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Sport flourished in Llantrisant for centuries and the remains of the ancient Fives Court of the 1790s, stands at the rear of the Workingmen's Club. Another existed behind The Pwysty on George Street (formerly the Angel Inn). The town once had a quoits club and a gymnasium at the National School, plus clubs for tennis, boxing, bull-baiting and cockfighting. But the rugby team, dubbed the Black Army for the valour showed by longbowmen of the town at the Battle of Crecy in 1346, have remained central to the sporting history of the town since the 1890s. During the 1920s Archie Thomas, one of the forwards went on to play for Pontypridd and played through a Welsh trial despite having suffered a couple of broken ribs early on in the game. The club's playing record for the seasons 1931-36 was a phenomenal seven losses in five years with a three-year ground record. In 1945 the club was reformed and a door-to-door collection by members was the source of much needed clothing coupons and these enabled a kit to be provided for the teams and, a permit was required from the Ministry of Agriculture in order to get a set of posts from the Maelwg Forestry. At the end of the 1940s, they were members of the Cardiff and District Rugby Union, and eligible to play in the Mallet Cup Competition.
LLantrisant RFC 1947
Llantrisant reached the final on two occasions but lost to Pentyrch RFC both times. The finals were played on the revered turf of Cardiff Arms Park. Local successful sportsmen included Job Davies, who gained a Welsh rugby cap in 1926. Also Trevor "Chippo" Davies, who first played for Llantrisant in 1933 and continued turning out on for the hometown side for the next 25 years. In 1937 he joined Pontypridd RFC and was approached by the hugely successful Cilfynydd side in 1938, where he played a season. Royston Collins, born in 1934, was a gifted outside-half who played for Llantrisant in 1950 and was later capped as a Welsh Schoolboy during the same year. Capped He was capped a second time in 1953 for Welsh Secondary Schoolboys Under-19s and played against England and Scotland.
LLantrisant RFC 1988
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However, the sport that created the biggest controversy in the town, was none other than golf! Freemen broke flags and threw them into the Common Pond, while their wives sat on the greens to stop golfers from striking the balls. Fiercely protective of the land awarded to the men of the town by the 1346 Charter to graze cattle on the Common, they were furious that golf was being played there. They were especially annoyed that the people who gave the players permission to use the land was the Town Trust itself ' elected by the Freemen to protect the common. It was the first battle Llantrisant had seen in centuries ' and it was all about golf. This small-town civil war erupted during the 1920s and caused chaos. Trustees and Freemen were at loggerheads for more than five years as the battle ensued. It wasn't until the players finally surrendered to the upheaval they had caused that the entire scheme was moved to Talbot Green and the golf club we recognise today was born. In October 1922 Dai Lukey, a former club captain of Llantrisant RFC and local whipper-in, who pushed for the item to be passed by the Town Trust. Mr Lukey, himself a trustee, was supported by David Grabham to allow golf to be played by Freemen and their invited friends. Both gentlemen would eventually play prominent roles in the club, with Mr Lukey the first club captain. The Llantrisant Freemen's Golf Club was formed with D Jenkins as president. It stretched for two miles, four furlongs, 200 yards and consisted of nine holes. A firm set of rules were drawn up with Freemen playing the most prominent role on the 14-membered committee which even included the local vicar, Rev C Rees. The secretary was Stanley Thomas of Greenfield House and the treasurer was Mr J Lews of Church House, while the entertainment committee consisted of Miss Moore of London Terrace and David Morgan of Gwalia House.
It was stipulated that no golf would be played on Sunday. But with such a large quantity of animals grazing on the Common, it comes as no wonder that other Freemen were outraged by the game since it put their livestock in such obvious danger of injury. The 'golf war' began, with Freemen and their wives deliberately interrupting games. By April, 1926, the situation had deteriorated still further. Freemen and their families attacked the course, smashing discs and cups, stealing balls and flags and throwing the items into the Common Pond. Then wives protested by sitting on the nine holes to prove a point. The incident was enough for the Freemen's Golf Club to resign themselves to the fact that they were no longer welcome, and in 1927 they secured the land at Talbot Green. One of the town's most popular golfers in later years was Gordon Clay. Born in Tonyrefail in 1926 before settling in Llantrisant, he worked on the golf course in Talbot Green after leaving school. Following active service in World War II he progressed to become a talented player. Gordon won the Glamorgan Championship twice, won the championships in Southerndown seven times and represented Wales in the Home International at Porthcawl in 1962. |
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