Llandaff Yard Episode 4 - Sport

Following Nigel’s successful “101 Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Whitchurch” for AWEN, Terry continues with our local history and heritage theme based on Llandaff Yard, this is no.4 in the series with more to come. 

This area is a gold mine for its history and stories. So far, we've covered the area in a general way and the last episode looked at local industries, giving us a good idea as to where and how our ancestors earned their living and how the area grew. Leisure time for them was at a premium, but sport played a big part in the lives of these people.

Of the many sporting activities established here, one of the earliest was the 27^th March 1886, the Cardiff Times described a meeting at the Llandaff Yard Working Men's Club "for the purpose of electing officers and committee for the cricket and rounders club for the ensuing season. There were sixty members present." On the 31^st May 1886 The South Wales Echo printed the scores of a match played at Whitchurch against Roath Cricket Club in which Llandaff Yard C.C. lost by 13 runs.

Some of the more 'undercover' activities were bare knuckle fighting, Enoch (Knocker) White and George Asplin (landlord of the Cow and Snuffers) being famously photographed in the act; 'pitch and toss' in which there were many prosecutions "playing this horrid game of pitch and toss - a form of gambling you have no right to indulge in", heavy fines or 7days imprisonment being handed down as punishment and, wait for it...., cock fighting!

In sharp contrast a popular activity at the time, believe it or not, was table tennis, popularly known then as 'Ping Pong' (hardly a fitting description for a great sport). The Llandaff Yard team was known as the 'Hungarians' playing at the Llandaff Yard Institute. On the 27^th Feb 1902 the Evening Express printed the results of a match against 'Firebrands', Llandaff Yard winning by 66 points. The report went on to say that the Firebrands were handicapped by having two of their best men vaccinated that day, one being in great pain as a result. The Evening Express also published a report on the 27^th Jan 1902 - "The ping pong table missed from the Hawthorn Schools, Llandaff Yard, was discovered at the Whitchurch Schools. It is not the property of the board. Thereby hangs a tale".

On the 22^nd July 1904 the Evening Express published an article on 'Whitchurch Boys' Walk' - "A walking match, for boys under fourteen, will take place tomorrow afternoon from the Three Cups, Llandaff Yard, to the top of the second hill above the Holly Bush Hotel, Whitchurch, the route being through Whitchurch and back by way of Llandaff Yard. Nearly 40 entries have been received. The first prize is a silver cup and among the other prizes is a suit of clothes. Mr. George Stone, the secretary, is assisted by a strong committee". - ('the top of the second hill' ? - Pendwyallt perhaps and what an incentive 2^nd prize!).

We are all well aware of the Llandaff Rowing Club, apparently 'Founded in 1946' (according to their website). But, the Weekly Mail on the 13^th June 1885 published an article on the 'Cardiff Rowing Club' as follows: "This flourishing club, which now has a large number of members and a good stock of boats, which are conveniently housed in the new boat house, situate near the weir, at Llandaff, commenced the season by a four oared race". This tells us that although the boat house was new at the time, the rowing club had 'flourished' there for some time before 1885 and lo and behold The Taff Rowing Club advertised their "First Annual Regatta will be held in Llandaff" in the Western Mail on 25^th Aug 1876. (Attached newspaper cutting is dated 1894).

There's very little record, if any, on football (Association Football - Soccer), but a club under the name of Llandaff North AFC did advertise for fixtures in the Evening Express on 2^nd September 1910 also stating "average age 19".

Rugby however was different; Llandaff Yard was a hot bed of local talent. Rugby was more commonly known as 'Football' back in the day, making research a little difficult to say the least. One of the earliest reports available, on Llandaff Yard rugby, was 10^th Sept 1889, The South Wales Echo gave notice that "Llandaff Yard F.C. the annual meeting of this club was held on the 2^nd inst., when the following officers were elected:- Captain, Mr John Smith; vice captain, Mr Tom Davies; committee. Messrs T. Jones, J. George, J. Brain, W. Phillips, D. J. Howells and W. Stansfield; hon. Sec., W. Jones, Gabalva-terrace, Llandaff Yard" and on the 7^th Oct 1889 from the South Wales Daily News, "Pentre v Llandaff Yard Stars, in an away match "a rough and very unpleasant game, ended in a victory for the Stars". The club had a regular fixture with Whitchurch, winning by two tries to one in a brief report in The Western Mail on 10^th November 1890, but, reported as being "a rather rough game" in the South Wales Daily News. This local derby was a highlight on the fixture list and for many years they played each other 3 times / season, the 'gate money' being too good to forfeit. The extent of local interest was demonstrated on 18^th Nov 1895 in The South Wales Daily News "Single Men v Married - Played at Llandaff Yard, and after a hard game resulted in a win for the Single Men by 3 tries to nil". Strangely, notice was given in the South Wales Echo on 19^th July 1899 that "Llandaff Yard Football Club - The second annual meeting of the above club was held at the National School, Llandaff Yard", suggesting that in a formal sense the club's first meeting wasn't until 1898. The club, however, seems to have been active for some time prior as we've shown and also, because The South Wales Echo on the 30^th March 1899 published the team lists for a "Llandaff Yard F.C. Past v Present" fixture on Easter Monday, listing all 30 players and their positions, past players could surely not have come from just one season! If you have wondered where they were based at the time, well on the 26^th April 1899 The South Wales Daily News reported that "Llandaff Yard - Football Club - To celebrate the close of a very successful season the members of this club sat down to a capital dinner on Saturday evening at their headquarters, the Railway Hotel, Llandaff Station."

That day, for the record: Llandaff Yard F. C. Past v Present. - On Easter Monday. March 1899 Past - Back: S Chard; three-quarter backs, W Shapland, J Chard (captain), J Edney, and G Stone; half-backs, W Edney and D Owen forwards, D Stone, C Brain, V Taylor, J Godsall, W Watkins, F Brown, W Taylor, and W Lister

Present - Back: W Davies; three-quarter backs, C Seaman, F Boothby, G Day, and S Evans; half-backs, P Chard and J Chard; forwards, D Seaman (captain), A Moss, W Evans, A Chapple, A Leaves, F Holtam, W Holtam, and C Samuel or F Thomas.

Was your family involved?