REES, WALTER ENOCH (1863 - 1949), contractor and long-standing secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union

Born 13 April 1863 at Neath, Glamorganshire, son of Joseph Cook Rees, builder and contractor. He was educated at Neath and Barnstaple. He began his very long career as a rugby administrator in 1888 when he became secretary of the Neath club. He was elected to the council of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1889, and in 1896 he succeeded William Henry Gwynn (Swansea) as secretary of the Union. No-one has served the W.R.U. longer than he. His influence and authority were proverbial, particularly in south Wales. He was elected a member of Neath town council in 1900, and mayor in 1905. In 1910 he was appointed joint-manager of the British rugby team to South Africa. The War Office granted him the title of ' Captain ' in recognition of his work as a recruiting officer in west Glamorgan in 1916. Having served as secretary of the W.R.U. for more than half a century, he retired in 1948. He married, 8 September 1898, Lizzie Leith Peters of Aberdeen, and they had at least one son and one daughter. He died 6 June 1949 at Bridgend.

Author

• Professor Gareth W. Williams

Sources

• David Smith and Gareth Williams, Fields of Praise. The official history of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981 (Cardiff 1980) (1980)
• Playfair Welsh Rugby Annual 1949-50 (London 1949)
• Neath Guardian, 10 June 1949

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Walter E. Rees

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q7964728

Published date: 2001

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