Three photographs of Tenby rugby teams of the 1920s and 30s which were submitted by Philip Rossiter appeared in the May edition of the Tenby Times. A few of the individual players and officials were named - and in response to the question “Who can tell us more?,” Ian Nicholls has replied. With the assistance of records he holds, Ian has put names to all the individuals shown in the three photographs, as seen in the slides above.

Garfield Smith writes:

“In the Ossie Morgan school shot, the tall student, middle back row, is Ken’s father Gordon May who was a half brother to my father and lived at No. 3, Maudlins. A lovely man who maintained Tenby Town Walls, he had two other sons, Hiller May, of Templeton, and Rex May, of Sydney, Australia, also now sadly passed away. All were top grade builders and built homes in Tenby and local towns.

“The rugby group shot [Tenby United 1931 - 32] features in middle back row my ‘uncle’ Tommy Hughes, of 3 Frog Street. I was raised calling him by the avuncular title as he lived with Auntie Beatie (Beatrice Smith) of the Tenby Smith family. She regularly welcomed me to No 3 and I could use the Town Walls entrance. Tommy, known as ‘Tommy New’ or maybe ‘Noo’, was a bespoke carpenter and very attached to Tenby United Rugby Club. Next to him is William ‘Billy’ Hearnshaw, plumber to the larger hotels and country houses and secretary to Tenby United. He employed my father Hedley Smith and Jack Davies, of Valley Road, Saundersfoot, and Billy Anderson, of Edward Street, Tenby, until he died suddenly in the mid 1960s. He was considered the best club secretary they ever had, according to cousin, player Ken May, who died in the mid 1980s.”

Two more Tenby United players of years ago are the Remembered Faces this month:

HARRY (SIMEON) BOLTON died September 1994, aged 77. He was popularly known to everyone as ‘Blackie’. He was a veteran of Tenby United, playing for many years as a skilled wing-threequarter on the left wing. He represented Pembrokeshire on a number of occasions and was also a member of the Artisans section of Tenby Golf Club.

During World War II, he served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in India. He was employed with South Wales Electricity Board and then later with Tenby Corporation in a variety of jobs.

Wife - Nelly. Sons - Brian and Gwyn. Daughters - Margaret, Pat and Linda.

LEWIS (BENJAMIN) ADAMS died January 1979, aged 69. A native of Tenby, he was the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Adams, of Quarry Cottages. As a young man he played for Tenby United along with his brother Tommy.

While serving with the REME in World War II, he was involved in the evacuation at Dunkirk. He also served in the Middle East and Italy for four years.

Employed as a cabinet maker with Charles Thomas, Upper Frog Street, he had a fine reputation as a craftsman. An example of his work was a wooden cross he made for the United Reformed Church. Lewis Adams also worked for a while in business on his own account. Later he joined Borough Council staff as foreman and subsequently became works inspector.

He was a keen fisherman, as was his brother Tommy, and together they built their own boat ‘The Seaborne’. He was a member of the British Legion, Ex-Servicemen’s Club and the Dunkirk Veterans Association.

Wife - Amy.