JTD Llewelyn was a pioneering figure in the history of both cricket and rugby in South Wales, with the Old Etonian playing a leading role in the creation of Glamorgan County Cricket Club as well as the Welsh Rugby Union, besides being a kindly benefactor to a myriad of organizations.
He played for the Glamorganshire side as well as the South Wales Cricket Club at a pivotal time in the game’s evolution and, as shown by his philanthropy during the 1870s towards the creation of a decent cricket ground at St. Helen’s in Swansea, he was eager to ensure that the basic infrastructure was in order for the game in South Wales in the 19th century to move to the next level.
With this in mind, he convened the meeting at The Castle Hotel in Neath in 1868 at which Glamorganshire County Cricket Club came into being. After this initial foray folded in 1875, he then played a leading role in 188 at arranging a meeting at The Angel Hotel in Cardiff on 6 July 1888 at which Glamorgan County Cricket Club came into being. He duly served as Treasurer of the new club and, with a tear in his eye, was present at Cardiff Arms Park during May 191 when Glamorgan defeated Sussex to win their inaugural match in the County Championship following their elevation into first-class cricket.
JTD was the son of pioneering photographer and scientist John Dillwyn Llewelyn who lived with his wife Emma Thomasina Talbot at Penllergaer House to the north of Cardiff. The Old Etonian was a very useful cricketer in his younger days, and dismissed WG Grace with his brisk, round-arm deliveries during the match between Glamorganshire and the West Gloucestershire club at the Arms Park in 1870.
JTD had played informal games as a youngster at The Gnoll on land owned by the Mackworth’s before taking part in his first match of note at the end of May 1858 whilst a student at Oxford, playing for Christ College against the United England Eleven.Two years later he became a member of the South Wales Cricket Club, playing against Clifton CC on 29 and 30 August 1859 and taking three wickets with his brisk bowling.
It was not though until 23 and 24 June 1863 that he made his debut for Glamorganshire, playing against Carmarthenshire at Bryn-y-Mor Field, scoring 3 and 14, besides taking four wickets in the drawn contest. 1863 was an important year in another way for JTD as he helped the Neath club, after some financial troubles, reform as Cadoxton CC. They duly went on to be a powerhouse in local cricket, no doubt through his philanthropy, and were strong enough to play the MCC at Lord’s.
Glamorganshire’s match with Carmarthenshire at The Gnoll in September 1864 saw JTD claim his first five-for in a county game as he took 5/40. The following year at Dolgarreg he returned identical figures against the West Wales county before, in 1866, helping to organize the appearance of the United England Eleven for a match against a XXII of Swansea and District at the Brunswick Field – it was a game which also saw JTD display his abilities with the bat as he opened the batting.
September 1867 saw JTD continue to enjoy plenty of success with the ball as he took 5/32 and 6/39 for the Gentlemen of South Wales against the Players before helping Cadoxton secure a match against the United South of England Eleven on 21, 22 and 23 May, with the cricketing squire of Penllergaer claiming seven wickets.
His success continued in 1868 as on 24 and 25 July he captained the West of Glamorgan XI in the game against the East at Merthyr Mawr in 1868 and scoring 42 in the second innings. Three weeks before he had also played for the Gentlemen of Swansea against the Australian Aborigines, taking 6/64, before the following week. Claiming figures of 3/25 and 8/22 in Glamorganshire’s 63-run victory over Breconshire at The Gnoll.
With the game on the up, JTD was convinced that the time was right for the industrial heartland of Wales to have a proper county cricket team. After positive soundings with leading officials from other clubs across the region, he called a meeting at The Castle Hotel in Neath in March 1869. A formal Glamorganshire club was soon inaugurated and during the Spring, a number of inter-county fixtures were secured. The Cambrian newspaper was delighted with this news, with their correspondent stating “other counties in Wales have set the example and while we have as good a patron as J.T.D. Llewelyn, there can be no doubt that there will be a large enrolment. The formation of the club will have no connection with the Cadoxton one already in existence and which has always stood A 1, but in all probability, many of the gentlemen being members of the Cadoxton club will enrol their names for the county.”
Perhaps mindful of this need for a separate identity, Llewelyn made contact with some of the influential members of the rapidly expanding Cardiff club to see if the Bute Estate would allow the new county organisation to use the excellent wicket they had nurtured since 1867 on the Arms Park. The Marquis – who was a Tory sympathiser – readily agreed, and the new club used the Arms Park during mid-June 1869 for their game against a Monmouthshire XI raised by Captain Hugo Pearson, a Royal Naval officer who lived near Ross. The two-day contest saw the Glamorganshire side, containing several Cardiff players, as well as JTD, perform with great credit, but the game ended in a draw with the Glamorganshire side well on top.
JTD continued to be one of the leading bowlers in the fledgling county team, taking eight wickets in the away match with Breconshire as well as Monmouthshire, prior to taking 5/29 and 5/27 for the Gents against the Players at Neath in early August. His best performance, however ,that summer came at Llandrindod Wells where, appearing for Breconshire against Radnorshire, JTD secured a twelve-wicket haul. He continued in good form with the ball in 1870 taking eight wickets in Glamorganshire’s match with Breconshire before a fortnight later bowling WG Grace in the second innings of the match with the West Gloucestershire club at the Arms Park.
Opposite – JTD with his wife Caroline. Image Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.
He also took thirteen wickets in the game with Breconshire at The Gnoll in 1872 besides going on the South Wales Cricket Club’s tour of the London area in 1874 and 1875. In the latter year, JTD also took 6/48 in Glmaorganshire’s match at Brecon but this proved to be his final standout performance for the county as the club folded at the end of the 1875 season.
JTD continued to play for Swansea against the South of England at St. Helen’s in 1876 as well as featuring the following year at the ground in the game with the All-England Eleven. He also toured the London area with the South Wales Cricket Club in 1877 as well as the following summer, despite having additional duties as High Sheriff of Glamorgan. He also became an administrator and promotor of rugby, helping to convene a meeting in 1881 at The Castle Hotel in Neath – the same place where Glamorganshire had been created in 1868- where the Welsh Rugby Union was formed before becoming the Union’s President in 1885.
His cricket-playing days came to a close during the 1880s with his final match of note taking place, quite appropriately at Swansea, where during August 1886 he played for the MCC against Glamorganshire, scoring 18 as his team won by five wickets. He was pleased by the growth of rugby but, at heart, cricket was his first sporting love and he was irked that whilst there was a decent rugby team representing the region, there was still no cricket team. He duly took steps to rectify matters by joining forces with JP Jones of Cardiff CC in organizing a meeting at The Angel Hotel in Cardiff on 6 July 1888 at which Glamorgan County Cricket Club came into being.
JTD also moved into politics and after being appointed Mayor of Swansea in 1890/91, he served as the Conservative MP for Swansea 1895-1900, He also took great delighted in seeing his sons Willie and Charlie following in his footsteps by playing for Glamorgan, as well as being at the Arms Park in 1905, in his guise as President of the WRU, as Wales defeated the All Blacks for the first-ever time.
JTD had a number of interests outside the world of sport and politics, including having a keen interest in scientific matters as well as horticulture, besides having a daffodil named after him. He also developed his family’s estate and gardens at Penllergaer House. He married Caroline Hicks Beach in 1861 and was created a Baronet on 20 March 1890.
LLEWELYN, Sir John Talbot Dillwyn
Born: Penllergaer, 26 May 1836.
Died: Penllergaer, 6 July 1927.
