The Old Dy’vorian The Journal of the former pupils of Dynevor School www.dynevorrevisited.org.uk Number 25 August 2014 Thanks, Ray, for a grand gesture WE don’t make a habit of singling out indi- Old Dy’vorian’s viduals when it comes to one-off fundraising grandson reaches projects. ski final in Winter But this time we’re Olympics: Page 4 making an exception. Because it would be wrong NOT to acknowledge Ray Farmer’s wonderful contribution to the ODA’s successful One better than campaign to raise £1,150 to digitise the school magazines. three degrees! Ray (1934-38), who’s ORMER Dynevor deputy now 90, was hugely Peter and his Fheadmaster Peter Phillips wife Judith supportive of the has been awarded a doctorate - venture and sent a cheque for £300 on at the age of 70. behalf of himself and Peter spent 14 years at the school his two brothers, from 1982 until 1996 - serving Frederick and David, under headmasters Hubert Davies fellow Old Dy’vorians, then Allan Smith. neither of whom, During his career he collected a sadly, is now with us. BA, an MA and a MEd. Now, af- Treasurer Steve Way ter more than four years studying said: “It was a very at Cardiff University, he’s added a been ordained as a non-stipendi- magnanimous ges- PhD. ary priest in 1993 and was once ture. It never ceases But it’s what comes BEFORE curate under the ODA’s very own to amaze me the his name that’s most important: Lionel Hopkins! depth of feelings held The Reverend. Peter went on to work in prison by so many for the old Because when Peter left Dyne- chaplaincy at Liverpool, Usk, school.” vor 18 years ago it was to become Bristol and Shepton Mallett, and Magazines on our a prison chaplain - in fact he’d > Continued on Page 6 website : Page 2 Smashing night in store with David Mercer - Page 5

2. The Old Dy’vorian There’s everything except gangsters and lotharios! By Roger Williams HEN Dynevor School was closed, a host of invaluable docu- Wments were rescued from the skip by headmaster Allan Smith and his deputy Graham Hanford. The ODA immediately recognised the im- portance to present and future generations of an almost complete run of school magazines but had no facilities to store and display them. In time, it became clear that the way forward was to make them available on the Dynevor Revisited web-site. The firm Pearl won the contract to digitise them, and the Old Dyvorians responded to the last edition of TOD by raising £1150 to This picture of the school in finance the project. 1913 on the eve of World War You can now look up the ODA website www. One appeared on the front page dynevorrevisited.org.uk to access the maga- of TOD24, and it struck a chord zines in the members’ section (user name: Old_Dyvorian; password: Dynevor12) . with Peter Hopkins (1948-53). The magazines cover the years 1910-1970, Find out why on Page 9. with just a small number of missing editions, mainly in the 1920s. Interestingly, the Literary and Debating Members are warmly invited to hunt in old Society often had its finger on the pulse of attics for the missing numbers - 36-39, 41, 47 the times. and 81. Other rescued materials, including press Access through the web-site is fast, and the cuttings and photographs, were the property readability remarkable. You can step back into of the Local Education Authority, and are your school era or the remoter past to recon- now reunited with a larger collection in the nect with school trips, staff and class-mates, West Archive, held in ’s athletes, aesthetes, jokers, actors, musicians, Civic Centre on Road and stars of school and house sports and eistedd- open to the public. fodau, politicos, recruits to the armed forces, Confidential materials, including the head- as well as catch early sightings of future Arch- masters’ log books, punishment books, and bishops, Lords, Professors, MPs, Goons and pupils’ and teachers’ registers, are subject other star performers. to the Data Protection Act, and access is Inevitably, editorial policy ruled out articles typically restricted to specialist researchers on in-house gangsters and mafiosi, or roman- gathering statistical (not individual) data. tic liaisons! The scope of the collection can be seen at Some of the most thoughtful pieces mir- [email protected], ror wider global changes: two world wars, searching under ‘Dynevor School’. the Depression, and post-1945 fluctuations Kim Collis and his team of archivists will in economic prosperity and hopes of a fairer be delighted to offer guidance to enquirers at society. the Civic Centre. Happy hunting! Never approach a bull from the front, or a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction

3. The Old Dy’vorian More miscellaneous musings from the editor Here’s a new twist on the North-South divide GOOD pal of mine, who did a bit of sailing in his time and still takes It wasn’t plain sailing a keen interest in maritime matters, for the aircraft carrier A Abraham Lincoln was telling me an intriguing little tale not so long ago. It was based on an actual radio conversation between a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland. The conversation, released by the Chief of Naval Operations authorized by the Freedom of Information Act, went like this: Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision. Americans: Recommend YOU divert your Americans: This is the aircraft carrier USS course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a col- Abraham Lincoln, the second-largest ship in lision. the United States’ Atlantic fleet. We are ac- Canadians: Negative. You will have to di- companied by three destroyers, three cruisers vert your course 15 degrees to the South to and numerous support vessels. I demand that avoid a collision. YOU change YOUR course 15 degrees to the Americans: This is the Captain of a U.S. North. I say again: that’s one-five degrees Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course. North - or counter-measures will be under- Canadians: No, I say again, you divert taken to ensure the safety of this ship. your course. Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call. Save yourself Having the last laugh I WAS back in my native Rhondda last month - we moved a few pennies to Swansea when I was seven - to attend a funeral. A dis- MY wife and I are always tant uncle who’d died at the age of 91. Mustn’t grumble, it grateful when somebody comes was a decent innings. up with a money-saving tip that While I was making my way to the graveside, my at- helps the household budget. tention was drawn to a little verse on a nearby headstone And I’m happy to share with which marked the resting place of a well-known charac- you a super-duper idea one of ter who used to look after the tables in the billiards and my neighbours came up with snooker room at the Conservative club just down the road recently ... from the cemetery. Old unwanted telephone di- You know the kind of thing - he’d make sure all the cues rectories make ideal personal had tips, the balls were nicely polished, that there was address books. Just cross out plenty of chalk available and the various accessories were the names and addresses of all all in good order. Anyway, this is what the verse said ... the people you don’t know. It makes good sense, so why Here lies the body of Gwilym John not give it a whirl? Look after Billiards marker at the local Con the pennies and all that! Gone for a long rest ...

4. The Old Dy’vorian Tudor looks for help with war research TUDOR Price (1958- 1965) is researching de- tails of former pupils who served in the Great War - 46 of whom were lost. Does any member have a connection with an ex-Swansea Municipal School pupil who en- High-flying Ben Cavet and his granddad Kilby listed between 1914 and 1919? Photographs would be Kilby so proud of special interest. If you can add to this as Ben makes research or offer a com- ment please get in touch Olympic finals at tudorprice3@btinter- O doubt about who member of a team that won the net.com. was the proudest Old British gymnastics competi- ◘Tudor continues his NDy’vorian during the tion, so I have a background Swansea Copper Story, Winter Olympics at Sochi in of sport which led to a career the first part of which Russia early this year. as a P.E. teacher and college appeared in TOD24, on It was Kilby Edwards - and lecturer”. Page 16. with good reason. Kilby, who went from Dyne- Because his 20-year-old vor to Carnegie College in Annual awards grandson Ben Cavet came a Leeds. eventually left teaching very creditable eighth in the to start a business organising for students Moguls event, which means ski courses for school groups, THIS year’s ODA an- Big Bumps! so skiing has long been a spe- nual awards to students Maidstone-born Ben, though, cial interest for him and his from the University of wasn’t competing for Great family. Trinity St David Britain - he was representing “Our son Dayvid competed in (formerly Swansea Met- France! the 1992 Winter Olympics in ropolitan University) will Kilby’s daughter Carole and the aerials event,” he added. take place at the Dynevor her Geordie husband Andy “so we are very proud to now Campus on Wednesday, moved to the French Alps have two Olympians in the October 8, at 5pm. when Ben was quite young and family. Refreshments will be converted to French national- Some years ago Kilby and available between 6pm ity for their work and careers. Elaine inherited her parents’ and 7pm before the an- Kilby (1946-52), who lives house in Townhill. “So we nual ODA lecture to be with his wife Elaine in the spend some pleasant time back given by David Mercer at pretty Warwickshire village of ‘home’ as often as possible,” the same venue (see pre- Tanworth in Arden, said: “Nat- he said. view on opposite page). urally we are very pleased and Ben became a French citizen Those wishing to par- proud of Ben’s achievement.” in 2012 after being unable to take should contact ODA He added: “My old school secure funding from UK Sport secretary Phill Davies, friends may remember that I to help him compete in Moguls whose contact details are played football for Wales as a - and now his aim is to win a on the Back Page. youth, at wing-half, and was a medal in the 2018 Games.

5. The Old Dy’vorian David will have lots of tales to tell from life behind the microphone ACK in the summer of 2013, you may recall, BBC sports commen- Btator John Inverdale found himself in hot water after making a quip about the Wimbledon ladies’ champion Marion Bartoli. The French girl, he said, in effect, would never be ‘a looker’. Inverdale’s words prompted an outpouring of criticism on social networking sites, such as Twitter, and the following day he apolo- gised for his “ham-fisted” comments. Well, David Mercer, who’ll be giving the annual Old Dy’vorians’ Lecture on Wednes- day, October 8, probably knew just how In- David Mercer, our guest speaker, and Laura verdale felt. Robson. Will he tell the 2010 story? Because back in 2010, also as a result of a gaffe at Wimbledon, David found himself David, who was at Dynevor from 1960 to in a spot of bother after offering the opinion 1967, started his career as a solicitor and ran his own firm in Swansea for nine years. that British crowd favourite Laura Robson, He started working as a freelance in sports then just 16, needed to lose some ‘puppy broadcasting for BBC Wales in 1979. fat’. For a time he combined his legal practice with And like Inverdale, he was forced to say BBC work and public relations duties for the sorry to Laura for his words, broadcast live Law Society. Since 1984, David has been con- on the BBC’s ‘red button’ service to cable tracted to BBC Sport. and satellite viewers. Tennis is his main sport - he won the Welsh Both commentators, no doubt, regret put- junior doubles in 1968 and had the distinction ting their feet in it but, eh, it’s an occupa- of umpiring the Jimmy Connors-John McEnroe tional hazard when you’re ‘live’ on air. Wimbledon final of 1984. Nothing nasty intended. He has also commentated on a variety of other Will David bring the subject up in his lec- sports and now lives in Buckinghamshire. ture in October? We’ll just have to wait and It would be great if we had a bumper turnout - see.Whatever, it certainly promises to be a and, as we mention on the opposite page, there’ll crackin night. be refreshments beforehand at 6pm.

6. The Old Dy’vorian Peter: Getting PhD was ‘unbelievable’ < From Page One his wife Judith also became a prison chaplain, serving mainly at Eastwood Park women’s prison in Gloucestershire. Both are now retired from full-time chaplaincy. So what about the PhD? Peter followed a multi-discipline programme including theology, sociology and criminology. And his 125,00-word thesis was called Roles and Identities of the Anglican Chaplain: A Pris- on Ethnography. Catchy title, don’t you think? Peter, who lives in Felindre, received his doc- torate at St David’s Hall in Cardiff in July and said: “It was an amazing feeling. Like I couldn’t Ex-skipper Ossie believe it. Like it was something that happens to somebody else”. lunchtime guest He was born in Carmarthen but grew up in OSSIE Wheatley, the opening-bowler who Reading, gaining an English degree at the Berk- captained Glamorgan to their first-ever win shire town’s university. over the Australians, at Swansea back in Then it was into teaching and a variety of posts 1964, was due to be the lunchtime guest before becoming head of English at Don Valley speaker when about 50 Old Dy’vorians, fam- High School in South Yorkshire - from where he ily and friends made the annual Balconiers’ came to Dynevor as deputy headmaster. Cricket Day trip to the St Helens Ground on A fascinating life, most certainly. Warm con- Saturday, August 16 for the second day of gratulations to The Reverend Doctor Peter Phil- the county championship match against Es- lips., once of Dynevor. sex. Report and pictures in TOD26 Devil of a play at the Palace IT’S always good to hear from Iorrie Disciple. This I checked with Degwel and Mort - and he got in touch with The he remembers it well. Old Dy’vorian recently to ‘put the re- In the play there were many female parts cord straight’ on a theatrical matter. and they were played by boys. One of the Iorrie says: ‘May I apologise for some stars of this production - playing a female inaccuracy. At the end of the last annual role - was Philip Sayer, who later made ODA lecture I told Kevin Johns that one of a career in acting and took part in many the last productions in the Palace Theatre West End productions. Tragically Philip was the school production by pupils of died quite young. Dynevor of Our Town and Kevin referred Degwel would love to hear from anyone to it in the Evening Post. who took part in this production.” I am correct in saying that a school play Thanks, Iorrie, and no need for an was staged at the Palace but it was not apology, Our Town. Graham Davies produced Our It would be great if anybody who Town in the school Hall. did take part in The Devil’s Disciple I then remembered that it was Degwel would contact the editor (details on Owen and Dennis Jones who produced Back Page) and we’ll pass the infor- a school play in the PalaceTheatre many mation on to Degwel - and run a nice years earlier and that play was The Devil’s piece in TOD26.

7. The Old Dy’vorian Musical youth

Spencer Davis, pictured, had a Bessie Smith album under his arm in the Dynevor playground lives on back in 1958 and on Ian ‘Bo’ Maunder (1958-65) Davies, who soon put his love of the blues to takes a stroll down Dynevor’s good effect with the Spencer Davis Group, musical Memory Lane in scoring 12 UK Top 50 hits between1964 and 1968, three of which were number ones, and the first of a two-part feature two of which made the US Top 10. Not bad for an old Dy’vorian. T MUST seem difficult for anyone used For those of us less successful than Spen- to the present culture of downloads, cer, Swansea proved an Aladdin’s cave of IiPod shuffles and the rest to imagine the record stores to visit at lunchtime and after joy young people of the 1950s and 1960s school. felt to listen to pop music on vinyl discs There was the Co-op with its downstairs - although they are making an over-priced music department, the upstairs ones in Boots comeback. and David Evans, and the one by the side We in Dynevor were no exception. We had entrance of British Home Stores where I grown up to the excitement of rock’n’roll in bought my first Buddy Holly 78. the 1950s – I still remember my old prima- There was also a dedicated record shop, the ry school Head saying in disgust that Elvis Record Centre, in Shoppers’ Walk, managed, Presley would never sully the school record I recall, by a lovely lady called Mrs. Radford, player – and we were heading into the heady who had at least one Dynevor boy’s heart a- days of the Beatles and Rolling Stones. flutter! And we must not forget Ron MaKay’s Pop music and popular culture dominated Shop, which transacted its business in one of the world, and Dynevor was not immune. the Railway Arches opposite Weaver’s Dock The school was awash with quiff and DA (now Sainsbury’s). Among the many second- hairstyles, and later a few Beatles hairdos as hand items in the shop was a pile of old 45s well. which they sold for the princely sum of two Musical factions existed everywhere. Some shillings, which for us on our meagre pocket boys were supporters of the Beatles, some of money was a great improvement on the six the Rolling Stones, and there were quite a and fourpence required to buy a new 45. few who disdained such modern frippery and Thanks to the Buy And Sell Shop, we found still rooted for 1950s rock’n’roll. many lost gems, and a few duds as well. There was even a small handful of true affi- There were also a few coffee bars (remem- cionados – I still recall, as a callow first-year, ber them? They sold you coffee you didn’t going up to a sixth-former in the playground need a bank loan for) who would sell off the to ask him about the Bessie Smith album he redundant records from their juke boxes for had under his arm. a few bob. The sixth-former in question was Spencer > Continued on next page

8. The Old Dy’vorian Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash in Iowa, on February 3, 1959. It became known as The Day The Music Died Snells was the music devotees’ holy grail > From previous page performance, complete with air guitar, of But the ‘holy grail’ for music devotees was Bo Diddley’s A Bastard (to the tune of Bo Snells in the High Street Arcade. Diddley’s A Lover) from a pupil who went Snells primarily sold instruments and sheet on to be County Archivist. music, but for their sins they had a policy of Hugh Picton recalls February 4, 1959, buying in at least one copy of every record re- when Ian Seaton brought in a newspaper leased. telling of the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie For the music fanatics of Dynevor, this meant Valens and the Big Bopper in a plane crash, we could hear not only the latest hits, but also and the air of deep sorrow and gloom that the more obscure records we had heard on our pervaded the school that day. transistor radios under the bedclothes at night, Pop stars were a huge part of our lives, from the far-from-clear Radio Luxembourg. and such a loss felt devastating. I was fortunate enough to have a good friend Hugh was Holly’s biggest fan in Dynevor, and mentor in Dave Godin, editor of Blues And and remains one of his biggest fans, so it Soul magazine and the man who first brought was inevitable that he would be playfully Northern Soul to prominence. Dave tutored taunted about his obsession. me in American Black music, which I duly Apart from me, he was regularly subject- championed around the school, vainly trying ed to assertions of the greater talent of Elvis to convince the Beatles/Stones followers that Presley over Holly by Tudor Price, but I’m it was superior. afraid I was one of the worst taunters. In fact a game that got out of hand got us both My love for the music of Bo Diddley gained the cane. me the nickname ‘Bo’, and an impromptu I had carved Buddy Holly is rubbish on Hugh’s desk top, which he had scratched Bo Diddley ... out and replaced with “great”. I responded, he counter-attacked, and before we knew it the love of his entire desk lid was completely covered his music in comments about Buddy Holly. Our beloved German master, Stanley gave author Mugford, saw it and sent us to the Head, Ian his where we were both subjected to six of the best for destroying school property. Such nickname was the passionate life of music fanatics in Dynevor. > Don’t miss Part Two in TOD26

9. The Old Dy’vorian

Albert Hopkins is fifth from right in the middle row, sitting with his arms folded next to the teacher. Can anybody add more details for Peter (right)? Peter’s wondering about his father Albert’s classmates ETER Hopkins took a little walk lating to his father’s time at the school - a down Memory Lane when he saw reference for him signed by the headmaster, the picture of the old school, taken in W.A. Beanland.. P “My dad must have requested the refernce 1913, featured on Page One of the January issue of The Old Dy’vorian. to support a job application in 1926 so the His father was a pupil there at the time, and item is dated 4-3-26,” says Peter. Peter dug out this picture at the top of the “However, in the text it states that he left page - and he takes up the story: the school in July 1918 after completing a “My father Albert Hopkins was born in four-year course, which would probably 1902 and he can be seen in the Municipal date the form photograph to 1914”. Secondary School form photograph, middle Peter, who lived in Townhill during his row fifth from the right, with his arms folded time at Dynevor from 1948 to 1953, left sitting next to the teacher. school to join the Civil Service. Then came “I guessed that the photo was taken circa his national service call-up. 1913 and after 100 years I wondered if any After that he became a Customs and Excise fellow-ODA members can identify other pu- officer - a role in which he stayed for the rest pils, or perhaps the master. of his working life. “I know it’s a long shot, the picture being “Although Swansea was always my home so old, but there must be somebody walking there was a fair bit of travelling involved,” about the streets of Swansea in 2014 who he said. can make some connection with somebody “Most summers, the busy holiday periods, in the photo.” were usually spent at passenger ports or air- So if anybody can throw any light on it, ports around the country, while the winters please get in touch with the editor and we’ll were mainly at cargo ports.” be delighted to publish a follow-up piece in He retired in 1992 and he and his wife, TOD26. who have a daughter and two granddaugh- Peter says he has only one other item re- ters, live in the .

10. The Old Dy’vorian It’s the way he tells ‘em: president’s cracking speech owes a bit to the Les > Is that a little too tight, sir? Phil Stone helps Dudley join Dawson the presidential chain gang! jokebook Picture: Rob Mitchell T’S NOT every year that a new because his dear lady wife might be reading ODA president sprinkles his inau- this - that he genuinely had a soft spot for his gural speech with a few Les Dawson mother-in-law. I It really was an excellent speech; serious, mother-in-law one-liners. In fact it’s funny, and warmly received by the 200-ish at probably unheard of. the bash, who were, yet again, treated to an But that’s exactly what Professor Dudley excellent meal and terrific service. Sinnett threw into the mix at the association’s Dudley (1960-67), citing the evening’s 76th annual reunion dinner at Swansea Uni- special guest speaker Sir Alan Thomas as an versity at the end of March. example, underlined the big influence Old In case you’re wondering why this should Dy’vorians have had on society. be, well, it’s all because, in a recent issue of “Dynevor was a huge part of our lives,” he The Old Dy’vorian, Dudley was likened, as said, “And we are grateful for that privilege.” far as looks are concerned, to the late, great He got by far the biggest cheer of the night, Lancashire comedian. A real dead ringer! though, when he paid tribute to Iorrie Mort And to show he really did see the funny side for his immense service to the school and to of it, the 2014-2015 president treated us to the the ODA. following Les Dawson classics: The word Legend is much-overused these “A friend was telling me the other day that days - but, in the context of Dynevor, Iorrie his mother-in-law was an absolute angel. has truly become just that. A legend! ‘I wish mine was,’ I replied, ‘But she’s still Distinguished businessmean and computer alive.’” engineer Sir Alan Thomas (1954-61) gave an interesting summary of his outstanding career. “I haven’t spoken to my mother-in-law for And, harking back to Dynevor, he fondly two years; it really would be rude to inter- recalled the likes of Ossie Morris, Porky Wil- rupt her.” liams, W.S.Evans and Greville Andrewartha. Boom-boom. But seriously, let it be said Which, needless to say, drew more cheers! that Dudley did assure us - and not only Jeff Humphreys

11. The Old Dy’vorian Cheers to Kelvin ORY McIlroy may have held Raloft the Claret Jug after winning the Open golf champion- ship at Hoylake in July - but Kelvin Howells beat him to it by four months. Because the ODA now has its own version of the famous trophy and Kelvin - overall cham- pion at our annual Golf Day at Clyne in March - now gets to keep it for a year. The new trophy is called The Peter Saword Cup in memory of Peter First-ever winner : Kelvin Howells holds the Peter Saword Cup, with Golf (1948-55), who was Day organiser Peter Samuel (left) and ODA president Dudley Sinnett. school vice-captain and a keen sportsman. He died in April 2012. Gill Conyers, Peter’s sister who now lives in York, has wished for some time to commem- orate her late brother. Noel Blows, on be- half of the ODA, was involved in discussions over several months Peter Grant : longest drive Paul Lancey : nearest the pin with Larry Owens - Pe- ter’s contemporary and close friend - and Mrs Conyers as to how this could be best achieved. Twenty-seven golfers took part in this year’s event at Clyne and Pe- ter Samuel, who took over from Ken Sharpe as Golf Day organiser, says he’s looking for- ward to the 2015 event, And it’s all smiles, too, from the top team : (from left) Ken Sharpe, which will be held on Kelvin Howells, Roger Pike and Phil Webster Friday, April 17.

12. The Old Dy’vorian

By Sholto Thomas Sholto at Toddington, Gloucestershire, with ND so to Dynevor in Autumn 1963. the open-top bus he owns with a colleague in the bus industry. The same type of bus I was provided with a season ticket (with a roof of course!) was used by United Afrom to the town cen- Welsh on their services. tre, valid on Transport, United Sholto was at Dynevor from 1963 to 1966 Welsh and James of Ammanford services, before moving to Scotland. After leaving And although the latter had been absorbed Heriot-Watt University, he joined his local by SWT the previous year, its fine livery was bus company in Edinburgh as a conductor still to be seen on the 121 route coming down and driver, later rising through various man- via Cwmllynfell and . agement positions at bus companies in the All services combined to provide roughly East of Scotland. He retired from the post of a bus every ten minutes into town, but my Operations Director for Stagecoach Chelten- regulars were the SWT 18 from Brynam- ham and Gloucester in 2011 and now lives man in the morning which fielded an elderly in Gloucestershire.This article - the second lowbridge double-decker (remember them as of a two-part feature - is a revised version of well? – long seats and a gangway at the side one which appeared in the book By Bus To upstairs). School produced by Ian Allan Publishing. But now and again buses swept by full-up In the afternoon, by legging it quickly up and at least once, a spell of detention was Orchard Street to the old Police Station, handed out to me by the gate monitors, de- SWT’s service 1 for could just spite my protestations. The morning SWT 18 stalwart was in be caught. The 1s were also newish double- due course replaced by a big single-decker, deckers from depot, painted whose wonderful gearbox symphony was red sadly, but making all the same musical tempered by alarming bodywork movement noises. If I missed the 1, the next bus was the for a brand-new vehicle. Unfortunately it had United Welsh 18 from the bus station at 4.20. the same number of seats as the old double- United Welsh had a small depot at decker had had, meaning still having to stand which ran their share of services coming into town quite often. > Continued on next page

13. The Old Dy’vorian The United Welsh double-decker SWN 160 is at Clydach heading for Craig Cefn Parc on the 19. This type of bus was also a “Low Bridge” type but had a lower- slung chassis with the downstairs gangway in a little trench.

< From previous page 85. Some of the Pontardawe drivers on the 1 down the valley. There was a relief bus on scorched along, the stretch past CEM Day’s the 18 for a while - though the United Welsh at being a particularly speedy point. conductors seemed quite happy to pack in Another difference compared with travel passengers well over the authorised eight from the side of town was that many standing. bus crews and passengers were Welsh-speak- This relief was a single-decker, and once a ers. really old one with the driver in a separate But above all, you could set your watch cab, complete with cobwebs (I kid you not) by the punctuality of all the buses, eased in turned up. It proceeded to astonish me with those days by so little traffic, and hardly any its lively performance, racing up the slope to traffic lights, mini-roundabouts, and other te- (can’t do that now with all the speed dious modern traffic-calming features. humps), and then engaging an overdrive gear In late 1963 the transport-publishing com- down the hill under the railway bridges to pany Ian Allan launched the first edition of a . pocket book detailing the major bus fleets in The hustle of the valley bus services was South Wales. Not only did it give us the num- a big change from the rather genteel 64 and bers of all these vehicles, but also the ones which we never saw in Swansea, such as the large South Wales Transport fleet used on local services in Llanelly or the ex-James ve- hicles used for miners’ runs around Ammanford. I say “us” because bus-spot- ting became quite a rage at Dynevor (most of us were rail enthusiasts too). Some of us would occasion ally catch a Port Tennant bus over to Swansea East Dock At the very end of its life, JWN 901 was a regular bus on the morn- loco shed in our lunchtime to ing 18 from Ammanford to Swansea via Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen and see what was there, or what was due into St Mary’s Sq at 0832. Seen here earlier in its career. steam engines had arrived to This type of bus was lower than normal with long seats upstairs be scrapped at . and the gangway at the side. > Continued on next page

14. The Old Dy’vorian Noisy climb to Clase < From previous page > Sholto Thomas ... his Our “omnibology” interests also came to the family’s sudden move notice of an observant sixth-former, Mark to Edinburgh meant he Lee Inman, who wrote an amusing article for never got to say Good- the July 1964 school magazine. bye to classmates in the In the first year I actually made it home to Ynystawe for lunch but it was a bit of a dash old 1965-66 3D. and I can still recall the indigestion during the first afternoon period after having to get briskly back to the school gate before the fi- nal bell. semi-automatic gearboxes and air brakes. Later my grandparents moved from Scot- This was for the most fearsome bit of Pen- land to the top end of Brynymor Road so this y-Graig Road, one of the steepest hills in the became the preferred option for lunch. For a country with a frequent bus service. Another penny-halfpenny each way, if I recall. hill-climbing option on my way home, if I There was also the novelty (for those days) had a few spare coppers, was to catch the 80 of a Pay-as-You-Enter United Welsh single- via Clase to Morriston and then my usual decker which happened along first, head- route the rest of the way. ing for Waunarlwydd via Sketty. Great also Several other classmates would be on board was the urge to buy a couple of Welshcakes and sitting at the back upstairs I would watch temptingly griddled in the baker’s window at just how closely the conductor was scrutinis- the bus stop in Mansel Street! ing the season tickets before waving my (un- The 74 bus from Sketty usually featured on authorised) one, or coughing up the cash if the return trip and which ran very frequently he was doing the job properly. (actually nine journeys each hour – no point Inevitably packed, it was a noisy climb up in working out the maths, there being never to Clase and down to bottom gear in places. long to wait). The 80 at that time had a new type of dou- Of course there was also the weekly fun ble-decker, South Wales Transport actually getting up to the Ganges for games. Lengthy being in the forefront of encouraging better queues in Orchard Street for the 12 to Elphin double-deck bus designs for operation under Crescent. low railway bridges, such as the one between Must have irritated the locals when our Weaver’s and the New Cut swing bridge, tribe went up in 45-seat lots (and no standing which forced all double-deckers on routes allowed!). crossing the river to be of low height. Don’t know how many Dy’vorians were The school holidays in Summer 1966 saw aware that in those days the buses for the another family move, but this time to Edin- Townhill routes were a bit special, having burgh. It was quite sudden, and I never got to say good-bye to class- mates in the old 1965-66 3D for their friendship and cama- raderie. We’d all been togeth- er since the start of 2B. Most are pictured when in 5D on the website showing the Class of 1963. Of course in Edinburgh there was then a new variety of buses to take me to and from school. But that story’s for a different Old School Time for games ... all aboard for The Ganges on the No 12! journal.

15. The Old Dy’vorian

Prof Ian Wells, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Dudley Sinnett, Sir John Meurig Thomas and Prof Mike Phillips, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation, Enterprise and Commercialisation).

Annual University of Wales Trinity St David(UWTSD) Dylan /Old Dy’vorians’ Lecture 2014 ‘Unpredictability and Chance Thomas in Science and Technology’ This year’s lecture, the seventh since its inception in 2008, was given by Sir John Meurig Thomas at the Dynevor Campus of the UWSTD. Llanelli-born Sir John is a leading and the internationally-renowned chemist, educator and author as well as being a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is widely recognised for his contributions to geochemistry and in boy from 1995, a new mineral, meurigite, was named after him by the International Mineralogical association. The lecture was introduced by our President Dudley Sinnett the Gower who said it was a privilege to make this introduction to a large audience of Old Dy’vorians, academic staff, students By Jim Waygood (1955-60) and members of the public, of such an esteemed friend. IR John opened his lecture with an apt could also be attributed to being ‘in the right quotation from Dylan Thomas – ‘Do place at the right time’. Snot go gentle into that good night’ – A major ‘chance discovery’ was made by which appropriately could be used in the Alec Jeffreys in 1984 when he stumbled on ‘Unpredictability and Chance’ in scientific the remarkable scientific breakthrough lead- areas. ing to DNA Fingerprinting. He then outlined how science had evolved Another ’chance discovery’ was made by over a long period of time with earlier sci- John Cade in the field of Lithium Medica- entists building on previous knowledge and tion. this continues to this day. A mention was Sir John went on to ask the question - ‘Is made of the famous ‘Gower Boy’ - W.R. invention the result of ‘accident or plan’? Grove – who first generated electrical poten- – eg, the discovery in 1895 of the X-Ray tial ( battery ) in 1842. Technique by WC Rontgen of Wurzburg What then drives modern scientific ad- University. vancement? Sir John outlined three major After a very interesting and informative areas – External Factors (Political, Social, lecture, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike and Commercial), Internal Factors (Tools, Phillips presided over a short ‘question and Techniques, and Instruments etc), Persua- answer’ session before proposing a vote of sive Influences (Newton, Darwin, Fisher, thanks to Sir John, which was warmly en- Faraday etc). Scientists and advancement dorsed by the audience.

16. The Old Dy’vorian A place in the sun!

River Tawe, Hafod and Middle Bank Works circa 1840 Swansea Museum

Hafod-Morfa Copperworks Regeneration Project Tudor Price (1958-65) continues his THOSE of you within distance of the Low- Swansea Copper Story by looking er Swansea Valley will have noted consid- at current initiatives to preserve the erable activity in the area in recent months, heritage at the White Rock , Hafod and surrounding the former Landore Copper Morfa Copper Works sites. Works. On the riverside the derelict and forlorn re- About the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site mains of the once mighty smelting and fin- Extracts Courtesy of Cu @ Swansea ishing works are demanding a place in the The Hafod Copper works was established in sun! 1810 by John Vivian and the Morfa works in The site then known as ‘Landore’ and op- 1835 by Williams, Foster & Co. erated by Yorkshire Imperial Metals, closed The surviving buildings are the last remain- in1980. ing substantial monuments to the copper in- The former Vivian and Sons Hafod Works dustry in the , which and Foster and Williams Morfa Works, origi- was once the centre of an international trade nally fierce competitors, passed to ‘ British - the world’s first globally-integrated heavy Copper Manufacturers ‘ in 1924 when cop- industry. per smelting effectively finished, becoming Then ... a constituent of ICI in 1928, and Yorkshire ◙ Hafod Copper works established in 1810 Imperial Metals in the mid -fifties.. ◙ At the heart of the world’s first globally in- The ICI new metal activity in the form of tegrated heavy industry: copper. a Titanium Rolling Mill was established in ◙ Copper was at the centre of integrated mul- Waunarlwydd under IMI (Imperial Metals tinational business networks stretching from Industry) in 1955, including the transfer of Anglesey to Australia and from Cornwall to key employees and hardware. > Continued on next page

17. The Old Dy’vorian

Hafod When Swansea’s Works, May Cape Horners were 2014 circling the globe Welsh copper exported to markets across the continents < From previous page ism which celebrates the past and looks to Chile. Welsh mariners (Cape Horners) cir- the future. cled the globe to ply the world copper trade. ◙ The site’s heritage is preserved and proud- Welsh copper was exported to markets ly displayed with interpretation trails and a across the continents. living history laboratory providing opportu- ◙ In 1883 there were 124 works including nities for more visitors to learn about Swan- 12 copper works in the Lower Swansea Val- sea’s leading role in the ley. and development of the global economy. ◙ In 1823, 10,000 of Swansea’s 15,000 resi- ◙ A site that breathes life back into the area, dents were supported by the copper industry. and builds creatively on the proud industrial ◙ Copper production at the Hafod-Morfa past. works stopped in 1980, 19 years after the Lower Swansea Valley Project started to Having secured an initial grant-funding transform the most derelict industrial land- package of £542,000 from Cadw-Welsh scape in Britain. Government and the EU-Regional Develop- Now ... ment Fund, Swansea University embarked ◙ A 12 ½ acre site containing 12 interna- upon a programme of regeneration oppor- tionally significant industrial heritage build- tunities. The project is formally constituted ings or structures as the Cu @ Swansea and the first-phase of ◙ Part of a revitalised and important natural activity began in March 2012. habitat on the banks of the . Physical work on the site commenced in ◙ A monument to Swansea’s proud copper February 2013, organised by the contractor industry and a unique site that locates Swan- Groundwork Bridgend--PortTalbot. sea at the heart of Britain’s Industrial Revo- This work served to clear some vegetation, lution. stabilise buildings at risk, improve access Future ... for visitors, lay out trails, and provide infor- ◙ Restored buildings forming part of a vi- mation and interpretation for visitors. brant, multi-purpose hub for work, educa- It is being supplemented by a community tion, leisure, commercial activity and tour- > Continued on next page Give the website a whirl ... www.dynevorrevisited.org.uk

18. The Old Dy’vorian Be fair, there IS a similarity! ODA secretary Phill Davies fell about laughing while he was listening to The Now Show on Radio 4 a little while back. What caused his mirth was a little quip by Elis Jones, the Carmarthen- born comedian who is now based in Cardiff. Elis said: ‘Port Talbot: That part of the M4 that’s like driving through Mordor.’ Well, here are the two places ... can you tell the differ- ence? < From previous page May 2014 was a busy month on the Hafod- archaeology programme of digs and inves- Morfa site, with the installation of: tigations led by the Glamorgan and Gwent ◙ Artwork and sculpture representing his- Archaeological Trust. torical characters connected with the site In January 2013, the Cu @ Swansea project ◙ Interpretation panels for the key remain- appointed Purcell of Bristol as consultants to ing buildings produce a master and implementation plan ◙ Picnic benches and other furniture for the site. ◙ New railings around the Vivian engine The Welsh Government is contributing house £277,000 to the scheme through the Swan- ◙ A post and rail path along the line of the sea Regeneration Area programme and the old canal towards the laboratory building. Targeted Match Fund. An audio trail including voices of charac- A sum of £244,000 has also been provided ters from the past is also scheduled for the from the European Regional Development site. Fund as part of the Welsh Government’s The long-term plan is to create a vibrant, £19m Heritage Tourism project. multi-purpose place for work, education, lei- Regeneration is not restricted to the west sure and commercial activity in and around side of the river. this hugely-important industrial heritage site The last issue of TOD included an article and ensure that the site plays a central role in describing the Heritage Lottery-Funded Swansea’s future as it has in the city’s past. project whiterocktrails.org which is devel- Above information with kind oping an App-based digital trail around the permission of the Cu @ Swan- White Rock Heritage Park. sea Project. This project has also published interest- www.welshcopper.org.uk ing and new research into the White Rock www.whiterockrails.org Works, the river and ferry, and provided a https://www.flickr.com/photos/swan- learning programme for schools. seauniversity/sets/72157633542905139/

19. The Old Dy’vorian

Jeff Woods (1958-65) has had his passport stamped so many times he makes Alan Whicker look like a real stay-at-home. Read Jeff’s fascinating life story in TOD26 Noel plans bumper bash for the diamond geezers YNEVOR’S 55-ers are planning 2015, preceded by golf or a visit around the to meet up again in September school earlier that day. 2015 to celebrate 60 years of life The following day there’ll be a Saturday D stroll in the Mumbles/Langland/Caswell area after entering the school. in the morning with drinks and snacks at a Noel Blows, who’s in the driving seat, says couple of Old Dy’vorians’s huts at Langland everyone from that entry year will be invited at lunchtime. together with those who joined the intake Then those who fancy a curry in the even- through the seven following years at school. ing will meet up in a private room at The Plans include invitations to former staff and Patti Raj - owned by three Old Boys. some ODA committee members - and it’s Noel (pictured above right) asks that the hoped to retain a better photographic record 55-ers merely diarise these two dates for than the earlier event. the moment and acknowledges the offers of The 50th Year celebrations saw everyone support he has already received from Clem meet up for an evening in Mumbles Con- Williams (golf), Alan Sampson (walks) and servative Club. Brian Willis (Langland Huts). This time, for the diamond anniversary, For those Boys of ‘55 who live in Swan- there are plans for a more extravagant event sea, Noel asks: “Please remember: Dynevor so that those who travel from outside Swan- School’s 1st Law of Hwyl increases expo- sea may take their time with their reminis- nentially with distance from the school. cences and wallow deeper in nostalgia! “Colleagues outside Swansea will be seri- Events will include an evening buffet at ous investors in this weekend so please, local The Marriott Hotel on Friday, September 4, boys, make yourselves available too.” Dip into sporting past with Will MANY thanks to Will Holt for erty or wherever. Danygraig Park or responding to the editor’s plea for Cwm Level would be OK too! ideas, ideas, ideas. We’ll kick-off with Will’s choices in Solicitor Will (1958-65), who lives TOD26 - and one of them involves up in the north-west of , the Glamorgan and England left-arm submitted a few of his memorable quickie Jeff Jones (pictured left), Swansea sporting moments - and who was born in Dafen. floats the idea of other readers join- And there’ll be room for more ing in to make it a possible series memories if we get the response for The Old Dy’vorian. we’d like from other Old Dy’vorians. They could be mighty moments So start thinking about it now ... from The Vetch or St Helen’s let’s be fair, we’ve all got our favour- (cricket or rugby) or from The Lib- ite sporting dips into the past. Animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers

20. The Old Dy’vorian Who’s Who in the ODA 2014 - 2015

> President : Professor Dudley Sinnett [email protected] Tel: 02086 421551 > Vice-President : Selwyn Walters [email protected] Tel: 01570 422769 > Secretary : Phillip Davies [email protected] Tel: 01792 883978 > Treasurer : Stephen Way [email protected] Tel: 01792 361922 9 Croftfield Crescent, Newton, Swansea SA3 4UL > Communications Co-ordinator (inc Website) : Keith Evans [email protected] Tel: 07531 540002 > Journal Editor : Jeff Humphreys [email protected] Tel: 01827 830198 > Assistant Editor (Production) : Jim Waygood [email protected] Tel: 01792 899019 > Members’ Directory : Keith Evans (contact details as above) > Recruitment/Marketing/Balconiers’ Cricket : Ken Sharpe [email protected] Tel: 01432 359990 > Golf Day : Peter Samuel [email protected] Tel: 01792 230076 Other members of the committee include Keith Morris (Ties), Phil Stone & David Dickinson (Past Presidents). David, Ken, Keith Evans and Jim comprise the Annual Dinner sub-committee. Diary check...diary check Help make The Old > Wednesday, October 8, 2014: Dy’vorian better Annual ODA awards to UWTSD students (formerly PLEASE get in touch with the editor Swansea Metropolitan University) 5pm. Dynevor if you have any ideas for articles - or Campus. if you know of anything interesting > Wednesday, October 8, 2014: happening regarding Old Dy’vorians Annual ODA Lecture. Dynevor Campus. 7pm. or former members of staff. Guest speaker, broadcaster David Mercer. And if you have any comments - Note that refreshments will be available between 6pm good or bad - about the journal we’d and 7pm on October 8. Please let secretary Phill Davies be happy to hear from you too. It’s a know if you’ll be ‘partaking’. rare publication indeed that can’t be > Friday, April 17, 2015: improved! Golf Day at Clyne GC. Registration 9am. First tee-off Same with the website www.dyne- 10am. Contact Peter Samuel. vor revisited.org.uk - let’s have > Friday, April 17, 2015: plenty of contributions so we can Annual Dinner. Fulton House, Swansea University. make it ‘topical’ with regular up- Guest speaker to be announced. 6.30 for 7.30pm. dates. Contact Keith Evans. Copy deadline for TOD 26 is January 9 , 2015 Please submit in Word format if possible, ideally 500/600 words & photos, to Jeff or Jim (contact details above)