Player

Rev. Alban Davies - Prop

Swansea
Back
Rev. Alban Davies
Date Of Birth05/09/1885
Place Of BirthLlansantffraid
EducationLlandovery College, Oxford University, St John's School, Leatherhead
ClubsCardiff, Swansea, London Welsh
RegionsScarlets, Glamorgan
HonoursWales
273
Jenkin Alban Davies.
Caps: 7.
Position: Forward.
Games Played: 1913 v S,F,I; 1914 v E,S,F,I.
Born: 5/9/1885 Llansantffraid, Cardiganshire
Died: 18/7/1976 Los Angeles, USA.
Main clubs: Swansea, Llanelli.
The Reverend Alban Davies gained his first three caps while playing for Swansea and his last four (all in 1914) while with Llanelli, leading Wales throughout 1914 with three wins and a loss, including skippering ‘The Terrible Eight’ in Belfast. He scored tries against France in 1913 and in 1914. Overall, he was a winner in six of his seven international appearances. He also played for London Welsh and skippered Wales in the non-cap match against the Barbarians at Cardiff in 1915. The former schoolmaster was as tough as they came, though after attending St John’s School in Leatherhead and then Llandovery College he failed to gain a Rugby Blue while studying at Jesus College, Oxford University. He was a chaplain in WWar1 attached to the Royal Field Artillery and in 1924 he became vicar of Hook, Kingston-upon-Thames, succeeding his friend and former Jesus College student, Reverend W.T.(Bill) Havard (1 cap, 1919). Alban sailed several times to Genoa listing his addresses as Epsom College (1924) and Westham Vicarage, Pevensey, in East Suffolk (1936), also listing Wetham Vicarage when he sailed to Gibraltar in 1933. He eventually emigrated to South Africa and became the chaplain of Pretoria Prison, but on December 15,1956 after returning from South Africa at the age of 71 and listed as a Clerk in Holy Orders, he sailed among 47 passengers on the SS Lismoria of the Donaldson Line Ltd from Liverpool to San Francisco, listing his last address in Britain as 12 Culmington Road in South Croydon, Surrey. He died in Los Angeles some 20 years later at the age of 90. His parents were the Reverend David J.Davies and Catherine Davies with a younger sister Anne and they lived in 1891 at Abererare House, Treflemin, Lower Ystradgynlais, Pontardawe, but after school and college by 1911 he had become a boarder at 4 Priorton Terrace in Swansea and in 1939 he was living at The Vicarage in Hailsham, Suffolk. His movements in his last 20-odd years are unknown, but he seemingly never married.
This player profile was written by rugby Historian Howard Evans who kindly allowed its reproduction.
SEASON P W D L TRY CON PEN DG PTS
1909-1910 12 11 0 1 1 0 0 0 3
1910-1911 18 16 0 2 2 0 0 0 6
1911-1912 20 9 6 5 3 0 0 0 9
1912-1913 16 12 3 1 6 0 0 0 18
1913-1914 5 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 3
TOTAL 71 52 9 10 13 0 0 0 39