a year, OAP, Students and Disabled £40, children of school age £32
Existing members £45 a year, OAP, Students and Disabled £35, children of school age £27.
To join the Fishing club or to find out more please telephone 01443 413203
