| Description | Track 1 [0:53:16][Session One: 1 February 2018] Stan Addicott [SA], born Mountain Ash, Cynon Valley in 1941.Describes early education attending Mountain Ash grammar school, graduating in History at Bangor University and doing a Diploma in physical education at Loughborough. Comments on his early teaching career in grammar schools: Clacton-On-Sea, Essex and Bishop Headley High school, Merthyr Tydfil and mentions in 1971 taking up post of Assistant in Physical Education and Recreation in Swansea University [SU]. [0:01:30] Describes War time (WW2) memories at Mountain Ash. Story about seeing the Victory Flight in 1945(?) and also bomb damage to school in Woodland Street, Mountain Ash. Mentions father being a coal miner at Deep Dyffryn Colliery and continuing this role during WW2. Mentions mother was a house wife. Remarks on having 2 older sisters. Describes Dyffryn House grammar school: Lord Aberdare’s stately home. Comments on enjoyable years at Dyffryn House grammar school. Describes teachers at Dyffryn House grammar school and comments on their contribution to World War2.Describes where interest in rugby came from. Remarks favourably on Tydfill Thomas (History teacher at Dyffryn House grammar school) who encouraged SA’s path into studying History at Bangor University. Comments on diploma at Loughborough. Remarks on early career as PE teacher.[0:8:13] Describes career change in 1971. Mentions desire for more responsibility and challenge. Remarks on niche for promoting sport at SU. [0:08:49] Describes Swansea, the University and recalls the interview for SU job. Mentions Llewellyn Jones (SU principal) being at interview. Describes SU sports facilities when SA took over post of assistant in physical education and recreation. Mentions playing fields, running track, rugby and soccer pitches, grass pitch in centre of track, swimming pool, gym and tennis courts still remaining from the 1930’s and 40’s. Remarks on sports facilities needing upgrade. Mentions another set of playing fields at Fairwood, Upper Killay which was prone to getting waterlogged. Describes role of assistant in physical education and recreation through the 1970’s. [0:13:23] Describes popularity of going for 3 course lunch mid-day in the staff dining room on the top floor of Fulton House. Mentions menus and Waitress service. Comments on making friends with David Herbert, George Evans, DZ Phillips, Malcolm McGreggor, Len Mars, Ken Stagg, Phil King, Neil Reeve, Hugh Jones, David Blackaby through the staff sports teams. Story of Staff cricket team festivals, playing against rival teams from Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Bangor. Remarks that Cricket was taken seriously as was the fun. Describes Sport as being more popular with staff in the 1970’s, with staff involved in the intra-mural games. Story of member of staff, Phil King, playing in his late 50’s. Comments on his day to day busy work schedule: teaching classes in PGCE to coaching rugby. Rewarding Story of students continuing their PE interests in their subsequent teaching careers. [0:24:36] Describes giving opportunities for all students, staff and their families to take part in all types of sport at all levels. Story of SA being like character in “Brittas empire” who was a sports hall manager. [0:31:17] Describes sport as being a combination of things: good for health and fitness, provides competition, co-operation, good social activity, helps psychologically and people’s moods as well as being enjoyable and purposeful. Comments that sport can be the basis of a career. Mentions that he always tried to introduce the beneficial aspects to people and believed in the old adage “No Fun, No Future”. Describes main sports popular in 1980’s plus fads such as Hang gliding and surfing. [0:35:14]Describes enforcing discipline as more unpleasant aspect of job. Story of how SU compared with Sheffield University in terms of incidents reported on their playing fields. [0:37:03] Describes Interaction with college authorities during Playing fields committee meetings. Remarks Judge Rowe Harding being chairman of Playing fields committee. Mentions Judge Rowe Harding was a prominent local figure within Swansea and very well respected, superceeded by Ieuan Williams. [0:40:15] Mentions doing a part- time M-Ed degree in Liverpool University which helped him become Director of Sports in SU in 1980. Remarks was always looking for the next challenge.[0:42:05] Describes career highlights as introducing the Sports Science degree, a new sports hall and a new 50 metre pool to SU. Describes pushing for the development of a sports science degree which was successful in 1995/96 with help from new vice chancellor of SU, Robin Williams. Mentions Dr Simon Jenkins appointed as first director of Sports science at SU. Remarks on teaching a few modules of the sports science degree. Comments on 17 students in 1997 to now over 300 students doing Sports Science at SU. Remarks on building a new sports hall in 1980. Describes the building of a new 50 metre swimming pool in 2003 via a joint venture with Swansea City council. [0:50:50] Describes that there were good links with community, SA encouraged facility hire but wary of facilities (mainly the 50 m pool) being swamped to the Universities detriment. Mentions joint venture between SU and council helps this balance. [0:52:34] Sports facilities created a Good “Town and Gown link” as did the Taliesin.
Track 2 [0:29:20] Session one: 1 February 2018 Stan Addicott [SA] Describes changes in interests in sports over Swansea University [SU] ’s history, describing each decade and the main sports that were prominent at this time. [0:00:42 Mentions in 1920’s, athletics was the main sport. Story of SA spotting his old Physics Teacher, JDB Williams[JW] from Mountain Ash Grammar school on an old Swansea University archives photo. Story of [JW] being on the Central athletics board committee in Swansea University in the 1920’s. Mentions [JW] involved later with Welsh Athletics and with Empire Games in Cardiff in 1958. [0:02:05] Mentions 1930’s, rugby more important in [SU]. Mentions [SU] winning 6 UEU championships. Comments on meeting students from 1930’s: Hermous Evans, Idwal Rees, Wyndam Davies, Arthur Giligan. [0:03:44] Mentions 1940’s Rugby continuing as being most prominent sport in SU with leading SU students: Syd Harris, Viv Davies, Cliff David. Mentions 1950’s Rugby continuing as being most prominent sport, with leading students coming out of SU: Brian Richards, Bryn Gravnor, Huw Thomas, Andy Chin. [0:04:36]Comments on swimming being strong now because of the facility of the National Pool. Remarks on gym and its popularity since the 50’s and new sports such as basketball, sailing, surfing, badminton, ladies sports, lacrosse and Frisbee tossing. Describes introduction of a sports scholarship scheme in 1985 which aimed to attract good sportsmen to SU. Story of first scholarships going to Steve James , David Evans, Duncan Rolly and Neil Horsefield. Mentions The 6 scholarships per year increased together with an increasing number of top sports men and women gaining degrees at SU thereafter. Describes SU as being a strong sporting university and describes SU’s achievements and trophies: winning the British Universities Cricket championships, winning British Universities Sports Association [BUSA] football final and winning at swimming championships. Mentions SU competing in 9 Rugby finals at Twickenham from 1970’s, won 2 – showing the strength of SU’s Rugby. Describes the satisfaction of seeing the sporting development of SU students, such as Alun Wyn Jones, now captain of the Wales Rugby Team. [0:14:31] Describes rugby coaching in 1980’s and 90’s. Story of discovering Mark Wyatt and seeing him going on to play for Wales in Rugby. Description of relationship with Athletic Union Presidents. Describes women’s sport development. Remarks on the popularity of women’s rugby and football as being a national trend; helped by financial incentives. [0:18:42]Describes the strong welsh feeling of Bangor University. Mentions roommate, Robert Griffiths [RG], from Swansea and comments on RG’s father being professor of Classics in SU. Story of RG’s defiance at graduation. Mentions movement for the Welsh Language was strong in the 1960’s. Comments on RG’s career, setting up “Y Lolfa” Publishing company. Describes the Welsh feeling in SU not as strong as in Bangor University. [0:22:35] Story of University of Wales Championship (when Swansea University was still part of the University of Wales) took part between Bangor, Lampeter, Aberystwyth, Swansea, Cardiff Meds, Cardiff and U.St. Remarks on British Universities base competitions in different ways today: more emphasis on regional competition now and at different sporting proficiency levels. [0:23:56]Describes thoughts on university’s name change from University college of Wales- Swansea to SU in 2007. Comments on impact of rising number of student numbers and demand on resources such as pitches, floodlights etc. [0:26:15] Comments on Retirement in 2003 and then being part time within the department for 5 years. |