Merthyr Express 70 years ago

Youngatheart Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:46 am

Merthyr Tydfil’s player manager Bill Hullett scored a goal in six seconds against Cheltenham Town, which was reported a Southern League record at the time. Merthyr went onto win 4-2 with a hat trick from Hullett. The Express stated emphatically that it was a record for British soccer at the time. A perusal of fast scoring feats in recent years shows that Premier League goals have been scored in half that time.

In the same week Merthyr beat Lovells Athletic 7-1 in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Cup, but were trounced 8-3 in the Welsh League at Cardiff City, five of the Cardiff goals being scored by former Merthyr player Paddy McIlvenny.

The Welsh League Division One table had Treharris in 4^th place, Merthyr 10^th and Troedyrhiw 15^th.

Lengthy correspondence continued in the Express on the subject of the danger of stray footballs causing damage to neighbours’ property near the Treharris ground.

At Aberdare Coliseum there was a visit by two World champion table tennis players, Viktor Barna and Johnny Leach. During a performance of several exhibition matches, Leach challenged to play a member of the audience using a bat just 4 inches in diameter and still beat him. Barna played a youngster, playing every stroke behind his back, but the young man prevailed winning 21-16.

The ban on visitors to Merthyr hospitals imposed a few weeks earlier as a precaution against the flu epidemic was lifted.

Mr Cross and Mr Wood held a dinner to celebrate the 21^st anniversary Crosswoods food shop, still operating now 81 years after its formation.

A lady in Galon Uchaf was fined 5 shillings (value today £9) after the police reported her for allowing her chimney to catch fire because she had not had it swept.

The town’s Chief Constable made his annual report on the number of aliens living in the borough. The total was 181 consisting of the following nationalities - with American, Austrian, Belgian, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German (22), Italian (47), Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Spanish (59) and Swiss.

Mr T Meredith Jones a miner of Pengarnddu, Dowlais won the top honour of Champion of Champions at Crufts at Olympia, London with his Welsh Terrier bitch “Twyn Star Dyma fi”.