- Abertillery-Blaenau Gwent RFC Discussion Forum -

Blind Pew · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11

Have the Club organised a “Celebratory Tour” in order to commemorate the end of an excellent season?

I have a suggestion and a challenge for all you staunch Aber. Supporters.

How about following in the footsteps of the "famous" team of 1931, and re-enact the Tour which they undertook in the February of that year.

On Saturday 14th February 1931 Aber played Cardiff on The Park, immediately after the game the Tour party set off by rail to visit what was to become a “hotbed” of World Rugby. The method of transport particularly relevant following the recent re-opening of the Western Valley line.

On their return they played Bridgend.

Does anyone out there know where they were headed?

What two teams were played on the Tour?

If you can come up with the answers, there may be a pint in it for you!!

If you happen to know the answer, I may have told you in a drunken moment, keep it under your hat until we have exercised a few brain cells.

Answers next weekend if we have had sufficient guesses.

See you down The Park tomorrow.

Come on Aber!!

Shocked

leigh · Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 19

that,s a taxing question from blind pew but i do know the answer to that when the answer has been revealed maybe the itinerary can be put on the web site

Blind Pew · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11

I am disappointed that at least one of the regular contributors has not had a stab at guessing the venue and teams played.

I can assure you that you will be surprised at the answer, and the Itinerary undertaken, perhaps it’s the memory that cannot quite recall 1931?? I know for a fact that one or two of you were around in the early 30’s albeit slightly too young to have participated in the tour.

I am pretty certain that our Yorkshire missionary has the correct answer, we must have someone to get there before him, even if it is just to prevent the smug grin when I buy him a pint when I next visit The Grove in Leeds.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 87

France - not certain which teams they played?

Blind Pew · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11

I thought I could tickle the historical juices of at least the Administrator!!

France, spot on, hell of a big country.

1931, Depression, a few years after the General Strike, most of the Aber. players would have been working in the mines, and working a shift before a Saturday game.

This Tour, started and finished on consecutive Saturdays.

How was a week off work for at least 20 working blokes funded in 1931? The cost of the Tour must have been incredibly expensive, and the decision taken to travel during mid-winter.

Anyone fancy being a little more specific then France??

I will provide, in due course the full Itinerary, details of a conversation I had with Alf Brickell shortly before he passed away, and with help of The Sec I may post a few photographs which I have of the games and the players.

How’s that for an incentive.

Get your thinking caps on.

leigh · Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 19

my missionary work has been good this year sold 2 aber shirt,s two to leeds rugby league season tickets holders
Hard work when blind pew tells them that rugby league is a micky mouse game
I did not help matters when i said if the M62 was not there. Their would not be any game (i had already sold the shirts by then)
Any way they it took in good fun
So when are we getting the answer to the tour of 1931
By the way Did not get my pint of blind pew

Blind Pew · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11

Out of bed bright and early up North!! Of course the sun does not set in the summer months, I nearly forgot.

If my memory serves my correctly I bought most of the beer on my last visit North???

An answer? Not a tremendous amount of interest out there. Come on how about a few guesses?? Cool

France was correct, but it was a little farther than Paris, the trip was mostly by train and took the entire week, Aber played two matches and arrived back in Abertillery by five to Midnight on the Friday in readiness for the trip to Bridgend the following day.

I am heading for the delights of Cornwall for the week, I will post the full itinerary next weekend.

Enjoy the European Cup Final, and it was not Toulouse.

The Sec · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 247

Thought that the deep south of France might be a bit too far! Probably played matches in Brittany or Normandy?

I asked my father a lifelong supporter and unfortunately he has no recollection, my next port of call was to be my History of Abertillery RFC book but I can't put my hands on it at the moment. I'm hoping that when I find it there my be a reference in there.

Confused

leigh · Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 19

The tour set of after the Cardiff game on the 14th February they were on the 5:19 pm train to Newport then change to the London train they had reserved compartments and dinner on the train in the dining saloon they were picked up by motor coach at 9:40 and taken to the royal hotel woburn place
WC1

Then next day they set of for Paris at 7:45 and arrived at 4:00 then departed at 4:15 by coach to {quai d; orsay) To Arrived at 4:40 then depart at 5:18 dinner on the train between Paris and Chateaurpaux then to Arrive on monday morning at 7:54 (This is what you have been waiting for) PERPIGNAN Transfer to the hotel breakfast and then luncheon then in the afternoon the players had a run out and ball practice then dinner and then bed at the (hotel de la poste)

Then on the tuesday the match was played against of course Perpignan (don,t know the score) then a banquet and then back on the train by 7:25 pm

Wednesday arrived at Limoges at 4:30 am where players and party retire immediately to bed then had breakfast and lunch and then played Limoges after the game departed Limoges at 11:21 pm

Thursday arrive Paris at 5:39 to the hotel Livingstone for breakfast,lunch,dinner and then bed

Friday depart Paris 12:15 pm arriving at victoria at 7:15 transfer to paddington by coach depart paddington at 7:55 and arriveing at abertillery at 11:50 pm

Then on the satuday be at the station hotel at 12:30 to travel to play bridgend

This must had been some undertaken in 1931 and the cost must have been considerable to say the least
I will let blind pew put the full itinerary on the site there is not any thing in the abertillery book which is a bit strange has this was at a time when their was not a lot of money about and as he said how could men afford to go to france for a week and how could the club afford that expence
If any body know;s maybe they can put it on the site

I do know that Horace Richardson went on the tour

Blind Pew · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11

Well done to the Lad from Leeds, he has more or less explained how Aber got to the South of France in the middle of February. What I cannot understand is why they chose to travel in mid-winter to an area, which is often snow-bound at this time of the year.

I have the original Itinerary of the Abertillery RFC Tour to the South of France including Perpignan, Limoges and Paris.

I also have a few excellent photographs of the team being introduced to local dignitaries pre-match, some shots of the game and both teams enjoying a glass of vin-rouge following the match in Perpignan.

One of the first European Cup games I was involved in was Perpignan v Newcastle, I showed the photos to a few of the Perpignan officials, they confirmed that it was the old ground at Perpignan but they did not recognise any of the players. They took copies of photos and Itinerary for their archives.

There are many unanswered or even unanswerable questions: How was it financed? The party stayed in v. good hotels, and had at least 4 meals on trains. How did the players get a week off work? Who paid their wages?? Who won? And how did they get on against Cardiff on the Saturday before the tour and Bridgend on the Saturday following.

Lastly why is there no mention of a tour of this magnitude in the Abertillery archives?

I did have a word with Alf Brickell about 10 years ago, he remembered the tour but did not go on it as he was playing for The Gasworks at the time.

Finally a quote from the last page of the Itinerary:

“In order to safe guard against any misunderstanding on the part of the Travelling Party, each person has been issued with a copy of the foregoing itinerary. As only one passport will be issued to cover the entire company it is necessary that no member leaves the Party whilst travelling without notifying one of the Officers” I can imagine what the modern “Tourist” would think when issued with this instruction.

I await with interest if anyone can shed any further light on the “Trip of 1931” Shocked

ian mounter · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 84

I checked my copy of the Centenary Book of the club seeking to find the answer.
There is a mention that the club undertook the trip but no details whatsoever - a fact that is put down to a fire that destroyed most of the club archives. (In fact this seems to be the overall reason why a great deal of detail is missing about the club's history).
Now that Blind Pew has shown the way maybe there is a need for other club members to contribute items of club history so we can fill out the gaps before all is lost.
It always constantly surprises when I hear the list of clubs that Aber have played, mention of which seems to be lost in the midst of times what a pity if these memories were lost for all time.
For example, one of my memories is an ocassion when the club came up to play Moseley in Birmingham, where I was working, in mid week at The Reddings when Aber's coach broke down and the kick off was delayed until 9.30pm!
Goodness knows what time the team reached home!
Speaking to ex Moseley's players Aber were the first Welsh club to play at The Reddings and Aber and The Park are still remembered by these ex Moseley.
I think I remember watching Moseley at The Park when the two clubs first met and I think Aber lost by the only score of the match - a drop goal about 1964 or 1964?
Thanks for the update Blind Pew.
Ian

admin · Site Admin Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 87

The Cybertyleri community group that runs the Abertillery Online site is presently in the process of digitising the whole (searchable) archives of the South Wales Gazette from 1888 to 1938. The project should be ready for searching in the mid-summer. I suspect that some of the answers may be tucked away in there. If Blind Pew would like to scan any of the photos of the tour for inclusion on site in the history section, that would be brilliant...... if he see that is! Smile

The Sec · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 247

I've all my fathers season tickets updated with scores from the 1947-48 season, I'm currently creating a database of all these results. It interesting to see some of our former opposition of note.