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JBG THOMAS

'Rugby's Man of a MiIlion Words'

An appreciation by John Griffiths

JBG Thomas was rugby’s man of a million words. In a lifetime devoted to chronicling the game he loved, he wrote more words than any other critic, past or present, about rugby football. Books, magazine articles and programme notes flowed effortlessly from the proud Welshman’s battered typewriter, but it was as the chief rugby correspondent of the Cardiff Western Mail that he achieved lasting fame.

                His stint with the national newspaper of Wales established him as a household name in rugby circles, and arguably he did more than any other of his contemporaries to raise the Mail’s profile during his long service from January 1946 until May 1982, when he retired as the paper’s assistant editor.

Rugby was in the blood. John Brinley George – he was known as Bryn – Thomas was born in Pontypridd, but his paternal grandparents were of Carmarthenshire stock and keen Llanelli supporters. The 1920s were not golden days for Welsh rugby, but family summer holidays spent in Loughor inevitably involved trips to Stradey Park to see Dai and Arthur John and Albert Jenkins, Llanelli and Wales’s outstanding centre of the day, parading their rugby skills.

                The young JBG saw his first match there as a six-year-old, Llanelli v Pontypridd. He was hooked. He avidly began collecting everything related to the game that he could set his hands on. Cigarette cards, programmes and newspaper cuttings were all assiduously stored for future reference. His father was a butcher in Ponty and as a youth JBG was always the first to unwrap the parcel of recycled newspapers that came into the shop to be used as wrapping paper. These were plundered for match reports and pictures – rugby in winter; cricket in the summer. All were kept, meticulously labelled in manila folders, for the rest of his life. Later, after moving to Cardiff, where he was a pupil at Cathays High School, he began collecting books and caught the rugby-writing bug.

               He captained his school’s senior side as a full back but in his teens he was already finding his name in print. The BBC had pioneered outside broadcasting in the late 1920s with Captain Teddy Wakelam’s live radio commentaries of international rugby matches. JBG followed these intently, charting match facts from the remarkably detailed coverage. At length, he was bold enough to write to the Radio Times, where its then editor Gordon Stowell was an encouraging influence on the young rugby writer. The Western Mail and News Chronicle were other outlets for his freelance work as a youth.......... more...........click here

 

 

 

JBG's 'FIRST' BOOK

"The Story of the Cardiff Rugby Football Club" - 1939

'The book that never was' 

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When JBG moved to a smaller house in the late 1990s much of his collection was auctioned at Phillips in Cardiff. there were many interesting items for sale but one that caught our attention was an unpublished manuscript of what would have been JBG's first book. 

For JBG the timing couldn't have been worse for publishing his first work, at the beginning of World War Two, when the focus of the country was on the war effort. 

It looks as though our manuscript which is pasted into a scrapbook has a part of it missing, there are just 5 typed pages remaining along with several photographs. There are also several blank pages towards the end of the book before the autographs of the Cardiff and Barbarians teams from 1940 are pasted into the book so it could be that this is just an unfinished work. It is clear however that this was an official work from the photos. It looks like JBG organised a training session involving the Cardiff team and backroom staff, there are many posed photographs including some of the star players of the era Wilf Wooller and Bleddyn Williams included. 

 

Click on the thumbnails below to view the book !

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  CLICK HERE FOR A FULL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF JBG's BOOKS

 

 

Haydn Tanner

...............But the turning point in his career, he always said, was in 1935 when, at the age of 18, he saw Wales beat the third All Blacks 13-12 at Cardiff. He was the same age as the Welsh scrum-half, Haydn Tanner. JBG had recently left school to start work at the City Hall in Cardiff, where he met his wife-to-be, Gwen. But reading “Old Stager's” match report of that famous Welsh win in the Mail’s sister paper, the Football Echo, he realised that rugby writing was his true calling. “It was the tender trap. I told myself, that’s for me!” he later recalled.

                He took himself off to the big matches in the years leading up to the Second World War, seeing first-hand the exploits of “Tuppy” Owen-Smith and Hal Sever in England’s Triple Crown year of 1937 and watching Scotland’s Wilson Shaw wrest the Crown from England in the Twickenham sunshine the year later.

                War Service in the Navy followed. He began on destroyer duty in E-Boat Alley and by June 1944, as a lieutenant RNVR in fleet minesweepers, was in the van of the D-Day landings heading the American Forces into Omaha Beach in the critical stages of the great liberation that led to Peace. Throughout his war service he carried in the breast pocket of his uniform a copy of the 1939-40 edition of the Rugby Football Annual – it was his rugby bible.

                

The most significant event of his war-service, though, had taken place whilst home on leave in 1943. The then editor of the Western Mail, David Prosser, invited JBG for interview. Johnny Hoare, who as “Old Stager” had led the newspaper’s rugby correspondents for many years, had died in his fifties and a successor would eventually need to be appointed.

                It was the offer of a lifetime and having survived the war, JBG Thomas began his professional writing with the newspaper in January 1946. He covered Wales and club rugby in the winter and county cricket in the summer.

                His first “big story” came two years later in 1948, not on the rugby front but with his beloved Glamorgan County Cricket Club.  

 

JBG reports on the 1969 championship success

The Welsh county won the Championship for the first time and JBG was in the press-box above the thousands at St Helen’s and Cardiff who watched a side led by Wilf Wooller beat off the challenge of England’s best. That success, Glamorgan’s victory over the 1964 touring Australians and the county’s repeat Championship win of 1969 were his favourite cricket memories.......... more on JBG.......click here

 

1955 Lions manager Jack Siggins & JBG 

THE 1974 LIONS MATCH NOTES OF JBG THOMAS

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We been lucky enough to have the notes penned by JBG for each match during the 1974 Lions tour donated to www.world-rugby-museum.com by the family of JBG. 

The notes have at one time been contained in a spiral bound notebook and were probably removed post tour so that the book could be continued to be used at matches that JBG would attend. 

The notes give us some idea of how JBG the journalist worked. The general notes, would be aide memoirs for later reference when doing match reports. They generally refer to highlights - eg scores, but also lead up to scores, close run things near the try line, good defence, or injuries. These would be important for the run of play element on the whole report. 

JBG would type up his reports if time allowed or would dictate over the phone shortly after the game. When deadlines were tight he could dictate over the phone to the Mail/Echo using the notes. 

The notes are rushed down onto paper so that less of the match is missed, (this makes them almost impossible for others to read!) They are split into 3 columns..................

  

 Left

The actual and lapsed time

Centre

Short notes relating to an incident in the match

 

Right

p = penalty

th = tight head

 

       We have isolated one incident in the third test as an example of how JBG's notes related to the match, Gordon Brown's try. This is how JBG noted it during the game.

  

  

3:58 (time)

43 (mins - lapsed time)

got ball to touch 3 yds from Springboks line.

thrown ?????? in - Brown jumped and (followed or gathered) our first try

H.T (half time) Springboks 1 - 0 - 3        Lions 1 - 1 - 7   

p = penalty

th = tight head

    

As you can see from the above snippet JBG's writing is extremely difficult if not impossible for the untrained eye to read, we have placed question marks where we are unable to decipher the writing and most of the rest is an educated guess. 

This is how the try appeared in a photo and description in his book of the tour "The Greatest Lions"

 

  ............. " The Lions moved away and them much underrated Ian McGeechan made a clever break moving right. He kicked away to the corner and Irvine, following up at speed, steered the ball to touch near the right corner flag for a Springbok throw-in. Gordon Brown moved up the line from No. 5 to front and, as the ball was thrown fast and hard to the short line by Van Wyk, the clever Brown jumped high, gathered and dived over the line before you could say 'Boet Erasmus'. It was his eighth try of the tour to set a record for touring lock forwards and one of intense value to the Lions at this stage of the match."...........

 

It is clear from JBG's account of the third test that he was in regular telephone contact with the Western Mail & Echo in Cardiff during the game. 

  

"I waited high in the stand for the first phone call from Cardiff"

"Ring ding ding went my telephone and I was able to report all square at three-all"

"The fire died away and the Springbok steam was reduced in pressure and  was on the phone at the time to Cardiff I could hear the cheers (there was no live television broadcast in those days but a live radio commentary was provided by the BBC) in the background from the 'Echo' staff as the Lions went into a lead they were not to loose."

 

The time zone between South Africa and Britain are very similar and he would have been dictating the report in time for the 'Football Echo' to hit the streets at 6.00pm. Never one to bask in his personal glory JBG passed on his thanks to his staff and the system which allowed him to capture the British Lions greatest moment. 

  

"One was almost hoarse with delight sending the last words of the 'Echo' report to Cardiff and Mrs Leighton, an excellent copy taker, thoroughly enjoyed it all, while one must say 'Thank you' to telephone engineers and operators along the line. There have been fewer happier rugby stories that I have phoned to Cardiff in nearly thirty years. The British Isles Rugby Union team, disowned by its government, had achieved tremendous victory in becoming the first Lions side to beat South Africa in a series since 1896. More important still, it had become the first side to win a series in South Africa this century.
    The crowd applauded warmly as the Lions walked off in a genuine show of appreciation and this was symbolic of the pleasure the side had given to all South Africans, and especially the coloured people who had remained steadfast in their support. The South African members of the Press Gang were ready and warm in their congratulations even though a few of them, in the days that followed, castigated the national selectors rather overpoweringly, and 'Sniped' at the Lions for their prolonged celebrating!
    Thousands of words were being typed and written in the Press Box at Boet Erasmus in the hours that followed the end of the match, and several poured words over the air into the British Isles, everywhere the news was almost instant. The Lions were the new champions at rugby football. In 1891 the news of an unbeaten record had to be carried from Cape Town to Southampton by ship but now, 83 years later, and a complete change in the way of life of Africa, another side looked like enjoying or achieving an unbeaten tour."

 

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1st Test Rhodesia 2nd Test

 

 

                But rugby of course was his first love and he didn’t have long to wait before covering Wales’s first post-war success story. It came in 1950 when John Gwilliam, a late stand-in as captain for injured Bleddyn Williams, led the principality to its first Triple Crown and Grand Slam for 39 years.

                

The campaign opened at Twickenham where in 40 years Wales had succeeded only once before. There had been a massive shortage of newsprint in the post-war years but JBG was given more and more space as Welsh rugby started to recover the standing it had enjoyed during its Golden Era between 1900 and 1911. “Hats off to Wales! Theirs was a great victory at Twickenham, and restored the waning prestige of Welsh Rugby,” he led in the Western Mail on the Monday after the match. It was always capital R for Rugby and capital G for the Game when JBG wrote about the sport.

                Scotland were beaten at Swansea to set up a battle for the Crown with Ireland in Belfast. The Grand Slam wasn’t a term in the rugby lexicon in 1950, for France were still regarded as the also-rans in the International Championship at this time. It was winning the Triple Crown that was seen as the ultimate prize. Ireland, led by their hooker Karl Mullen and spearheaded behind the scrum by the great Jackie Kyle, had carried off the mythical trophy in 1948 and 1949. True, they had lost narrowly to England at Twickenham in 1950, but a recent 21-0 victory over Scotland had put them back on a winning road and with home advantage and the Championship title still in sight, the match with Wales was expected to be a huge showdown.

                The game more than lived up to expectation and it was Wales who took the spoils. In the dying moments and with the scores locked at 3-3, Newport wing Malcolm Thomas dived to score the winning try. “The Triple Crown is ours! Cymru am Byth! At long last the 39 years’ quest has ended and the bogy of continued failure banished,” a delighted JBG told his readers on the Monday.

Wales v Ireland 1950

                But the story was to be tragically put into perspective by the events of the intervening Sunday. A Tudor IV charter aircraft carrying 82 crew and passengers crashed returning from Belfast to Llandow. Eighty, mostly Welsh rugby supporters, lost their lives in what was then the worst civil air disaster.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT IRELAND v WALES 1950 AND THE LLANDOW AIR DISASTER

                JBG had enjoyed a night of revels before rushing back by boat, train and car with his colleague Reg Pelling of the Echo to start working on a would-be front-page Triple Crown story. But he finished that Sunday afternoon helping newsmen report from the scene of disaster and compiling a completely different front-page story. The Triple Crown tale was buried among the sports pages.......... more.......click here 

 

 

 

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There was another Triple Crown to report two years later, by which time Thomas’s reputation as rugby critic and historian was secure. To mark the occasion the Welsh Rugby Union commissioned JBG to edit an official souvenir of the Triple Crown. The editor set about his task with enthusiasm, engaging the great names from Welsh rugby’s past to illuminate an attractive and informative publication. W J “Billy” Bancroft of the 1890s, Rhys Gabe, Billy Spiller and Tommy Vile from the Golden Era of the early 1900s and Wilf Wooller, a journalistic colleague now and a stalwart of the Welsh XVs of the 1930s, were all roped in to add colour to a publication whose proceeds benefited the Junior Rugby Unions in Wales.

                The 35-year-old JBG’s reputation was summed up by Sir David Rocyn Jones, the Union’s distinguished president, in the foreword: “He is a popular and knowledgeable critic who has covered every international match played by Wales since the War. He is respected by official, player and spectator alike, and is a great student of the game.”

                The success of the Welsh side and the part he had played in its telling put his name on the map. He had covered the 1951-52 Springboks tour of Britain and through his connections he was in demand to write for South African journals. The 1953-54 All Blacks tour was to provide a new opportunity. He had for some time toyed with the idea of producing a book on the history of the game, especially the great rugby tours. He found an accommodating publisher in Stanley Paul of London and his first work, On Tour, appeared in the New Year, 1954. When the first draft of the manuscript arrived at the publishers they were staggered by its length. He had to cut it by half, but still managed to add a postscript covering Cardiff’s defeat of the All Blacks in 1953 . . . in between the book going to press and its final release.

                

 

It is a relatively little-known fact that much of the half omitted appeared six months later as part of another book, Fifty Years of the All Blacks. For this publication by Phoenix House, Thomas was thinly disguised by the pseudonym David Owen. The book was a record of every New Zealand match played in Britain and Ireland between 1905 and 1954, JBG again teaming up with great players of the past to tell the fascinating story of the first four All Blacks tours to this country. Wilf Wooller shared the bulk of the writing, with Rhys Gabe, Len Corbett (England), Sam Walker (Ireland) and Jock Wemyss (Scotland) adding perspectives from the other Home Unions...................... more on JBG..... click here

 

 

                  

These were the first of what became a veritable library of works and by the time JBG published his memoirs in his last book, Rugger in the Blood, in 1985, thirty had been penned under his name. Many charted the ups and downs of major touring teams while others adopted a more historical perspective. But all were written with enthusiasm – the reader sensed that the author was dying to tell his tale, to spread the rugby word. And spread it he certainly did, for at the time few books on rugby football were published.

                He wasn’t the most stylish of writers, and would never settle for five words when he could use fifty, but he had no superior as a rugby writer when it came to sheer hard graft. No-one ever made a fortune out of writing rugby books and money was never the driving force behind his publishing ventures. “Mind, they did pay for decent family holidays,” he once divulged.

                The year 1955 was to be a landmark one for JBG and the Western Mail. It was a Lions tour year, to South Africa to take on a side that hadn’t lost a home series since the 1890s. Wales were well represented in the tour party and the newspaper sent their man to cover the visit. John Billot, a longstanding colleague on the paper, recalled: “Expenses were tight. Bryn set off for London in a delivery van sitting on top of newspapers.”

                

Viv Jenkins & JBG on tour

The tour was a rip-roaring success. The Lions shared the series (after leading 2-1 at one stage) and JBG, like his press colleague Viv Jenkins, was so popular with the players that he became an honorary member of the party.  Investigative sports journalism was unheard of and JBG’s reports and stories were given plenty of space back home. He was a father-figure to many of the tourists and many of the friendships he forged with players on that tour were to last a lifetime that took in eight more Lions trips.

 

                

 

 

              Meanwhile in Cardiff the Western Mail had appointed a new editor in 1955. David Cole, at 27, was young and go-ahead with the drive and ambition to broaden the newspaper’s appeal. JBG’s rugby coverage would be a key factor in the paper’s circulation rising in the next two years by 30% and into six-figures for the first time in its history.

                By the late 1950s JBG’s name and the Western Mail were synonymous with rugby. His growing reputation attracted offers to leave Wales and head for a career in Fleet Street. He wrote under the pen-name “Arthurian” for the Daily Telegraph and was in demand to broadcast for both television and radio, skills he had honed as a youngster with his brother, the playwright Gethyn Stoodley Thomas. But he wasn’t interested.

                Both he and his newspaper went from strength to strength and the successes of Welsh rugby in the 1960s, thanks to its lead in appointing national coaches and the coming together of a team of exceptional talents, allowed JBG to ask for and get more rugby coverage in his paper than he could ever have expected working for one of Fleet Street’s soccer-dominated sports news desks. Having plenty of space to write about the game he loved was more important to him than big London salaries and generous expense accounts.

JBG with hand on chin watching the Welsh squad at training with Malcolm Lewis (coaching team), Gerry Lewis (physio) & Cliff Jones (chairman of selectors)  

 

                When the Lions and Wales enjoyed a run of success in the 1970s they provided him with the best stories of his reporting career. The 1971 Lions visit to New Zealand was the highlight of his touring days. Even his newspaper surprised him on that tour, asking for Test reports on the whistle so that the Saturday morning editions – Wales being twelve hours behind New Zealand local time – could carry the first news of the tourists’ only winning series against the All Blacks to date.

                He was a straightforward writer, never worrying about the angle or the inside story. He told the tale, analysed the game and praised the best players. He never destroyed reputations. A host of Welsh greats, from Bleddyn Williams to J P R Williams, commented later that they knew when they’d had a poor game because JBG simply did not mention them. He had the respect and trust of the players and even the selectors. He was invariably the first to know the composition of a Welsh XV, but was trusted to keep the news embargoed until a suitable time......... more on JBG...... click here

                 

 

 

 

Players past and present enjoyed his company. When Cliff Jones hosted the 50th anniversary reunion dinner for the survivors of the 1935 Wales v New Zealand match, the game that had so captured the imagination of the teenaged Thomas, JBG was the honorary guest of the eleven Welsh survivors who attended the Royal Hotel on 21st December 1985. He even proposed the final toast: “That beautiful one point.”

                Even when Wales were unexpectedly (or even sometimes expectedly) beaten in the Five Nations, JBG’s pieces would often include a paragraph that started off along the lines . . . “Wales can still be champions if . . .” He was always optimistic.

 

 

                

He was moreover always keen to see the interests of the game advanced. When the Welsh Rugby Union announced its intention to commission its Centenary History for the 1980-81 season, most connected with the game felt JBG should be the automatic choice for the job. He wasn’t. Nevertheless, he published his own splendid illustrated history of the Welsh game in a then modern, beautifully-designed volume. A wide selection of rare photographs from JBG’s personal archives helped to make the book arguably the most attractive published on rugby up to that time. Viv Jenkins, in his foreword, called him “indisputably the Recorder of the Century where Welsh rugby is concerned.”

                Yet JBG was generous to rival authors. “The game would welcome them all,” he wrote at the time, “for there can never be too many.” He was also encouraging to new freelances trying to make their way, as he himself had done many years earlier. For years he combined his Western Mail duties with those of press-box organiser for the Welsh Rugby Union. In those blissful days before corporate management of such affairs became the norm, he carried out his duties with the utmost professionalism. “I’ll see what’s about,” he would say to hopeful new hacks. He also did much to foster the interests of the Rugby Union Writers’ Club. Fittingly he served as its chairman in the Welsh Centenary season, was elected a life member and was the first chairman of the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association.

                The only issue that vexed him was neutral officials. He had seen a New Zealander referee the All Blacks to a victory by six penalty goals to four tries against the Lions at Dunedin in the 1959 Test series and campaigned vigorously thereafter for neutrals to be appointed for major internationals overseas. He was equally trenchant in his criticisms of British referees who were lenient to visiting sides to this country. Sometimes he overstated the case and, understandably, his cause did not go down well in New Zealand.

                He retired in 1982, not because he wanted to but because he had reached the age of 65. He continued to contribute to the Western Mail and was awarded the MBE in recognition of his services to rugby in the 1984 New Year’s Honours List. It was the family support of his wife and three sons that made his career possible he always maintained. His wife Gwen died in 1985, shortly after accompanying him to Buckingham Palace to receive his award. 

               

Aladdin's cave

JBG was plagued by ill-health in his later years. In April 1997, his treasure trove of rugby memorabilia went under the hammer at Phillips’ auction rooms in Cardiff, a touch-kick from the Arms Park. The remarkable run of cuttings dating back to the 1920s, programmes from an even earlier vintage and even the whistle from the famous 1905 Wales v New Zealand encounter were among the Aladdin’s Cave of items that fell under the hammer. He died a week later, a few days short of his 80th birthday.

                John Billot, for the best part of 40 years his colleague, was among the many to pay generous tribute to JBG. “He was a compulsive worker and prolific purveyor of words. Working with him was an enlightening and frequently hilarious experience. With his cigar and flat cap he was, perhaps, the last of the great professional Welsh rugby-writing characters.”

end of  'Rugby's Man of a Million Words' - an appreciation by John Griffiths

Read about more Rugby Writers at www.world-rugby-museum.com

John Billot  -  Viv Jenkins  -  Old Stager  -  Wilf Wooller

 

My Dad and I, and collecting programmes

By Wayne Thomas

 My father, JBG Thomas, the late Sports Editor of the Western Mail and author of numerous books on Rugby Union, was like a squirrel – he collected things and saved all his written material, and never threw anything away! This included his teenage years, his war service in the Royal Navy, and his many years of writing on sport! Hence old programmes, dinner cards (often with notes from the various speeches), books and newspaper cuttings filled the middle room (my dad’s so-called office) of the two storey Edwardian house in Plasturton Avenue , Cardiff , where I grew up. The excess was stored in a coal-dusted cellar below ground that was subject to the odd flood! 

JBGs study

Often, as I grew through my autograph collecting years of the late Fifties and early Sixties (before I found girls), I would go and explore the Aladdin’s Cave, and read through old documents that bore the names of legends like Arthur Gould, Gwyn Nicholls, and Jack Bassett. 

When I came to write my own book – A Century of Welsh Rugby Players – to commemorate the WRU Centenary in 1980/1, I had to retrace those steps and pore over what seemed like limitless material in that middle room searching for photographs, memoirs and history books. Frankly it was a labour of love, even if the holy grail of programme collecting – the 1905 Wales v New Zealand – was not amongst my dad’s collection. But instead, by being with my father on occasions, I did get to meet Rhys Gabe, Percy Bush, and Willie Llewellyn, along with many other luminaries of the game like Jack Manchester and Danie Craven.

I inherited my father’s older programmes – many were auctioned in the Nineties when he was forced to move to a smaller house due to health problems – but also I had been an avid collector in my tweenies and early teens along with my elder brother Craig (the distinguished techno-thriller writer of Firefox etc), albeit many obtained through my father who wrote and edited Welsh international programmes when they became glossy in the mid-fifties.

Transvaal v 1955 British Lions, with 'Craig' written to the right of the illustrated player

 

But of great interest in this sale will be the 1955 British Lions’ tour programmes, many of which are inscribed at the front top with the name of Wayne or Craig, showing to which brother they belonged! This was the first tour my father covered, along with his great friend Viv Jenkins of The Sunday Times, and where he started sending home all his written material and other memorabilia to be stored in Plasturton Avenue! Every other tour from then on would include a mountain of paper, leaflets, postcards, invitations and books despatched from the southern hemisphere. What a different world from the pressure-laden, cocooned, international only, jet visits that modern players are subjected to. No leisurely five and half months long sojourn through the backwaters of former colonies actually meeting people and soaking up the social and cultural mores of people who shared a collective past.

My memories of the 1955 tour started when I was at the General Station in Cardiff to see the Welsh players (Cliff Morgan et al) board a bus (wearing suits and collars and ties) for departure to Heathrow – there was a lengthy National Rail Strike on at the time, followed by my father’s less than glorious exit from South Wales sitting in the back of a newspaper delivery van bound for London with the capital’s copies of the Western Mail. But it was only a decade after the end of WW2 and such things were very acceptable to a more innocent, non-politically correct, zero Health and Safety-surrounded lifestyle!

Shortly after the tour began in Potchesfstroom, packages began to arrive bearing cuttings and programmes, and so international programme collecting began to come of age. Somehow the 1974 Lions collection survived the floods in the cellar, for alas the Taff and its former river bed under Plasturton Avenue destroyed the 1959, 62 and 66 material, along with my pristine complete set of programmes. The rust on the staples of the 55 Lions programmes bear evidence that they at least were on a higher ledge than the rest and just about survived.

I hope you have fun poring over these delicate artefacts, at least as much fun as I had waiting for the post to bring exotic envelopes bearing exotic stamps from unknown places in deepest Africa, as the Lions began the long haul to the glories of 1971 and 1974.

Wayne Thomas    

 

JBG - THE FAMILY MAN

It is a testament of their good parenting that the children of JBG & Gwen went on to successful careers in their chosen fields.  

Pictured at their eldest son Craig's wedding in 1967, from left to right

Wayne, Gwen, Gareth, Craig, JBG

THE CHILDREN OF JBG & GWEN THOMAS

CRAIG (b1942) - A highly acclaimed author with 18 published novels and various other works, his best known work 'Firefox' became a successful film tarring Clint Eastwood, he is credited as being one of the originators of the 'techno thriller' genre of writing. 

WAYNE (b1946 ) -  followed in Dad's footsteps, he regularly reported for a range of daily and Sunday newspapers in  England and Scotland and  wrote 'A Century of Welsh Rugby Players' to coincide with the Welsh Rugby Union Centenary. He lectured in business management for many years at Stirling University, York St John's and Brooklands College as well as being a partner in a private Management Development consultancy.

GARETH (1950 - 2007) - was capped by the Welsh Secondary Schools in the late sixties, before entering the RAF, where he featured regularly at Twickenham in the Inter-Services tournament. He played for numerous club and representative sides before turning to coaching, which he combined with teaching. Both his sons played first class rugby, with his younger boy, Stephen, being capped for Wales at Rugby League ! He is presently starring for Neath RFC.   

 

THE MEMORABILIA OF JBG THOMAS

Rugby Relics have for sale several items from the collection of JBG Thomas, these items are featured below, this page is an 'information only' page, if you would like to purchase an item from the collection Please click on the link below to visit the JBG Thomas Historical Memorabilia page at Rugby Relics.

CLICK HERE 

    or click on the links below to view some of the memorabilia of JBG Thomas

 

 1955 BRITISH LIONS PROGRAMMES  -  1974 BRITISH LIONS PROGRAMMES  -  AGE GROUP & REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMMES  -  ANNUALS  -  AUTOGRAPHED ITEMS  -  AUTOGRAPHED PROGRAMMES  -  BARBARIANS & IRISH WOLFHOUNDS PROGRAMMES  -  BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS  -  CLUB PROGRAMMES  -  INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES  -  IRISH PROVINCIAL PROGRAMMES  -  MISC CELEBRATION PROGRAMMES  -  OXFORD v CAMBRIDGE PROGRAMMES  -  SINGLE AUTOGRAPHS  -  STAMPS  -  TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS  -  TICKETS  -  TOURING TEAM PROGRAMMES TO UK  -  WELSH TRIAL PROGRAMMES

 

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES

F-55.jpg (33590 bytes) England v France 26 Feb 1955 Twickenham 16 - 9 spine slightly parted

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prenfr55

I-54.jpg (35178 bytes) England v Ireland 13 Feb 1954 Twickenham 14 - 3 spine parted

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prenir54

I-62.jpg (37677 bytes) England v Ireland 10 Feb  1962 Twickenham 16 - 0 single crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prenir62

77.jpg (57665 bytes) England v New Zealand 30 Jan 1954 Twickenham 0 - 5 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prennz54

S-63.jpg (39196 bytes) England v Scotland 16 Mar 1963 Twickenham 10 - 8 Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prensc63

SA-52.jpg (37486 bytes) England v South Africa 5 Jan  1952 Twickenham 8 - 3 spine almost completely parted, small mark to front 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prensa52

W-52.jpg (47165 bytes) England v Wales 19 Jan  1952 Twickenham

Grand Slam season for Wales

8 - 6 single crease down centre

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prenwa52

25.jpg (32317 bytes) France v Wales 26 Mar 1949 Paris   very slight crease otherwise excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrwa49

62.jpg (27278 bytes) France v Wales 26 Mar 1955 Paris   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrwa55

32.jpg (35578 bytes) France v Wales 23 Mar 1957 Paris   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrwa57

E-55.jpg (35639 bytes) Ireland v England 12 Feb 1955 Dublin 6 - 6 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-priren55

F-55.jpg (34323 bytes) Ireland v France 22 Jan 1955 Dublin 3 - 5  Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prirfr55

09.jpg (68667 bytes) Ireland v Scotland 25 Feb 1956 Dublin   very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prirsc56

Ireland v Wales 1950.jpg (43117 bytes) Ireland v Wales 11 Mar 1950 Belfast

Grand Slam season for Wales

  slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prirwa50

W-52.jpg (47897 bytes) Ireland v Wales 8 Mar 1952 Dublin

Grand Slam season for Wales

  slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prirwa52

W-54.jpg (36540 bytes) Ireland v Wales 13 Mar 1954 Dublin 9 - 12 some light creasing

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prirwa54

61.jpg (53171 bytes) New Zealand v South Africa 1st Test 14 Jul 1956 Dunedin 10 - 6  excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prnzsa56nz1

E-54.jpg (36639 bytes) Scotland v England 20 Mar 1954 Murrayfield

Triple Crown season for England

3 - 13 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prscen54

80.jpg (44909 bytes) Scotland v New Zealand 13 Feb 1954 Murrayfield 0 - 3 excellent

 Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prscnz54

W-59.jpg (40592 bytes) Scotland v Wales 7 Feb 1959 Murrayfield 6 - 5  very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prscwa59

81.jpg (62140 bytes) Scotland v Wales 11 Feb 1961 Murrayfield 3 - 0 2 small punched holes, slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prscwa61

60.jpg (71611 bytes) Wales v Australia 12 Dec 1908 Cardiff 59.jpg (44187 bytes) slight crease, a couple of notations added by JBG in ballpoint - some very small crosses next to some photos, spine almost parted, Wallaby stats pasted to back cover. 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwaas08

26.jpg (38829 bytes) Wales v England 20 Jan 1934 Cardiff 0 - 9 some staining to front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwaen34

22.jpg (42104 bytes) Wales v England 15 Jan 1938 Cardiff 14 - 8 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwaen38

E-61.jpg (35654 bytes) Wales v England 21 Jan 1961 Cardiff  6 - 3 2 small holes & small mark to front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwaen61

58.jpg (35468 bytes) Wales v France 28 Feb 1931 Swansea   some light staining to front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrwa31

99.jpg (295156 bytes) Wales v France 21 Feb 1948 Cardiff  11 - 3 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr48

F-50.jpg (45152 bytes) Wales v France 25 Mar 1950 Cardiff 

GRAND SLAM MATCH

21 - 0 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr50

F-52.jpg (43742 bytes) Wales v France 22 Mar 1952 Cardiff 

GRAND SLAM MATCH

9 - 5 slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr52

F-56.jpg (31282 bytes) Wales v France 24 Mar 1956 Cardiff 5 - 3 no front cover 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr56

F-58.jpg (33463 bytes) Wales v France 29 Mar 1958 Cardiff  6 - 16 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr58

F-62.jpg (32438 bytes) Wales v France 24 Mar 1962 Cardiff 3 - 0 Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwafr62

18.jpg (38147 bytes) Wales v Ireland 10 Mar 1928 Cardiff 10 - 13

slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwair28

95.jpg (28622 bytes) Wales v Ireland 12 Mar 1932 Cardiff   very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwair32

I-53.jpg (44799 bytes) Wales v Ireland 14 Mar 1953 Swansea 5 - 3 small mark on the front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwair53

I-59.jpg (33976 bytes) Wales v Ireland 14 Mar 1959 Cardiff  8 - 6 Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwair59

j-73.jpg (35617 bytes) Wales v Japan 6 Oct 1973 Cardiff  62 - 14 writing on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwaja73

21.jpg (53644 bytes) Wales v New Zealand

Reprint in 1981

16 Dec 1905 Cardiff 3 - 0 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwanz05rp

57.jpg (53080 bytes) Wales v New Zealand

Souvenir issue

Reprint - date unknown

16 Dec 1905 Cardiff 3 - 0 creased

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwanz05rppi

25.jpg (75572 bytes) Wales v Scotland 7 Feb 1931 Cardiff   light creasing & pencil on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasc31

S-50.jpg (46631 bytes) Wales v Scotland 4 Feb 1950 Swansea

Grand Slam season for Wales

12 - 0 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasc50

S-52.jpg (48261 bytes) Wales v Scotland 2 Feb 1952 Cardiff

Grand Slam season for Wales 

11 - 0 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasc52

S-54.jpg (34056 bytes) Wales v Scotland 10 Apr  1954 Swansea 15 - 3 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasc54

S-62.jpg (36661 bytes) Wales v Scotland 3 Feb 1962 Cardiff 3 - 8 small piece missing from an inside page

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasc62

SA-51.jpg (40409 bytes) Wales v South Africa 22 Dec 1951 Cardiff 3 - 6 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwasa51

 

1955 BRITISH LIONS PROGRAMMES

11.jpg (73810 bytes) SOUTH AFRICA

4th Test

24 Sep 1955 Port Elizabeth 8 - 22 rusty staples 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55sa4

34.jpg (101638 bytes) Boland 13 Aug Wellington 11 - 0 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-bol

33.jpg (120082 bytes) Border 17 Sep East London 12 - 14 rusty staples - looks to have half of one of the inside pages missing.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-bol

32.jpg (58551 bytes) Central Universities

'official brochure'

includes teams

10 Aug Durban 21 - 14 'Craig' written on front otherwise excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr55-cu

87.jpg (87180 bytes) Central Universities

'official programme'

10 Aug Durban 21 - 14 small tear

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-cu

31.jpg (42579 bytes) East Africa

(Additional match to original itinerary)

27 Sep Nairobi 39 - 12 rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-ea

30.jpg (65121 bytes) Combined Universities of Western Province

official souvenir programme

16 Aug Cape Town 20 - 17 rusty staple - 'Wayne' written on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55counof

29.jpg (119600 bytes) Combined Universities of Western Province

official Western province programme

16 Aug Cape Town 20 - 17 crease across centre

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55coun-wp

28.jpg (82663 bytes) Eastern Province 16 Jul Port Elizabeth  0 - 20 rusty staples, 'Craig' written on front,

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-ep

27.jpg (98753 bytes) Eastern Transvaal 24 Aug Springs 17 - 17 rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-et

26.jpg (82203 bytes) Griqualand West 25 Jun Kimberley 24 - 14 rusty staples, large ink stain especially on the front and back covers, 'Craig' written on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-gr

25.jpg (114624 bytes) Junior Springboks

official souvenir - opening of Free State Stadium

14 Sep Bloemfontein

84 pages

15 - 12 rusty staples, small tear to spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr55-js

86.jpg (167865 bytes) Junior Springboks

official Orange Free State programme

14 Sep Bloemfontein 15 - 12

very good, large format, single fold

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr55-js

24.jpg (51673 bytes) Natal

'official brochure'

10 Sep Durban 11 - 8 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr55-na

21.jpg (107802 bytes) North Eastern Districts 20 Jul Aliwal North 34 - 6 rusty staples, 'Craig' written on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-ned

23.jpg (91595 bytes) Northern Transvaal 27 Aug Pretoria 14 - 11 very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-nt

22.jpg (102615 bytes) Northern Universities

official programme

29 Jun Jo'burg 32 - 6 rusty staples, 'Craig' written on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-nu-of

83.jpg (59649 bytes) Northern Universities

Transvaal RU official programme

29 Jun Jo'burg 32 - 6 rusty staples, 'Craig' written on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-nu.tvl

20.jpg (61645 bytes) Orange Free State 2 Jul Kroonstad 31 - 3 rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-ofs

19.jpg (77649 bytes) Rhodesia 27 Jul Nkana

88 pages

27 - 14 'craig' written on front, rusty staples, cover loose

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-rh1

18.jpg (88018 bytes) Rhodesia 30 Jul Salisbury 16 - 12 'craig' written on front, rusty staples.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-rh2

17.jpg (103032 bytes) South West Africa 5 Jul Windhoek 9 - 0 folded

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-swa

16.jpg (44883 bytes) South Western Districts 13 Jul Oudtshoorn 22 - 3 folding creases & rust mark

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-swd

15.jpg (122109 bytes) Transvaal

official programme

23 Jul Jo'burg 36 - 13 rusty staples, 'craig' written on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-tvl

14.jpg (94114 bytes) Western Province

official programme

9 Jul Cape Town 11 - 3 'craig' written on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-wpof

13.jpg (130540 bytes) Western Province

official Western Province programme

9 Jul Cape Town 11 - 3 'craig' written on front cover, single crease across centre & some rust marks

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-wp.wp

12.jpg (91405 bytes)

Western Transvaal 22 Jun Potchefstroom   6 -   9 slight crease, rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr55-wt

 

 

CLICK HERE

to buy JBG Thomas memorabilia at Rugby Relics

 

1974 BRITISH LIONS PROGRAMMES

39.jpg (61980 bytes) SOUTH AFRICA

1st Test

8 Jun
1974
Cape Town 12 -   3 excellent - "1st test" written on front cover by JBG

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74sa1

2T.jpg (42594 bytes)

SOUTH AFRICA 

2nd Test

22 Jun
1974
Pretoria

Record score  

28 - 9 Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74sa2

03.jpg (122259 bytes) Boland 22 May
1974
Wellington 33 -   6 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-bol

74-3.jpg (43628 bytes) Border 17 Jul
1974
East London 26 -   6 JBG's initials of front cover, spine torn 2" (6cm)

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-bor

17.jpg (45990 bytes) Eastern province 26 May
1974
Port Elizabeth 28 - 14 name on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-ep

EP-74.jpg (50617 bytes)

Eastern Transvaal 23 Jul
1974
Springs 33 - 10 very good, small tear on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-et

56.jpg (22519 bytes) Griqualand West 3 Jul   69 - 16 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-gr

Natal.jpg (35657 bytes)

Natal 20 Jul
1974
Durban 34 - 6 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-nat

55.jpg (35865 bytes) Northern Transvaal 6 Jul
1974
Pretoria 16 - 12 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-nt

01.jpg (146912 bytes) Orange Free State 29 Jun
1974
Bloemfontein 11 -   9 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-ofs

40.jpg (82099 bytes) SAR Federation XV - proteas 4 Jun
1974
Goodwood 37 -   6 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-pr

13.jpg (78149 bytes) Quaggas 27 Jun
1974
Jo'burg 20 - 16 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-qu

Rhodesia.jpg (20518 bytes) Rhodesia 18 Jun Salisbury 42 -   6 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-rh

39.jpg (61980 bytes) Southern Universities 11 Jun
1974
Cape Town 26 -   4 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-su

00.jpg (84701 bytes) SA Leopards 9 Jul Mdantsane 56 - 10 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-lep

00y.jpg (71104 bytes) South West Africa 18 May
1974
Windhoek 23 - 16 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-swa

00z.jpg (60834 bytes) South Western Districts 29 May
1974
Mossel Bay

Record score for the Lions at the time

97 -   0 some creasing

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-swd

21.jpg (50362 bytes) Transvaal 15 Jun Johannesburg 23 - 15 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-tvl

39.jpg (61980 bytes) Western province 1 Jun
1974
Cape Town 17 -   8 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-wp

W-Tvl-74.jpg (43185 bytes) Western Transvaal 15 May
1974
Potchefstroom

JBG signature on front

59 - 13 Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbr74-wt

 

BARBARIANS

A-48.jpg (46846 bytes) Barbarians v Australia

1st match against a major touring team

31 Jan 1948 Cardiff   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbas48

A-58.jpg (38458 bytes) Barbarians v Australia 22 Feb 1958 Cardiff   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbas58

NZ-54.jpg (41209 bytes) Barbarians v New Zealand 20 Feb 1954 Cardiff   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbnz54

SA-61.jpg (40559 bytes) Barbarians v South Africa 4 Feb 1961 Cardiff   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbsa61

95.jpg (131927 bytes) Cardiff v Barbarians 16 Apr 1949 Cardiff   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbwacb-cd49

 

35.jpg (27265 bytes) Irish Wolfhounds v Oxford & Cambridge XV 13 Sep 1958 Lansdowne Rd   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prbbir58-oxca

 

 

TOURING TEAM PROGRAMMES TO UK

54.jpg (24765 bytes) Oxford University v Australia 9 Nov 1957 Oxford 6-12 single crease, very small tear

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtras57-ox

00p.jpg (34299 bytes) Swansea v New Zealand 28 Sep 1935 Swansea   small rust mark to front, cover loose

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrnz35-sw

88.jpg (30393 bytes) Cardiff v South Africa 21 Nov 1931 Cardiff  

very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa31-cd

60-Cardiff.jpg (32433 bytes) Cardiff v South Africa 29 Oct 1960 Cardiff 13-0 creased

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-cd

60-EbbwVale.jpg (35881 bytes) Ebbw Vale & Abertillery v South Africa 29 Nov 1960 Ebbw Vale 3-0 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-ev

60-North-W-Counties.jpg (41432 bytes) NW Counties v South Africa 23 Nov 1960 Maine Rd, Manchester 11-0 very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-nwc

60-Pontypool.jpg (36461 bytes) Pontypool & Cross Keys v South Africa 2 Nov 1960 Pontypool 30-3 Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-pl

71.jpg (46268 bytes) Southern Counties v South Africa 22 Oct 1960 Hove 29-9 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60so

60-SouthScotland.jpg (52045 bytes) South of Scotland v South Africa 19 Nov 1960 Hawick 19-3 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-ss

60-Swansea.jpg (42487 bytes) Swansea v South Africa 26 Nov 1960 Swansea 19-3 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsa60-sw

67.jpg (80162 bytes) Cardiff v South African Universities 9 Jan 1957 Cardiff   some creasing

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsann19570109

53.jpg (17429 bytes) Pembrokeshire Secondary Schools v South African High Schools 25 Jan 1955 Tenby   rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsann19550125

52.jpg (18866 bytes) Welsh Secondary Schools v South African High Schools 12 Feb 1955 Newport   rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrsann19550212

74-E-Wales.jpg (33194 bytes) East Wales  Tonga 14 Sep Cardiff   'Wayne' on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtrto73-ew

 

SEVENS PROGRAMMES

54.jpg (71913 bytes) 1952 Middlesex Sevens

guest teams Bristol, Neath

Winners - Wasps

rusty staples, single crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsben-mi52

51.jpg (34975 bytes) 1954 Middlesex Sevens

guest teams Bridgend, Instonians

Winners - Rosslyn Park

single crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsben-mi54

50.jpg (37927 bytes) 1956 Middlesex Sevens

Winners - London Welsh

single crease 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsben-mi56

80.jpg (108646 bytes) 1959 Middlesex Sevens

guest teams Leicester & Bristol. 

excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsben-mi59

mid-60.jpg (40007 bytes) 1960 Middlesex Sevens

Winners - London Scottish

excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsben-mi60

49.jpg (17996 bytes) 1955 Snelling Sevens

@ Newport

slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsbwa-sn55

39.jpg (52078 bytes) 1956 Snelling Sevens

@ Swansea. 

Winners - Newport

slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsbwa-sn56

s-58.jpg (33279 bytes) 1958 Snelling Sevens

Winners - Ebbw Vale

small mark on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsbwa-sn58

47.jpg (27755 bytes) 1948 Public Schools Sevens

 Old Deer Park

excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsbensh-pub

46.jpg (26824 bytes) 19 Apr 1958 Leinster Sevens

 Lansdowne Rd

excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsbirpv-le58

 

AGE GROUP & REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMMES

24.jpg (34622 bytes) Wales 'B' v France 'B' 21 Oct 1972     'Wayne' on front

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-b-wafr72

45.jpg (28229 bytes) England v Wales

(Schools senior international - under 19)

9 Apr 1960 Bristol   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-enwa60

92.jpg (44186 bytes) Wales v England

(Schools senior international - under 19)

10 Apr 1955     very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-waen55

44.jpg (9151 bytes) Wales v France

(Schools senior international - under 19)

3 Apr 1948 Cardiff   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-wafr48

75.jpg (39349 bytes) Wales v France

(Schools senior international - under 19)

24 Apr 1954 Cardiff   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-wafr56

74.jpg (46507 bytes) Wales v France

(Schools senior international - under 19)

6 Apr 1956 Cardiff   very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-wafr56

42.jpg (39231 bytes) Wales Schools v Welsh Youth 20 Mar 1954 Cardiff   slight crease across centre

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-wash-yth

93.jpg (41569 bytes) Wales v England

(Schools international - under 16)

11 Mar 1950 Cardiff   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u16-waen50

41.jpg (31937 bytes) Wales v England

(Schools international - under 16)

14 Apr 1951 Cardiff   slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u16-waen51

90.jpg (47326 bytes) Wales v England

(Schools international - under 16)

28 Feb 1953     slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u16-waen53

89.jpg (37523 bytes) Wales v England

(Schools international - under 16)

19 Mar 1955     slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u16-waen55

68.jpg (46929 bytes) Wales v Scotland Border Union

(Schools international - under 16)

9 Apr 1949 Cardiff   slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u16-wasc49

43.jpg (43382 bytes) Wales v South of Scotland

(Schools international - under 16)

6 Mar 1954 Cardiff   very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-u19-wasosc54

40.jpg (29673 bytes) Wales v Germany 

Youth International

17 Mar 1956 Swansea   rusty staples, slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-yth-wagy56

39.jpg (34351 bytes) Scotland v Wales

Air Training Corps

4 Feb 1955 Goldenacre, Edinburgh   good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prag-atc-scwa55

 

WELSH TRIAL PROGRAMMES 

86.jpg (226553 bytes) Welsh Trial 

Probables v Possibles

1 Nov 1947 Bridgend   slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtawa19471101

96.jpg (38630 bytes) Welsh Trial 

Probables v Possibles

6 Dec 1947 Cardiff 15 - 5 very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtawa19471206

95.jpg (32107 bytes) Welsh Trial 

Probables v Possibles

1 Jan 1949 Cardiff 3 - 3 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtawa19490101

38.jpg (18794 bytes) Welsh Trial 

Wales v The Rest

7 Jan 1950 Cardiff   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtawa19500107

37.jpg (41704 bytes) Welsh Trial 

Probables v Possibles

1 Jan 1955 Cardiff   slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prtawa19550101

 

 

OXFORD v CAMBRIDGE PROGRAMMES

36.jpg (27866 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 29 Nov 1947 Twickenham   rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca47 

67.jpg (62252 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 7 Dec  1948 Twickenham 14 - 8 worn

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca48

73.jpg (34889 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 6 Dec 1949 Twickenham 3 - 0 creased & worn, Reg Pelling, SW Echo name on front 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca49

15.jpg (35215 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 9 Dec 1952 Twickenham 5 - 6 rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca52

64.jpg (57970 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 6 Dec 1955 Twickenham 9 - 5 rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca55

47.jpg (61305 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 11 Dec 1956 Twickenham 9 - 14 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca56

55.jpg (65636 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 10 Dec 1957 Twickenham 3 - 0 very slight crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca57

63.jpg (58892 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 9 Dec 1958 Twickenham 6 - 17 excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca58

53.jpg (34433 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 8 Dec 1959 Twickenham 9 - 3 excellent 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca59

40.jpg (52541 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge  6 Dec1960 Twickenham 0 - 13 'jonathan' on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca60

46.jpg (65279 bytes) Oxford v Cambridge 11 Dec 1962 Twickenham 14 - 0 name on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prun-oxca62

 

 

 

MISC CELEBRATION PROGRAMMES

10.jpg (47612 bytes) Old Belvedere v Racing Club de France

Silver Jubilee celebration match - includes a short history of Old Belvedere

18 Sep 1955 Anglesea Rd, Dublin   includes 3 French autographs in pencil, Vannier, Deveaud (faint) & Dufau

Very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspir19550918

09.jpg (67068 bytes) Combined Universities of Ireland v Rest of Ireland 18 Dec 1957 Lansdowne Rd   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspir19571218

84.jpg (64745 bytes) Irish Universities Past & Present XV v London Counties 9 Oct 1957 Lansdowne Rd   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspir19571009

85.jpg (52902 bytes) Leinster Trial 23 Oct 1957 Donnybrook   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspir19571023

87.jpg (27699 bytes) Leinster Trial 29 Oct 1958 Donnybrook   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspir19581029

59.jpg (71213 bytes) Cardiff v Rest of Wales

Official programme for the Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Fund match. 

28 Apr 1949 Cardiff   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspwa19490428

27.jpg (36606 bytes) Cardiff v 1950 British Lions

40 page programme celebrating 75th anniversary of Cardiff RFC. many historical articles and photos 

22 Sep 1951 Cardiff   Excellent condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prspwa19510922xc

08.jpg (189022 bytes) Bicentennial International Rugby Football Tournament.

Teams: Barbarians, BATS, Boston, Fylde, Gosforth, Moseley, New England, Rosslyn Park,  

27 - 31 May 1976 Boston, Massachusetts, USA   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsptuus-bi76

 

IRISH PROVINCIAL PROGRAMMES

07.jpg (46377 bytes) Connacht v Ulster 24 Nov 1955 Galway   excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-co.ul55

06.jpg (47095 bytes) Connacht v Ulster 26 Nov 1959 Galway   Writing on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-co.ul59

05.jpg (67680 bytes) Leinster v Munster 22 Nov 1958 Lansdowne Road   Score on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-le.mu58

04.jpg (57829 bytes) Leinster v Ulster 16 Nov 1957 Lansdowne Road   Score on front cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-le.ul57

03.jpg (39067 bytes) Munster v Leinster 9 Nov 1957 Musgrave Park   Tear on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-mu.le57

02.jpg (52743 bytes) Munster v Leinster 28 Nov 1959 Musgrave Park   Tear on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-mu.le59

01.jpg (52102 bytes) Ulster XV v Duke of Wellingtons 30 Sep 1959 Ravenhill   Staple Rust on Cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-ul.du59

00.jpg (62265 bytes) Ulster v Lancashire 11 Oct 1958 Ravenhill   Staple Rust on Spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-ul.la58

00z.jpg (62363 bytes) Ulster v Leinster 13 Dec 1958 Ravenhill   Staple Rust on Spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-ul.le58

00y.jpg (53975 bytes) Ulster v Yorkshire County 24 Oct 1959 Ravenhill   Staple Rust on Cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prsppvir-ul.yo59

 

 

CLICK HERE

to buy JBG Thomas memorabilia at Rugby Relics

 

CLUB PROGRAMMES

72.jpg (43770 bytes) Bective Rangers v Cardiff 18 Nov 1957 Donnybrook   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prircb-br19571118

71.jpg (37506 bytes) Bective Rangers v Leicester 15 Nov 1958 Donnybrook   Small rust stain

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prircb-br19581115

70.jpg (80088 bytes) Bective Rangers v Monkstown

Old Belvedere v Wanderers

Leinster Cup - probably semi-finals

17 Mar 1958 Lansdowne Road   Small rust stains

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prircb-br19580317

69.jpg (66534 bytes) Lansdowne v Dublin University

Wanderers v Blackrock

Leinster Cup - probably semi-finals

04 Apr 1959 Lansdowne Road   Small rust stain

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prircb-la19590404

68.jpg (65656 bytes) Cardiff v France Centre 07 Sept 1957 Cardiff Arms Park   Good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ca19570907

67.jpg (67245 bytes) Cardiff v Gloucester 28 Apr 1948 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19480428

66.jpg (74034 bytes) Cardiff v London Welsh 22 Nov 1947 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19471122

65.jpg (66756 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 10 Apr 1948 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19480410

64.jpg (78693 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 17 Mar 1954 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19540317

63.jpg (71860 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 13 Nov 1954 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19541113

62.jpg (74213 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 05 Mar 1955 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple and slight tear on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19550305

61.jpg (74292 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 10 Nov 1956 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19561110

59.jpg (79216 bytes) Cardiff v Newport 02 Mar 1957 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19570302

58.jpg (71092 bytes) Cardiff v Stades Nantais U.C. and U.S. Congnacaise Teams 20 Sept 1947 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19470920

57.jpg (75700 bytes)

Cardiff v Swansea 18 Oct 1947 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19471018

56.jpg (63459 bytes) Cardiff v Wasps 26 Dec 1949 Cardiff Arms Park   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19491226

55.jpg (86587 bytes) Cardiff veterans v Stade Nantais U.C. Veterans 26 Dec 1952 Cardiff Arms Park   Creased corner

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-cd19521226

54.jpg (53872 bytes) Gloucester v Cardiff 26 Feb 1949 Kingsholm   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prencb-gl19490226

53.jpg (100346 bytes) Harlequins v Rosslyn Park 27 Oct 1956 White City Stadium   Rusted staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ha19561027

52.jpg (95275 bytes) Leicester v Birkenhead Park 27 Dec 1958 Leicester   Rusty staple

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prencb-le19581227

51.jpg (83511 bytes) Newport v Llanelly 09 Jan 1954 Newport   Folded corner on cover

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-np19540109

50.jpg (88578 bytes) Newport v Cardiff 19 Feb 1955 Newport   Staple rust on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-np19550219

49.jpg (47431 bytes) Newport v Ebbw Vale 21 Apr 1956 Newport   Staple rust on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-np19560421

48.jpg (56727 bytes) Newport v Neath 15 Sept 1956 Newport   Staple rust on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-np19560915

47.jpg (70486 bytes) Newport v Swansea 04 Sept 1954 Newport   Staple rust on spine

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-np19540409

46.jpg (51057 bytes) Old Belvedere v Aberavon 05 Oct 1957 Anglesey Road   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ob19571005

45.jpg (51162 bytes) Old Belvedere v Bristol 15 Feb 1959 Anglesey Road   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ob19590215

44.jpg (50070 bytes) Old Belvedere v Leicester 16 Nov 1958 Anglesey Road   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ob19581116

43.jpg (48237 bytes) Old Belvedere v Wasps 27 Oct 1957 Anglesey Road   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-ob19571027

42.jpg (73332 bytes) Pontypool v Ebbw Vale 31 Dec 1955 Pontypool   Slight corner fold

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prwacb-pl19551231

41.jpg (80273 bytes) Stade Nantais U.C. v Cardiff 02 Jan 1950 Nantes   Writing on cover and middle pages

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrcb-sn19500202

39.jpg (44637 bytes) U.S. Cognaçaise v Cardiff 31 Dec 1949 Cognac   Single crease

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prfrcb-co194912313

40.jpg (67025 bytes) Wanderers v Coventry 12 Oct 1957 Lansdowne Road   Excellent

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-prircb-wa19571012

 

ANNUALS

98.jpg (65962 bytes) Playfair Annual 1957/58 - JBG signature to the front cover.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr57/58

97.jpg (63218 bytes) 1958/59  Playfair Annual - JBG signature to front cover, includes a personal letter from Neville Walsh of Crawshay's Welsh RFC tucked inside.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr58/59

96.jpg (68159 bytes) 1959/60  Playfair Annual - JBG signature to front cover, a well thumbed and worn copy

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1959/60

95.jpg (73505 bytes) 1960/61  Playfair Annual - JBG signature to front cover, a well thumbed and worn copy

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr60/61

91.jpg (36982 bytes) 1961/62  Playfair Annual - very good condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr61/62

94.jpg (66637 bytes) 1962/63  Playfair Annual - JBG signature to front cover, a well thumbed and worn copy  

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1962/63

93.jpg (59613 bytes) 1963/64  Playfair Annual - JBG signature to front cover and first page, top right hand corner missing, tape repairs, a well thumbed and worn copy

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr63/64

92.jpg (75171 bytes) 1964/5  Playfair Annual - very good condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1964/5

88.jpg (41201 bytes) 1965/66  Playfair Annual - a well thumbed and worn copy with some tape repairs

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1965/66

87.jpg (38256 bytes) 1966/67  Playfair Annual - a well thumbed and worn copy.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1966/67

86.jpg (39805 bytes) 1967/68  Playfair Annual - a well thumbed and worn copy.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr1967/68

85.jpg (44761 bytes) 1969/70  Playfair Annual - JBG signature on inside page - a worn copy

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr69/70

83.jpg (34491 bytes) 1971/72  Playfair Annual - JBG signature on inside page -  good condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr71/72

91.jpg (61884 bytes) 1972/73  Playfair Annual - JBG signature on front cover - good condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anbr72/73

90.jpg (61564 bytes) 1935/6 Irish Rugby Annual, the spine has small tears at the top and bottom, rusty staples

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anir1935-6

66.jpg (19656 bytes) 1959 Pall Mall Rugby Almanack - including a preview of the 1959 Lions tour of NZ

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-annz-rpm59

75.jpg (34262 bytes) 1970/71 Welsh Brewers Rugby Annual for Wales 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anwa70-71

19.jpg (71115 bytes) 1994/95 Welsh Brewers Rugby Annual for Wales 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anwa94-5

59.jpg (36520 bytes) 1995/96 Welsh Brewers Rugby Annual for Wales 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anwa95-96

12.jpg (42970 bytes)

1949 - South Wales Rugger Souvenir - pub by Findon, edited by Emrys Evans

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-anwa1949-rugger

 

 

 

CLICK HERE

to buy JBG Thomas memorabilia at Rugby Relics

 

BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS

Br-Britains finest Lions 71.jpg (63925 bytes)

BRITAIN'S FINEST LIONS with Lindsay Knight - a post tour 128 page booklet, containing match by match reports and photos of the 1971 British Lions tour, published by The Dominion and Sunday Times   

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr71-lk

 

 

1971 Magnificent Lions.jpg (50167 bytes) THE MAGNIFICENT LIONS - Western Mail & Echo post tour publication. A 24 page large newspaper supplement containing the complete tour record - in excellent condition. Written and edited by JBG 

Ref:  WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-npbr71-wme

 

100_2579.jpg (94985 bytes) 100_2578.jpg (83009 bytes) WESTERN MAIL - Pre and post tour 1974 Lions supplements. the pre-tour supp. is 8 pages, the post tour is 10 pages including a complete statistical run down, team line ups etc. Both are broadsheet publications in good condition, both are written and edited by JBG. 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-npstbr74-wm

 

100_2578.jpg (83009 bytes) WESTERN MAIL - post tour 1974 Lions supplement, 10 pages including a complete statistical run down, team line ups etc. In good condition, mostly written and edited by JBG

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-npbr74-wm2

 

89.jpg (94629 bytes) 1974 Lions THIRD TEST PREVIEW - A rare South African newspaper preview of the 1974 3rd test. the text is in Afrikaans. 32 pages. contains match reports & photos of matches up to the 3rd Test. Some light creasing to the top edge but overall this newspaper is in good condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-npbr74uk-3T

 

39.jpg (65551 bytes) Scope Special Rugby Supplement "World Champions", 12 page colour supplement covering the third test victory, full colour throughout, some great photos. In excellent condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-br74bl-scwch

 

88.jpg (113014 bytes)

South Africa v Great Britain - In the Union wall chart compiled and presented by the Atlantic refining Company of Africa (Pty) Ltd on the occasion of the visit to South Africa by the 1955 British Rugby team. Features photos of Springbok teams from each of the previous test series in S Africa 1891, 1896, 1903, 1910, 1924 & 1938 with a full list of results from the test matches of these tours. Total size 57cm x 45cm (22" x 17") folded into 4, very good condition   

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-psbr55-atlantic

 

"Follow the Lions" with Piet Greyling & Cliff Morgan. 48 page brochure published by J Samuel. Pre tour, including pictures and details of both Lions and Springboks, histories of opponents, directions and maps to the grounds,  In excellent condition

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blbr74-pg

 

 

37.jpg (66258 bytes)

All Blacks to British Isles & France 1924/5

"The Triumphant Tour" pub by LT Watkins

A very good detailed post tour book with individual match reports and photos, a second-hand paperback  with some minor loss to the top and the bottom of the spine. 

1st Edition 1925

Pages 176 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-pbtrnz24-ltw

 

The Tour of the third All Blacks 1935.jpg (45036 bytes)

All Blacks to British Isles & France 1935/6

"The Tour of the Third All Blacks 1935" by Oliver & Tindall

story of this tour by two of the All Black players, a second-hand soft cover, minor tearing and creasing to the front cover, about 1" (3cm) of spine lost from the top and the bottom, cover loose
1st Edition 1936 Pages 200 Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-pbtrnz35-cjo

 

36.jpg (84797 bytes)

All Blacks to British Isles & France 1953/4

"All Black Tours 1953-54" edited by Syd Nicholls published by Graham Beamish 

A booklet previewing the tour, features details of all previous All Black tours. Some interesting articles, especially towards the end of the booklet with chapters selecting the 'World's Best XV', the Four Home Countries Best XV and a debate over which is the greatest side to have ever played, a second-hand booklet in good condition

published in  1953

Pages 80

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-bltrnz53-sn

 

Scot2.jpg (32402 bytes) "A souvenir Book of Scotland versus England Services Rugby Matches 1942-1945" - published by RW Forsyth
Scotland v England wartime programmes bound into a single volume, a second-hand hardback with illustrated boards
published in 1946 pages: approx 40 Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-bkhiscprsv45

 

95.jpg (39667 bytes) RANFURLY SHIELD

"The Record of Ranfurly Shield Rugby 1902 - 1930" by AH CARMAN

a second-hand booklet in good condition 
1st Edition:  1930 Pages:  32 Ref:  WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blhirs30

 

    

RUGGER RHYMES - by T.H.E. Baillie

38.jpg (35954 bytes) 

15.jpg (49782 bytes) 14.jpg (70900 bytes) 17.jpg (50662 bytes)

RUGGER RHYMES - by T.H.E. Baillie, illustrated by Leo Munro. A nicely illustrated soft back book with illustrations taken from 'The illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News'. The date of publication is unknown, we have found Leo Munro illustrations in the above publication dated 1905.The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News changed it's name to 'Country Life' in 1945 so the date of publication can be assumed to be in the period 1900 - 1945. This is a previously unknown publication which does not appear in the Dave McLaren or John Jenkins rugby bibliographies. It is therefore an extremely rare book. This particular copy has 'review copy' stamped on the title page with a name which looks to be 'Arthur Shipham' written on the front, There are a couple of nicks and tears on the spine. We would scan some of the illustrations but the binding is very tight and damage would occur so please excuse the quality of the photos.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-pb-rugger-rhymes

 

13.jpg (106625 bytes) 82.jpg (118721 bytes)

"Wales, World Cup ‘91" The official Team Souvenir Magazine, a Welsh supporters guide, 72pp, good quality guide with nice articles. This booklet comes together with a set of A4 official press release containing  post-match statistics for every match bar the final and a statistics sheet for the Welsh squad.  

Ref:  WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-blwc91wagp2

 

TICKETS

76.jpg (25793 bytes) British Lions v South Africa

1st Test

6 Aug 1955 Jo'burg 23 - 22 very good

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-tkbr55sa1

80.jpg (59583 bytes) British Lions v South Africa

1st Test

Press Box ticket with turnstile ticket attached

8 Jun 1974 Cape Town

Western mail & Bryn Thomas written into dedicated spaces

  small corner missing, folded

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-tkbr55sa1

 

 

 

CLICK HERE

to buy JBG Thomas memorabilia at Rugby Relics

 

STAMPS

81.jpg (30479 bytes)

1964 South African jubilee, set of 2 mint stamps on loose page from stamp album - possibly hinged

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-sgsa64st 

 

TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS

13.jpg (126806 bytes) NZ Kiwis 1945/6 touring team official squad photograph as issued to the players. The team captained by Major Charlie Saxton played 33 matches winning 29, losing 2 with 2 matches drawn. The team is regarded by many as a full strength All Black side.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-phnz45-6

16.jpg (90877 bytes) British Lions 1959 official squad photograph as issued to the players. captained by Ronnie Dawson, the team included such greats as Tony O'Reilly, RH Williams, Andy Mulligan, Dickie Jeeps, Ken Scotland, Syd Millar & Ray Prosser.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-phbr59

 

AUTOGRAPHED ITEMS

74.jpg (74731 bytes)

34.jpg (54071 bytes) 35.jpg (25709 bytes)

Two autograph books containing mostly autographs from the 1955 & 1959 British Lions tours. 

Book 1 - 1955 Lions - The buff coloured book illustrated right contains many of the Lions, one autograph per page, these autographs were collected by JBG for his son Wayne on the tour. Single autograph pages include Cliff Morgan, Jeff Butterfield, Bryn Meredith, Gareth Griffiths, Arthur Smith, Russell Robins, Tony O'Reilly, Trevor Lloyd & Robin Thompson. two of the pages contain multiple Lions autographs (20 + 9) with some duplicates from the single autograph pages. An unusual addition to this book are the autographs from the 1957-8 World Cross Country Championships. There are 32 athletes signatures in total including Basil Heatley (England) twice, David 'DJP' Richards (Wales) & John Merriman of Wales who was to later endear himself to the Welsh public by winning a silver medal in the 6 miles at the 1958 Empire Games in Cardiff. Approx 90 autos in total.

Book 2 - 1959 Lions and other rugby players - there are several single autograph pages in this miniature book, these include David Marques, Norman Bruce, Andy Mulligan, Cecil Pedlow, Hugh McLeod, Dickie Jeeps, Malcolm Thomas, Arthur Smith, Ronnie Dawson, RH Williams, Cliff Morgan. Approx 25 autos in total.

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-aubkgp2

75.jpg (26532 bytes) A handwritten letter to JBG from 1962 British Lion Tony O'Connor. The Aberavon & Wales scrum half is responding to JBG's congratulatory letter on his selection for the tour. 

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-aultbr62-toc

 

SINGLE AUTOGRAPHS

33.jpg (5507 bytes) Dewi Bebb autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-db

32.jpg (6183 bytes) W Roddy Evans autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-wre

31.jpg (4807 bytes) Des Greenslade autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-dg

30.jpg (3299 bytes) D Ken Jones autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-dkj

29.jpg (5068 bytes) Bryn Meredith autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-bm

28.jpg (4003 bytes) Haydn Morgan autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-hm

26.jpg (3870 bytes) Dave Nash autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-dn

24.jpg (8205 bytes) Tony O'Connor autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-toc

23.jpg (3092 bytes) Alun Pask autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-ap

22.jpg (4781 bytes) Brian Price autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-bp

21.jpg (4721 bytes) Alan Rees autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-ar

19.jpg (3892 bytes) Keith Rowlands autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-kr

18.jpg (5115 bytes) Lloyd Williams autograph on small piece of paper (approx 9cm x 6cm - 3" x 2")

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auwapy-lw

 

 

AUTOGRAPHED PROGRAMMES

A collection of programmes that have been autographed, the signatures were collected by Wayne before and after matches whilst accompanying his dad. 
F-57.jpg (36446 bytes) 10.jpg (83535 bytes)

England v France 1957 - GRAND SLAM SEASON FOR ENGLAND

Signed by RM Bartlett, E Evans, GW Hastings, RWD Marques, PGD Robbins of England, and M Vannier, J Bouquet, J Dupuy, A Domenech, M Celaya of France

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprenfr57

 I-56.jpg (35256 bytes) 09.jpg (81407 bytes)

England v Ireland 1956

Signed by DL Sanders, E Evans, RWD Marques, A Ashcroft, VG Roberts of England, and AA Mulligan of Ireland

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprenir56

S-55.jpg (35418 bytes) 08.jpg (75558 bytes)

England v Scotland 1955

Signed by GW Hastings of England, and RWT Chisholm, JWY Kemp, A Robinson of Scotland

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprensc55

50.jpg (58142 bytes) 07.jpg (75651 bytes)

England v Scotland 1957 - GRAND SLAM MATCH FOR ENGLAND

Signed by RM Bartlett, Eric Evans (captain), GW Hastings, RWD Marques, PGD Robbins of England, and KJF Scotland, GH Waddell, A Robinson of Scotland

**** England won this match 16-3 to record their 7th Grand Slam. ****

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprensc57

E-57.jpg (36994 bytes) 06.jpg (63013 bytes)

Ireland v England 1957 - GRAND SLAM SEASON FOR ENGLAND

Signed by AA Mulligan, BG Wood of Ireland, and RM Bartlett, Eric Evans (Captain), GW Hastings, RWD Marques, PGD Robins

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-aupriren57

F-57.jpg (35979 bytes) 05.jpg (65856 bytes)

Ireland v France 1957

Signed by AA Mulligan of Ireland, and M Vannier, J Dupuy, A Domenech, M Celaya of France

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprirfr57

W-56.jpg (35843 bytes) 04.jpg (72192 bytes)

Ireland v Wales 1956

Signed by CL Davies, MC Thomas, HP Morgan, KJ Jones, CI Morgan, DO Brace, B Meredith, B Sparks, LH Jenkins of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprirwa56

F-56.jpg (34319 bytes) 03.jpg (79706 bytes)

Scotland v France 1956

Signed by RWT Chisholm, ML Grant of Scotland

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprscfr56

79.jpg (50735 bytes) 02.jpg (77349 bytes)

Scotland v Ireland 1955

Signed by AR Smith, A Robinson of Scotland, and D McSweeney

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprscir55

W-55.jpg (35778 bytes) 01.jpg (76151 bytes)

Scotland v Wales 1955

Signed by A Robinson of Scotland, and AB Edwards, KJ Jones, G Wells, A Thomas, C Morgan, R Robins, JRG Stephens of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprscwa55

W-57.jpg (36544 bytes) 99.jpg (73115 bytes)

Scotland v Wales 1957

Signed by KJF Scotland, JWY Kemp, A Robinson of Scotland, and MC Thomas, GM Griffiths, KJ Jones, GI Morgan, L Williams, BV Meredith, JRG Stephens, KJ Robins, B Sparks of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprscwa57

42.jpg (62767 bytes) 98.jpg (80875 bytes)

Wales v International XV 1957 - Empire Games Fundraising Match

Signed by TE Davies, C Davies, G Powell, G Wells, CI Morgan, L Williams, BV Meredith, JRG Stephens, RJ Robins of Wales, and RM Bartlett, E Evans, RWD Marques of International XV

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwa-int57

E-55.jpg (35009 bytes) 97.jpg (73925 bytes)

Wales v England 1955

Signed by KJ Jones, G Wells, BL Williams, C Morgan, JRG Stephens, R Robins, B Sparkes of Wales, and JE Williams and DGS Baker of England

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwaen55

W-57.jpg (34035 bytes) 96.jpg (82206 bytes)

Wales v England 1957 - GRAND SLAM SEASON FOR ENGLAND

Signed by GM Griffiths, MC Thomas, CI Morgan, DO Brace, BV Meredith, R Prosser, JRG Stephens, R O'Connor, R Robins, RCC Thomas of Wales and RM Bartlett, Eric Evans, GW Hastings, RWD Marques, PGD Robbins of England

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwaen57

F-56.jpg (31282 bytes) 95.jpg (89782 bytes)

Wales v France 1956

Signed by KJ Jones, HP Morgan, MC Thomas, CL Davies, CI Morgan, DO Brace, B Meredith, LH Jenkins, JRG Stephens, CD Williams, R Robins, G Whitson of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwafr56

I-55.jpg (32779 bytes) 94.jpg (78815 bytes)

Wales v Ireland 1955

Signed by KJ Jones, A Thomas, G Griffiths, H Morris, C Morgan, W R Willis, R Robins, JRG Stephens of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwair55

I-57.jpg (32997 bytes) 93.jpg (73554 bytes)

Wales v Ireland 1957

Signed by TE Davies, C Davies, G Powell, G Wells, CI Morgan, L Williams, BV Meredith, JRG Stephens, RJ Robins, J Faull of Wales, and AA Mulligan, BG Wood, PJ O'Sullivan of Ireland

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwair57

I-59.jpg (33976 bytes) 92.jpg (74040 bytes)

Wales v Ireland 1959

Signed by G Ashton, R Prosser, BV Meredith, J Faull, DJE Harris of Wales

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwair59

S-56.jpg (34151 bytes) 91.jpg (82587 bytes)

Wales v Scotland 1956

Signed by CL Davies, MC Thomas, KJ Jones, HP Morgan, B Meredith, DO Brace, CI Morgan, R Prosser, RCC Thomas, LH Jenkins, B Sparks of Wales, and RWT Chisholm, ML Grant of Scotland

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprwasc56

90.jpg (51608 bytes)

Canada v Combined Bridgend and Maesteg XV

Signed by MB McAlpine, DJ O'Neil, JM Ward of Canada

Ref: WRMR-WAJO-JBGT-auprtrca62-bm

 

END OF COLLECTION

 

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CREDITS

Many thanks to the following people who have helped with the story of 'JBG Thomas'

John Griffiths

Wayne Thomas

Dai Richards & Dale Thomas (World Rugby Museum)

 

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