Walter E. Rees
Encyclopedia
Captain Walter Enoch Rees (13 April 1863 – 6 June 1949) was a Welsh
rugby union
administrator who was the longest serving secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union
and joint manager of the 1910 British Lions tour of South Africa
.
, the son of Joseph Cook Rees, a builder and contractor. Rees was educated in his home town and later in Barnstable
, and on leaving school followed his father into the local building trade. In 1888, Rees began his long association with rugby when he was appointed as secretary of Neath Rugby Football Club
, a position he would hold until 1894, when he was made the club's treasurer. In 1889 he was elected to the Match Committee of the Welsh Football Union
, later to be renamed the Welsh Rugby Union, along with Horace Lyne
. In a hostile meeting of the WRU in 1891, several members of the board attempted to unseat the then secretary and treasurer Richard Mullock
. Rees was proposed by Swansea
member William Gwynn
as a replacement for the secretary post, but after a plea from Lyne and W.D. Phillips
, who reminded how Mulloch, as WRU founder, had financed the union through its early years, Rees withdrew his tender.
In 1892, Rees made two proposals to the WFU; the first was for the union to donate 100 guineas to the Tondu Park Slip Colliery disaster, the second was to introduce a set of standards that clubs would be required to achieve before becoming members of the union. That same year, Mullock resigned as secretary of the WFU, and was succeeded by William Gwynn; but in 1895 Gwynn suffered a mental breakdown and his duties were covered by the Treasurer, William Wilkins. At the next Annual General Meeting, Rees was elected to the post of Secretary instead of Gwynn.
Rees took the role of Secretary very seriously, and without the self-funding provided by Mullock, Rees made sure that funding was always available to keep the union solvent. In 1905 the New Zealand All Blacks toured Great Britain, and began beating every team they were pitted against. Wales
were the current Home Nations Champions
, and the press began to bill the forthcoming clash between the two countries as the "Match of the Century". Rees travelled with other committee members to Gloucester to view the All Blacks in action, and it is thought that Rees proposed the Welsh tactics that counteracted the New Zealand scrummage. A week before the game, Rees set himself up at the Queen's Hotel in Cardiff
, making himself available each day to "...receive all communications." Although there is no evidence of who decided on the strategies to be adopted on the day, the Welsh did change their tactics, which in turn disrupted the New Zealand style of play. Wales went on to win a controversial match by a single try.
In 1910 Rees, along with W. Cail, was chosen to manage a British Isles
team on their tour of South Africa
. Organised rugby was disbanded during the First World War, but Rees continued his duties after the end of hostilities, and was made permanent secretary of the WFU in 1921.
On the 30 June 1948, Rees stood down as the secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union, a position he had held for 52 years. On 6 June 1949 Rees died, just a month after the death of his longtime president Howard Lyne. During his time as secretary, Rees had seen the growth and transformation of rugby union in Wales, and had steered the national team through its first Golden Era. Rees had become synonymous with Welsh rugby in the first half of the twentieth century.
, a Conservative
and an Anglican
. On 8 September 1898, Rees married Lizzie Leith Peters of Aberdeen
, and they had at least one son and a daughter. In 1900 he was elected to the Neath town council, and in 1905 he became the Mayor of Neath. After the outbreak of World War I, Rees was made the recruiting officer for the Neath district, responsible for the recruitment of more than a third of Glamorgan
. In 1916 the War Office
conferred on Rees the rank of Captain, to reflect his position as the principal registration and tribunal officer for the area.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
administrator who was the longest serving secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
and joint manager of the 1910 British Lions tour of South Africa
1910 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1910 British Isles tour to South Africa was the eighth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in...
.
Career as rugby administrator
Rees was born in 1863 in NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, the son of Joseph Cook Rees, a builder and contractor. Rees was educated in his home town and later in Barnstable
Barnstable
Barnstable may refer to:Places*Barnstable, Massachusetts, a US city*Barnstable , Massachusetts, a village within the city of Barnstable...
, and on leaving school followed his father into the local building trade. In 1888, Rees began his long association with rugby when he was appointed as secretary of Neath Rugby Football Club
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
, a position he would hold until 1894, when he was made the club's treasurer. In 1889 he was elected to the Match Committee of the Welsh Football Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
, later to be renamed the Welsh Rugby Union, along with Horace Lyne
Horace Lyne
Horace Sampson Lyne MBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales and after retiring from playing rugby became the longest serving president of the Welsh Rugby Union...
. In a hostile meeting of the WRU in 1891, several members of the board attempted to unseat the then secretary and treasurer Richard Mullock
Richard Mullock
Richard Mullock was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union in 1934...
. Rees was proposed by Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
member William Gwynn
William Gwynn
William Gwynn was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket for Swansea, of which he became...
as a replacement for the secretary post, but after a plea from Lyne and W.D. Phillips
William David Phillips
William David Phillips was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales...
, who reminded how Mulloch, as WRU founder, had financed the union through its early years, Rees withdrew his tender.
In 1892, Rees made two proposals to the WFU; the first was for the union to donate 100 guineas to the Tondu Park Slip Colliery disaster, the second was to introduce a set of standards that clubs would be required to achieve before becoming members of the union. That same year, Mullock resigned as secretary of the WFU, and was succeeded by William Gwynn; but in 1895 Gwynn suffered a mental breakdown and his duties were covered by the Treasurer, William Wilkins. At the next Annual General Meeting, Rees was elected to the post of Secretary instead of Gwynn.
Rees took the role of Secretary very seriously, and without the self-funding provided by Mullock, Rees made sure that funding was always available to keep the union solvent. In 1905 the New Zealand All Blacks toured Great Britain, and began beating every team they were pitted against. Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
were the current Home Nations Champions
1905 Home Nations Championship
The 1905 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 14 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, and the press began to bill the forthcoming clash between the two countries as the "Match of the Century". Rees travelled with other committee members to Gloucester to view the All Blacks in action, and it is thought that Rees proposed the Welsh tactics that counteracted the New Zealand scrummage. A week before the game, Rees set himself up at the Queen's Hotel in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, making himself available each day to "...receive all communications." Although there is no evidence of who decided on the strategies to be adopted on the day, the Welsh did change their tactics, which in turn disrupted the New Zealand style of play. Wales went on to win a controversial match by a single try.
In 1910 Rees, along with W. Cail, was chosen to manage a British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team on their tour of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Organised rugby was disbanded during the First World War, but Rees continued his duties after the end of hostilities, and was made permanent secretary of the WFU in 1921.
On the 30 June 1948, Rees stood down as the secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union, a position he had held for 52 years. On 6 June 1949 Rees died, just a month after the death of his longtime president Howard Lyne. During his time as secretary, Rees had seen the growth and transformation of rugby union in Wales, and had steered the national team through its first Golden Era. Rees had become synonymous with Welsh rugby in the first half of the twentieth century.
Personal life and civic duties
Unlike those who had taken on roles in the WFU before him, Rees was not a rugby playing man. His views were therefore atypical of many of the rugby playing men his role supervised. He was a FreemasonFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, a Conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and an Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
. On 8 September 1898, Rees married Lizzie Leith Peters of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, and they had at least one son and a daughter. In 1900 he was elected to the Neath town council, and in 1905 he became the Mayor of Neath. After the outbreak of World War I, Rees was made the recruiting officer for the Neath district, responsible for the recruitment of more than a third of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
. In 1916 the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
conferred on Rees the rank of Captain, to reflect his position as the principal registration and tribunal officer for the area.