Boys' Club of Wales, Collection

Photograph of three young men - David Thomas, John Moyle and MicCox - who represented the Boys' Club of Wales at Rugby in 1978-1979

Founded by Captain J Glynn-Jones and David Davies of Llandinam - Wales' first millionaire and the builder of Barry Docks - the first boys' club was opened in Treharris in 1922. Glynn-Jones, as welfare officer of the David Davies' Ocean Group of Collieries, was faced by the problem of how to help and support adolescent collier boys who, after their shifts in the mines, found themselves with little to do apart from hang around street corners and get into mischief. His solution was to create a series of clubs where boys could be given something positive to occupy their minds - and hands.

The original Treharris Boys Club was quickly followed by others in Nantymoel, Ton Pentre, Treorchy, Wattstown and Nine Mile Point.

They were led by full-time youth workers on a scale unparalleled elsewhere in Great Britain, even during a time of economic depression. Captain Glynn wanted every boy to be a member of a club which provided healthy exercises, cultural activities and discipline.

The various clubs formed themselves into The South Wales Federation of Boys' Clubs in August 1928, and in due course the organisation grew to include St Athan Boys' Village and, after the Second World War, the Abercrave Adventure Centre. In 1947, the organisation extended its operations across the whole of Wales, becoming The Welsh Association of Boys' Clubs.

The changing needs of society caused serious financial difficulties in the 1980s and this resulted in the Association of Boys' Clubs having to change its role and even its name. The St Athan and Abercrave sites were sold off and the Welsh Federation of Boys' and Girls' Groups was came into existence in 1992.

Original order retained.

No restrictions.

Ogmore Valley Local History and Heritage Society May 2014

A detailed catalogue is available online

Compiled by Laura Russell for Glamorgan Archives, with reference to A History of the Boys Club Movement in Wales, BBC Wales (2010)and www.pitchero.com/clubs/boysclubofwales.

Normal Glamorgan Archives conditions apply.

All records which meet the collection policy of Glamorgan Archives have been retained.

Collected by the Ogmore Valley Local History and Heritage Society who then deposited the items at GA

Accruals are not expected.