Prior to the 18th century, Games and Merrymaking, Taplasau Hâf,invariably accompanied Fair Days and Feast Days. There were in the tradition ofWelsh life 24 games divided into 3 classes.

Gwrol Gampau, 6 depended on bodily strength alone known as Tadogion they were:—

The remaining 4 depended on skill at arms — O Rym Arfau

Juvenile Games

Gogampau

These games were played at Glan Rhyd Agored on the banks of the Cynon near theweir that supplied the old Llwydcoed Mill with water.

1640–1790

These games were played at Glan Rhyd Agored for at least 150years prior to 1790.

1700

The pride of place among all these gamesters must go to GutoNyth Brân. He was one Griffith Thomas Morgan born in 1700 at a farm calledLlwyncelyn, but at an early age his parents moved to Nyth Brân, (D.W.N.B.).A splendid source is “Hanes Plwyf Llanwonno”, by Glanffrwd.

1737

Legend has it that Guto ran the 12 miles from Newport to Bedwasin a race in 53 minutes and one of his greatest backers Siân Y Siop in herdelight at his success thumped him hard on the back whereupon he collapsed and died.

1 ATHLETICS Seem to have developed in the 50sof the 19th century.

1858 Jan

Rustic sports at Aberdare on the occasion of the marriage ofQueen Victoria’s daughter. These games were held under the auspices of thevicar and curates and the gentry of the parish. They met with violent oppositionfrom newspapers and non-conformists.

1915

Minute from Extract of Evidence by Mr. Owen Williams, surveyor,to a select committee of the House of Lords enquiring into the Tramways Bill, “TheHirwaun Recreation Ground Scheme was first put forward in 1869 but this has notyet been carried out”.

1889

2 BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER: Introduced with theinstitutes and reading rooms. Snooker was first introduced in 1889 and was the firstnovelty since skittle pool.

3 BOXING AND WRESTLING Proved early on to bepopular.

1861 April

A local pugilist called Dick James fought a Prize Fight withLlewellyn of Pontypridd at Rhymney Bridge for £50 a side. After 22 rounds,James won.

August James was beaten in 3 minutes by Benjamin of London.

1864

Cardiff Times: “Village of Nelson Llanfabon fight betweenWil o’r Ddinas and Dai Penlas was upset by the Police and the meeting thenrepaired to Ystradmynach.”

1864 April

Many Aberdare people went to Merthyr to see the famous Tom Kingin action in Grimmett’s Circus.

1864 May

A Fistic Tournament at the Temperance Hall. Jem Mace, Championof All England, was present and accompanying the great man were Joe Goss and MickGammon.

1890 Oct

A prize fight at Mountain Ash for £1 a side. After severalrounds, one of the fighters fell and struck his head against a stone. He was carriedhome and died.

At a meeting at Saron, strong disapproval was expressed of Boxing Saloon Lawas it then stood. They wished it to be impossible for prize fights to masqueradeas boxing matches.

1912

WRESTLING gained prominence. At the market hall,a local exponent Mears met Ned Brown of Ton Pentre for £20 a side and a £10purse given by the management. No decision was reached.

1889 Nov

4 CHESS: Dr. H.E. Bird, the world famous chessplayer, visited Aberdare and played 16 games simultaneously and was beaten onlyby Mr Flooks the outfitter.

1884 July 4

5 CYCLING: At a meeting at the Three GeneralsHotel, the Aberdare Bicycle Club was formed. The first secretary was Mr. J.M. Daviesof Cwmbach and the first treasurer was Mr. Robert Bolitho of Aberaman. The clubproved to be an immediate success and during the next 10 years, produced world championsparticularly Arthur and Sam Linton of Aberaman. Busts of these men by J. ArnoldThomas of Trecynon were exhibited at the Cardiff Exhibition of Sculpture. GeorgeBurge was another noted cyclist. Arthur Linton won the international road race Paris–Bordeaux.They all trained at Aberdare Park.

1896 Mar

Jimmy Michael, world champion, was honoured with a dinner atthe Lamb and Flag Hotel and he was presented with his portrait in oils. There wasalso a cycle track at the Ynys.

1861 June

6 CRICKET: The first Aberdare cricket club wasformed under then secretaryship of Mr Meredith Llewellyn. The first fixture wasa game with Mountain Ash, which Aberdare unexpectedly won by 4 wickets.

1862

A meeting was held at the Stag Hotel, Mill Street, to establisha Trecynon Cricket Club.

1864 Aug

A match between Aberdare and Rhymney at Rhymney, the home sidewinning by 18 runs. Later at Aberdare: Aberdare won by an innings, the match wasplayed at Aberaman Park.

1865 June

Aberdare beat Merthyr by an innings and 17 runs.

1878 Sep

7 DOG SHOWS: 1st Aberdare dog show held at theMarket Hall. It attracted nearly 500 entries.

8 FOOTBALL: In the late 18th century very violentgames between various parishes were held. The churchyard walls were the goals. Accidentsfrequently occurred and some were fatal. Rugby was played locally in the 60s and70s with occasionally fatal casualties. One, Sidney Bronson, died from injurieshe received in a football match.

1880

From an article by W.T. Flooks. “The Welsh Rugby Unionwas formed this year. The game was played by 20 men a side and the players wereselected from the biggest and the strongest men in the district.”

1881

The Cambrian R.F.C. of Aberdare v Anchor R.F.C., Merthyr at AberdarePark before a large crowd. The Aberdare team won by 2 tries and 5 minors to 2 minors.

1888

Wales beat Scotland for the first time at Newport.

1908

An Australian R.F.C. visited Aberdare in November, Aberdare lost37–10.

Association Football became popular in the 80s.

1883

Aberdare versus Troedyrhiw

1898–99

Aberdare were champions of the South Wales League.

Played 36, Won 28, Lost 5, Drawn 3.
Goals for 125, Goals against 28.

1903

Grand Matches over the Christmas Season at the Athletic GroundsAberdare.

Aberdare played Crewe, Leominster and Rogerstone.

1903

3 International Matches were played at Aberdare in the same year.

Rugby Wales v Australia
Soccer Wales v England (? Schoolboys)
Wales v Ireland

Names of local Soccer Clubs

1913–14

Aberdare in the Southern League.

Played 30, Won 4, Lost 22, Drawn 4.

Goals for 32, Goals against 86.

1920

Aberdare Athletic Club was instituted with the active supportof W.M. Llewellyn. The Ynys Field was laid out and stands built. The colours wereclaret and light blue.

1921

They were elected to the 3rd Division of the English League butwere able to hold their position for only 7 years.

1804

9 FOOT RACING SPRINTING AND RUNNING GENERALLY Ona Wednesday in September, Mr. Bruce Knight of Dyffryn undertook for a wager fora considerable amount to walk from Cardiff to Brecon and back to Cardiff via Merthyrin 40 hours. He did it easily in 33 hours. Distance 86 miles.

1844

Many people from Aberdare went to Troedyrhiw to see a foot racebetween Wil o’r Waun and Morgan Worsley for £10 a side over a mile.Worsley won by 2 yards. Wil had failed in the previous June against a Cyw Cloffwhen he lost£20.

1848

John Davies, Y Cyw Cloff, challenged anyone on a turnpike roadover a distance between 1 and 20 miles for any sum not exceeding £20.

1876

A race in Cardiff between William Davies, Glynneath, and CharlesScott of Aberdare. The umpire was Mr. Hosgood of the Iron Bridge Hotel. The racewas over a 100 yards and Scott was the 6/5 favourite. William Davies had been coachedby the Talgarth Tailor but lost by 2 feet.

1881

Miss Bailey, a champion female pedestrian, undertook to walka 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours at the Black Lion Hotel field where Elizabeth Streetand Jenkin Street now stand.

1894 Jan

An exciting foot race for $30 a side on the Athletic Groundsbetween John Griffiths of Llwydcoed and J. Lewis of Trecynon. Griffiths won by 2yards.

1897

Merthyr 100 yard sprint. Evan Davies of Cwmbach and R. Lewisof Cap Coch for £10 a side Lewis gave Davies a 3-yard start but won easily.

1806

10 GAME: Licenses issued to Aberdare gentry.

John B. Bruce, Gamekeeper to Lord Bute
James Beynon of Aberdare
William Bruce Knight of Dyffryn Aberdare
Thomas Rees, Werfa
John Scale, Esq.
John Walters, Gentleman
William Williams Esq., Gadlys.

1807

David Jones, Gent.
David Davies, Esq., Ynyslwyd
Jenkin Rees, Werfa, Gent.
Theophilus Richards, Gent.
Richard Richards, Esq., Bwllfa
Francis Tappenden, Esq., Abernant
Jenkin Tappenden Esq., Abernant
William Williams Esq., Gadless
John Walters, Esq.

1834 April

Otter Hunt at Aberdare.
4 Otters were caught in 1 week in the River Cynon. They hadmade a regular holt or lodge in a deserted coal pit whose adit was on the brinkof Llyn Ddu. The bitch who weighed 18 lbs was dislodged by that “Nimrodof the Cynon”, Twm Pen Drain.

1845 Sept

Partridge shooting...birds are rather scarce this year. A localresident who was somewhat short sighted shot a peacock by mistake.

1864

Splendid woodcock shot in Aberaman.

1921

11 GOLF: Aberdare Golf Club formed this year.The first professional was a Mr Hill and the club was officially opened by H.R.Howell many times Welsh amateur champion in 1922.

1860

12 HORSE RACING: Commenced in the early sixties.

1865

Aberdare Annual races in a field near Ynyscynon.

Open Steeplechase Handicap of 4 miles. 70 sovereigns added to a sweep of £5each.

Hurdle Race over 2 miles. £25 added to sweep of £3.   6flights.
— 1st Wee Aggie.

Commercial Steeplechase £25 sweep £3 — 1st Gay Lad.

An estimated 20,00? watched the racing, which was admirably conducted.

Stewards Ordinary at the Boot Inn. Race Banquet at The Black Lion.

1897

A horse called Filbert owned by a Mr. G.R. Powell of Hirwauncame second in the Grand National and won a prize of £300.

13 CAT AND DOG: A game played by children untilrecently.

1878

14 PIGEONS: A Pigeon Flying Club was founded.A race between 5 birds was held from Neath to Aberdare. The first Prize of 25/-was won by Billy (Mr. T. Thomas). The 20 miles were covered in 50 minutes in spiteof heavy showers.

1937

15 QUOITS:
Mr. T.J. James, Cwmaman, Champion of Wales
Mr. W.B. Reynolds, Junior Champion
Mr. Dice Davies – Photograph in the Council Chamber.

16 RIFLE CORPS:

1788

Aberdare provided 300 men for the National Militia.

1797

1,800 Local Volunteer Force formed under Capt. Tom Rees of theWerfa. They used to meet a Merthyr contingent on a flat piece of grassland at Penyr Heolgerrig and exercise together.

1859

A public meeting at the Temperance Hall chaired by John Jones,druggist, addressed by Mr. H.A. Bruce, M.P., – it was decided to form a local RifleCorps. There were 71 recruits. The first drill sergeant was Gentle. The Corps continuedactive.

1864 April

Shooting Match between Aberdare and Merthyr branches. Aberdareled by Captain Powell won by 130 points to 125, and at a return visit in May, by134 points to 113. In the early 60s, there was another branch at Aberaman.

1864

They adopted scarlet uniforms.

1882

Rifle Shoot, Capt. T. Phillips 46 points.

1886

Local Volunteer Corps presented Capt. Phillips with a saddleand accoutrements on his elevation to Major.

1876 May

17 ICE SKATING: A concession was granted forPhaiton’s Patent Skates was taken out for Aberdare and a site for a rink takenat Tudor Place where the gasworks was later. By July, the rink, which was constructedby Mr. Shannon, was ready. A practice was attended by a large and fashionable gathering,and in this month too, the rink was officially opened.

1909

A new skating rink adjoining the Market Hall was opened underthe management of Mr. Thomas Ponting, formerly of Mountain Ash, who was also theinstructor. “Messrs Jones and Haggar are to be congratulated on their newenterprise”.

1893

18 LAWN TENNIS: The Aberdare Tennis Club whichis one of the oldest in South Wales have moved to their premises on the banks ofthe Cynon.

1860s

19 WHEELING: This was quite popular in the 60sand 70s.

1861 July 16

A wheeling match will take place near the Royal Oak in Mill St.,when a silver watch will be contested for. The blindfolded competitors wheeled awheelbarrow towards a mark 100 yards distant and the one who ended up nearest themark won the prize.