Neath History - Neath Antiquarian Society

29/08/2026

ON THIS DAY: On 29th August 1911, David Lloyd George, accompanied by his family, laid the foundation stone for the new Welsh Baptist Chapel at Seven Sisters.

In his speech he alluded to recent industrial unrest at Tredegar and Llanelli and rounded on sections of the English press who had referred to Wales as ‘only half civilised if they were civilised at all’.

The press, he said, ‘were careful in not referring to similar events which had occurred in Liverpool, Belfast and other places’. While the events were to be deplored, he added ‘the best thing for these critics to do instead of making prejudiced racial comments would be to look at things in a spirit of sobriety.’
(South Wales Gazette, 1st September 1911)
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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute, on Church Place, every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

28/08/2026

ON THIS DAY: On 28th August 1905, the cricketer Cyril Walters was born in Bedlinog.

Educated at Neath Grammar School, Walters made his Glamorgan cricket debut as a 17-year-old in 1923, and would soon become an England prospect despite his business as a surveyor and architect sidelining him for extended periods. His business interests were a big factor in Worcestershire securing his services as their secretary in 1928.

He would become Worcestershire captain in 1931, and was still with the county when Wisden selected him as Cricketer of the Year in 1934. By this point, he was staking his claim as England's first-choice opening batsman, even captaining them at Trent Bridge.

Poor health slowed his career the following year, and he would never play cricket again after 1935. His marriage to wife Peggy was financially sound, and it is suggested this staved off any harboured urges to return to the field. Peggy passed away in 1974, prompting Walters to return home to Neath, where he would ultimately pass away in December 1992.
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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

27/08/2026

This article is one for the railway enthusiasts - of which we know Neath has many!

The picture below shows the Metropolitan Cammell 8-car "Blue Pullman" at the then-Neath General station in June 1967.

Jon Gower meets retired railwaymen who share memories of the day a penguin appeared on the platform and a hair-raising account of being stuck on a runaway train. Raymond Roblin was straight out of school when he started work as a lad porter at Neath Station in July 1961. ‘I was 15 years old. You [...

26/08/2026

ON THIS DAY: Haile Selassie was emperor of Abyssinia (as it then was) from 1930 to 1974. He led unsuccessful efforts to defend Ethiopia against Benito Mussolini during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and as a result spent most of the period of Italian occupation exiled in the United Kingdom.

On 26th August 1939, he travelled to Swansea by plane, landing at Jersey Marine Airport in one of several visits he made to the area. On this occasion, the local schoolchildren were taken to Jersey Marine Airport to catch a glimpse of the world leader, and would only get a very brief glimpse of the man before he was ushered into a waiting car and set off towards Swansea.

Jersey Marine Airport was by the site of Swansea Bay Golf Club.

The Emperor had arrived for a two-week camping holiday as a special guest of Rees Howells at the Bible College of Wales, where he joined the sixty students in camp at Penllergaer, Swansea. A printed notice was hung outside a tent in a field, reading: "His Imperial Majesty,The Emperor of Abyssinia". Prince Aserate Kassa and Price Abye Ababe, were also under canvas.

Haile Selassie is pictured below after landing at Jersey Marine.
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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

25/08/2026

Rest in peace to Sir Billy Boston - a true Welsh sporting icon.

SIR BILLY BOSTON

Sir Billy Boston, the Wigan RL legend and former Neath RFC player who last year became the first rugby league player to be awarded a knighthood, has died at the age of 92.

The Welsh Rugby Union confirmed the news of Boston’s death on Tuesday, writing: “Sir Billy Boston, one of the best loved and most iconic figures in the history of Welsh sport, has passed away peacefully at the age of 92. The most famous son of Tiger Bay, he died overnight in hospital in his adopted home for the past 74 years, Wigan. His death came only four days after the funeral of his wife, Lady Joan, to whom he had been married for 70 years.”

While Sir Billy was best-known for his rugby league exploits, he first came to Neath's attention when playing for the Welsh Boys' Clubs against their English counterparts at The Gnoll.

In November 1950, he starred at full back in Wales' 8-6 win over England – included in the Wales team were four members of the Neath YMCA Colts team in Graham Michael, Morwyn Morgan, Don Devereux and Ron Waldron who all played for Neath, Don Devereux and Ron Waldron going on to earn full caps as prop forwards.

Boston was only 17 but he was an outstanding talent and, unwanted by his home-town Cardiff, Neath were prepared to give him an opportunity.

The following Saturday he made his first-class debut at centre for Neath RFC against Penarth on December. 2, 1950 in a team skippered by Neath's legendary Wales and British Lion line-out ace Roy John. Neath won easily 16-6 through tries by Neath's other British Lion Rees Stephens, wing Elwyn Jones and back-rower Elvet Jones, full back Viv Evans kicked two conversions and outside-half Des Bater dropped a goal to complete the scoring.

The “Neath Guardian” felt that he was 'nervous' and 'over-awed' but Neath were more than happy to include him again. Later that season Boston starred at The Gnoll when he scored a hat-trick of tries as Glamorgan won the Welsh Boys' Clubs cup by beating Breconshire with 8 Neath lads also in the Glamorgan team.

The following season, the Welsh Boys' Clubs defeated England 32-nil again at The Gnoll and this time Billy Boston played at centre and contributed 17 points via four conversions and three penalties.

That day, he was joined in the Wales side by full back Phil Hopkins (Tonna) and five YMCA Colts – Brian Mullins, Doug Allin, David Rowlands, Noel Mellin and Ron Waldron.

Further Neath plans to include Billy Boston were thwarted as he had received his National Service call-up papers but a handful of appearances in 1952/53 brought him points and a fine try against Cheltenham.

He also scored 6 tries as his Royal Signals team defeated the Welsh Guards in the final of the Army Cup and such prowess naturally alerted rugby league scouts and in 1953 he began a life-long association with Wigan where he played until 1968 setting records along the way. He played 488 games and scored 478 tries and was also a member of Great Britain’s World Cup-winning squad of 1960.

But he was always grateful to Neath RFC - somewhat misty-eyed, he once told Neath RFC secretary Mike Price, "You gave me my chance."

Sir Billy, Neath RFC are proud that we did – doubly proud too of all your subsequent achievements and the Club's condolences go to his family and very many friends in both codes. MP

23/08/2026

ON THIS DAY: On 23rd August 1920, Neath got its first and only Olympic Gold Medallist.

The athlete was Cecil Redvers Griffiths, born in February 1900 as the fifth of Benjamin and Sarah Griffiths' six children - though only two survived through infancy before Cecil was born. Benjamin Griffiths died when Cecil was eight years old.

Cecil had a promising sporting start to life with Neath RFC, but his progress in the game was curtailed by the outbreak of the First World Way in 1914. He began work at Neath's Great Western Railway depot before volunteering for the Queen's Westminsters, a Territorial Army regiment in London after turning 18. The War ended before he saw active service.

He and his wife Gladys were married at St. David's Church after meeting at a junior running race in Neath in 1915.

It was during his time in the Army that he took up athletics seriously. He won the 440 yards at the 1918 Inter-Services Championships at Stamford Bridge, before joining Surrey Athletics Club, where he would ultimately be selected for the Olympics.

The Olympics were in Antwerp that year. He ran the opening leg in the 4x400 metres relay team which won the gold medal. Illness denied him from a further appearance in the 400 metres.

Later that year, he was on the British Empire team which broke the 4x400 yards in a British record time of 3:20.8, and he added the Welsh records in 220 and 440 yards the following year. In 1922, he broke the Welsh record at 880 yards. He won the AAA Championships 880 yards in 1923 and 1925.

Griffiths was later barred from competing at the 1924 Olympics due to a breach of the rules at the time, whereby he continued to race in domestic competitions in Neath and Swansea. His cumulative prize money was not even £10.

He retired from competitive running in 1929, and had a tumultuous experience of the Thirties. He was forced to sell most of his athletics trophies and medals after losing his job in The Great Depression, before joining the London Co-operative Society's coal depot office in Edgware.

He joined the local Home Guard when World War II arrived, and was reported to save the life of another man by tossing a gr***de they had dropped over the blast wall.

Sadly, Cecil was just 45 when he died at Edgware railway station, his wife and two sons surviving him. He was laid to rest in an unmarked grave at St. Lawrence's Church, London. A headstone was only added as recently as 2022.

A plaque remembers Cecil at Cwrt Herbert Sports Centre.
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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

21/08/2026

CHANGING FACE OF NEATH: Here are some shots of the ongoing work at Llangatwg Community School, where several buildings are currently being demolished and new buildings constructed.

The caretaker’s house was demolished very recently, with the main assembly hall, music classrooms and swimming pool building to follow.

The end of an era - and a site that will soon be almost unrecognisable to generations of former pupils!

20/08/2026

ON THIS DAY: At around 10:15am on the morning of Tuesday 20th August 1940, a lone German aeroplane dove rapidly over Neath before the screeching of falling bombs filled the air.

No air raid siren had sounded, and locals had initially thought that the plane might have been a British plane caught in trouble. It was much worse than that, however.

ARP Warden Rees Thomas Rees and his wife Annie, who lived in 68 Pendrill Street, were killed, as were three workmen at the Great Western Railway Yard; the workmen were John Penhale, Alyn Jones and Alfred Newman.

Six adults and one child were seriously injured, whilst 36 adults and seven children were slightly injured by shrapnel, splintered glass and debris from the damaged properties.
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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

20/08/2026

RHEOLA HOUSE: On this page, we keep our coverage to the interesting historical facts and personalities of Neath and district.

We are generally positive in our approach, because there is much to value and be proud of. Understandably, many people, particularly those in the beautiful Vale of Neath between Resolven and Glynneath, would be feeling upset and, indeed, angry at the news of the fire at Rheola House. Please leave it to the authorities to investigate the circumstances of the fire.

What we will do, however is have a brief look at the history of the house. The house was built between 1812 and 1814 for John Edwards, and was designed by the celebrated architect John Nash. Nash and Edwards were cousins. Drawings for Rheola were found in Nash’s office and the Edwards family returned to Nash when they were looking to rebuild Rheola farmhouse.

John Edwards Vaughan acted as solicitor to John Nash in his business dealings. In Nash’s later career he was responsible for the design of many important areas of London, including the rebuilding of Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus in collaboration with others. His best-known solo designs are the Royal Pavilion Brighton, Marble Arch and work on Buckingham Palace.

The house passed by inheritance to members of the Edwards, Vaughan and Lee families until it was purchased by British Aluminium.

The house is Grade II*-listed and the parkland is designated Grade II in the Cadw Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

Rheola House stood as what was probably the last surviving major gentry house in the Vale of Neath. Very few of our ancestors will have lived in houses like this, but their survival added historical interest and variety to the Vale.

As a small voluntary organisation, all that we can draw out of this is to be even more determined to advocate the protection of our remaining heritage sites, such as the Ivy Tower, the Aberdulais Aqueduct or the blast furnaces of the Neath Abbey Ironworks.

Below is Thomas Hornor's 1817 painting "Rheola, Morning" - giving an scene of how the house once shone at the height of its grandeur. This forms part of his portfolio of paintings of the Vale of Neath.

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💻To view more local history and see what the Neath Antiquarian Society is all about, click here: https://bit.ly/47H4lie

We are open at Neath Mechanics' Institute every Monday and Thursday, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:45.

19/08/2026

Footage of the aftermath of yesterday's fire at Rheola House from the Fire Service.